Most every morning I wake up early, start the coffee, get dressed, go fetch the paper, grab my study bag, warm the coffee cups, pour my coffee (it’s done by now), and go camp out on my spot in the living/TV/everything room. Then I start my day with some quiet, reading, writing, prayer and pondering. Sometimes I start with the newspaper, sometimes with a few of the many e-devotions I receive from a variety of sources. Then, after an hour or two (depending on what ridiculous time I wake up and can’t fall back to sleep) Cam gets up… and the quiet is gone… and the ceaseless chatter begins…
I often feel bad for my wife of 37 years, missing out on the experience of a quiet time that I so enjoy and cherish. But, after about 30 minuets of constant, often mindless jabbering… I shut up and she enjoys the rest of her coffee in peace and quiet.
With the closing of churches and other faith community gathering spaces, virtual spiritual messaging has become abundant. My home church, Mount Calvary Lutheran in Excelsior is no exception. For many years we have had an active website and virtual presence. But the current sheltering in place has lead to more frequent postings and now a daily morning devotion email. In today’s morning message, Pastor Dave shared an experience he once had on a hospital visit (if you’d like to read the message and/or subscribe to the devotion you can click HERE). The story tells of a visit to a young woman recovering from surgery, one that removed tumors from her brain. Pr. Dave visited with the woman (who was conscious but unable to communicate) and her family, then left with a feeling that he hadn’t been of much help. However on his next visit a couple of weeks later, he learned that he had been more helpful than he knew. Since the woman was now able to talk, she told him that when he arrived on that first visit, that he had unknowingly “brought the angels” with him, angels that surrounded her bed and stayed with her after he left. He was a carrier, and he shared what he carried with a person in need.
In our current situation with Covid-19, when we can’t physically distance ourselves, we’re being told that we should be wearing masks. We wear masks in order to prevent spreading the virus… the bad stuff. A very good idea I believe. But I also believe we often wear another type of mask, one that keeps us from sharing the good stuff. It is my belief that we are all carriers of what is good in life. We carry and have the ability to share love, care, compassion, kindness, comfort… and all the other “good stuff”. But all too often we filter it out with the masks we wear.
So in these days of mask wearing awareness, work hard to not spread the bad stuff. Please, intentionally and carefully “mask up” when appropriate. But also be intentional and appropriate in deciding when to remove the other mask, and share the good stuff when you can. If you pay attention, you’ll be amazed at how much good you can do… knowingly and unknowingly.
With Care, Chaplain Dan.
