Sacred Connections: Uncertainty
I think many of us may be wrestling with uncertainty these days and longing for some certainty of our choosing. Many may recall the words of Benjamin Franklin, “… nothing can be said to be certain except death and taxes.” That’s probably not the realm of certainty we find nurturing and reassuring right now. We want to be able to count on things that are important to us, we want to know what’s coming next, to anticipate and control. Many of us are still longing to find our old comfort zone.
The outer reality of uncertainty during these times is hard to escape. There’s uncertainty about how and when schools might re-open and uncertainty about businesses being able to stay open, about whether some jobs will come back. There’s uncertainty about the safety of once routine activities – a trip to the grocery, a doctor’s appointment, a haircut, a restaurant, a park. I hear uncertainty about summer plans for vacation and family visits, the need to wait until the last minute to calibrate possible risks and rewards. For many of us at Church of the Redeemer, we wonder about the timing of our return to our church building, as individuals and as a deeply connected community. We may find ourselves doing a lot of thinking and calibrating during these uncertain times to simply navigate through our days, and that can be wearying, frustrating, almost paralyzing. And yet, there is more going on, God is very present even in this sea of uncertainty.
It’s not surprising that many of our conversations these days contain words of lament. People are experiencing suffering through isolation, illness, disappointment, frustration, feelings of helplessness. Not all of these are caused by COVID-19, but there has been a clear layering effect, suffering seems to be magnified by the impact of this virus. Yet as conversations continue, in virtually every story I am privileged to hear, I also hear of the presence of angels – God’s helpers showing up in friends, neighbors, health care providers, and strangers; showing up in acts of kindness, simple assistance, and life-saving response. There are grace-filled moments in the midst of each lament.
Cincinnati Children’s held a virtual Town Hall Meeting earlier this week so that medical center leaders might provide an update on their community response to COVID-19. Those of us attending caught a glimpse of the countless ways the hospital is reaching out to families and creating safe and easy pathways for patients to receive care. We learned of Children’s active collaborations with families, schools, other community service providers, and with research efforts across the country. As always, we were inspired by the deep and passionate commitment of all those looking out for the well-being of our children and our greater community.
This was a town hall with time for questions, and there were transparent discussions about the uncertainties weighing on families, educators, and communities today. But, in closing comments, I was most struck by the words of Dr. Patricia Manning-Courtney, Chief of Staff, “It’s okay to be uncertain, and it’s okay to move forward in the face of uncertainty.” Her words of assurance echoed deeply within me on so many levels.
This unprecedented time challenges us to acknowledge the uncertainty in all our lives, and go on living our lives within the realities of our present moments. In the face of uncertainty, we can keep moving forward, keep learning, keep growing, keep loving each other, keep looking for those moments of God’s grace in our own lives and in the lives of those we love. In the face of uncertainty, we know there remains our deepest certainty, that nothing can separate us from the love of God.
