I've been on the sidelines going through different emotions and feelings like so many others. From thoughts of disbelief, panic, hopelessness, despair, isolation, fear of the future, depression, and sadness to feeling hopeful, connected, informed and strong in my beliefs and vision for a new humanity.
The Corona story has brought us to our knees. We feel that there are forces in the world that are bigger than us. People and corporations with massive bank accounts that can push their will on the public world wide. Or rogue viruses that plague civilisation. How can we fight that?
But throughout history ( yes it repeats itself), similar situations have befallen people. Two stories come to mind.
First, is the first Pesach when the Jews had been slaves forced to endure unbearable conditions. The second is the Holocaust. Also the jews had been starved, killed, tortured , made into slaves and forced to do unthinkable things for powerful people.
In each of these historical events, there were stages leading up to the final climax.
The rope became tighter and tighter until God redeemed us from our unbearable circumstances.
Here we are again with the rope closing around our necks more and more by our freedoms , our privacy , health , incomes and individual voice being taken away .
Here we are again with the rope closing around our necks more and more by our freedoms , our privacy , health , incomes and individual voice being taken away . Democracy has been done away with, freedom stripped to nothing, conspiracies, isolation , income and all sense of who we are ,out the window.
We did what we were told and gave away what we loved and held precious. All in the name of fear. In a situation that feels hopeless and we are seemingly helpless , how can we overcome such dire straights ?
Throughout history we have been brought to our knees by force. But what if we use this position and stay there by choice? People in their darkest hour, have found themselves on their knees praying only to be lifted by God's guidance. If you've got nothing, you've got nothing to lose.
Let's use this opportunity to simply pray. When things get so out of hand and it seems nothing on earth can help, there is the simple act of prayer.
God is bigger than anything on this earth. He's bigger than greedy corporations, he's bigger than rumours, pandemics ,he's bigger than viruses, he's bigger than anything they can throw at us. "They" would love for you to forget about God and the simple act of prayer. "They" want us to believe that "they" are all powerful and hold the answers to everything. But we have God inside of us, it sometimes takes this kind of circumstance to find him, to reach out and reconnect.
We are the champions of our own story. God is our guide. We are left with nothing but our ability to cry out to God. Not just as individuals, but collectively as a unified body.
We don't need a church, synagogue or any holy place to reconnect to our individual idea of God. Our spirituality is inside each and everyone of us. Everyone connects to God in his or her own way . Every person connects to their own vision of who or what God is. Nature, the universe, deities, the Force. It doesn't make a difference . This is personal and the limits are fathomless.
We were brought to our knees on a global scale. Let's make this count. Let's do this for humanity, for the world for our and our children's future.
We have been seduced by technology, by our own craftiness, by greed and many of us have lost touch with nature, God and ourselves. Maybe this is God's way of getting our attention.
Getting us to wake up, become engaged, to remember our maker , our true nature and our purpose for being here.
Prayer is so simple, so profound, costs nothing, you don't need a chapel and there is no wrong way of doing it. When it comes from inside of us , from our heart, it's real.
This "corona" time coincides with the Jewish holidays of Purim through Pesach. Both holldays celebrate freedom and triumph over evil. It is a requirement to read the corresponding texts every year out loud so that every generation will remember, will learn of history and of the great acts God has done for us through our great prophets.
I believe this is another one of those times. These stories were a prelude to what is happening now. They are to be used as guidelines for our present times. Each time God performed miracles, each time people took an active role and prayer was central to each story .
Our future is our own. Prayer is our way to connect and reaffirm our truth. When we connect to each other, to love and to God, no one can harm us .This is our super power. It was given to us at birth and remains with us throughout our lives.
Tapping into this is what will bring us through.
This is how we triumph.
Pray for humanity. Pray for redemption. Pray for God to hear our cries.
If ever prayer was needed, it's now.
Amen.
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