a blessing when it’s better but not over

God, I am so ready
for this pandemic to be over,
but it isn’t yet.
this is a new hard place to be,
so full of promise,
but undefined risk.

O God,
give me patience.
give me hope.
Did I mention
give me patience?

Teach me to do your will,
for you are my God;
may your good Spirit
lead me on level ground.
Psalm 143:10 NIV

God have mercy.
Christ have mercy.
Spirit have mercy.

I, wisdom
have made prudence my dwelling,
and find out knowledge and discretion.
Proverbs 8:12 ASV

God have mercy.
Christ have mercy.
Spirit have mercy.

Blessed are we
who see the vaccines coming
and feel the hope rising
who feel the pull toward
the freedoms we crave,
to hold our loved ones,
to gather and sing
and worship and play,
to walk among people without fear.

Blessed are we,
feeling the surge of joy
and yet, also
the restraint that still holds us,
for the sake of those loved ones,
for the sake of those strangers
we may one day walk among.

O God,
blessed are we
are feeling the urgency
that is born
of the sweetness of life itself,
all we long to enjoy.

Blessed are we who say, God,
build into me the gifts
of this restrained joy,
show me what must be
the driver of it all–
Prudence,
who is wisdom in coveralls,
for she knows the pace
and the direction
of the way forward, (Aquinas)
and gathers within us
the courage to do
the good we desire to do
for ourselves and others,
all in the right way,
at the right time.

God have mercy.
Christ have mercy.
Spirit have mercy.

Sing where you are.
thank God where you are.
here is where joy may be found.

My heart is steady, God;
my heart is steady.
I will sing and praise you.
Psalm 57:7