Today was Easter. Usually I would attend a church service with singing, children’s glee over egg hunts, and lots of jubilation. And I would have prepared an Easter feast to share with loved ones. But today was different kind of day for those that celebrate Easter, and for me. So, thinking of my day as an Easter feast: MEAL PREP TIME - Got dressed and prepared for a day online or telephone interactions. Rather than the Spring dress and hat I might have worn to church, I pondered and decided upon a bright red print sweater. APPETIZER - My first Zoom call bright and early was with a BFF in Costa Rica. We shared our experiences within our countries at this time and how we are coping. A lot of discussion about the solitude, our fears, and yes, even our joys and blessings. MAIN COURSE - Church via Zoom. With my home found elements to participate in communion; I joined young and old, singles and couples, families, and some pets. Some of the women had their Easter bonnets on. Zoom church is like a modern day Brady Bunch graphic. (See posted Last Supper cartoon graphic poking fun at the thought of that being held on Zoom! ) DESSERT- After church my young adult children and I had our Easter Fam Chat on Zoom and that was my icing on my 2020 Easter morning “cake”. We shared the losses that each of us are feeling at this time, and what we are doing in our individual isolation. SNACKING - The afternoon included visits with friends and texts and calls and connections with greetings back and forth between loved ones of many faiths. My friend Nina dropped off a roll of toilet paper, a mask, a can of hard to find diced tomatoes. I devoured getting to see and talk with a human in person… 6+ feet away. AFTER DINNER DRINK - FaceTime with my Goddaughter. We had time for a luscious conversation that wasn’t as possible before the pandemic times. It felt like sipping a fine brandy or scotch… savoring the time and the richness of the sharing. My Goddaughter shared her Easter prayer “I want to trust you, God, with the journey.” CLEAN-UP - Often my favorite part of the feast is cleaning up and reflecting on the day and the meal. It is sacred quiet reflection time. I consider this nightly writing these days like my feast clean up time… honoring the day and counting blessings before bedtime. BEDTIME PRAYER - includes some requests from the church service: and requests from those who touched my heart this day. Loving God, Creator, Divine, I lift up prayers from the people… Thank you for the solitude that allows that still small voice to be heard at this time. Prayers for the family of ___ who died this past week in Oakland of COVID-19… for his wife and children; Prayers for nephew in hospital with Covid-19 and asthma. Prayers for ___ following his passing this week from the coronavirus, and strength for (his family). Prayers for parents being teachers (often while also working)… and teachers teaching while being parents! Prayers for health and safety for _____ and for the care community where she resides. Prayers for my Neighbor who will soon give birth to a new life, God bless new babies born this week! … Praise God from whom all blessings flow! Prayers of deep gratitude for being a member of such a caring and supportive community….. Prayers for local business owners…. Prayers for those who must grieve alone. Prayers for my Mom (next to me here) as we grieve the loss of her husband last Sunday. Care and protect those for whom the “safety net” of public services will not be available… Prayers for Chaplains providing a link between patients and their loved ones; and providing much needed spiritual support for staff. For immigrants, the unnamed and forgotten who work in essential services, harvest the food we eat and care for us. For the homeless shelters in San Francisco which have been inundated with positive COVID cases… For the recovery groups that meet in our church, and elsewhere, those struggling against addiction in this difficult time of social distancing… For those who lead our city, state, nation and the nations of the earth… Thank you for the opportunity to feast upon the blessings of your creation; and to listen for the pain and the joy, and discern our call. Thank you for the times of sacred reflection, of interactions, and of action. Help us trust, oh God; trust you with the journey and what is to be. May it be so… Amen.
Originally Published to Facebook on April 13th, 2020 at https://www.facebook.com/creativecarolcelebrant/posts/153250919498441
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