Distressing Times Require Mercy-full Measures

      
This Lent we have been called, like it or not, noticeably or not, to become more serious about the three Lenten practices:
Fasting  -Who hasn’t had to tighten their belt, change their routine and put aside wants in order to meet needs? 
Prayer –Who hasn’t increased their times of reflection and prayer over the past month?
Acts of Charity –We are all witnessing parents staying home with their children, and families re-connecting; we have all heard of extraordinary acts of kindness; everyone has received the gift of time and presence from the skeleton crew of community workers keeping our grocery stores, essential services, care homes and medical services going; and we are all participating in ‘social distancing, ’ despite its challenges,  to help keep as many lives as possible safe from the pandemic flu. 
This is the Mercy of God in action, infusing our lives with faith, hope and love, whether we are aware of it or not.  Yes times are hard!  Yes, each of us is suffering each in his/ her own way! Yes the psycho-social cost of ‘social distancing’ is difficult to handle! But these are times of Mercy, rather than despair.
Let’s change the talk around these times of pandemic flu to reflect not the deceits of the world, the flesh and the darkness of our times, but the truths of life in the Holy Spirit of God.
It has been said, even in Church circles, that “Desperate times require desperate measures”… but are we truly desperate? Rather, let us consider these truths, verified by scripture, and 2,000 years of human history:

1. Chaotic times require Creative measures.  (Out of Chaos, God created.  Genesis 1 )
2. Arresting times require Answers from the Holy Spirit. (When they bring you to be tried, do not be worried about how you will defend yourself or what you will say. For the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say. Luke 12:11,12).
3. Times of Testing require an Unsheathing of the Word of God. (Christ countered the temptation of Satan with, “It is written….” Luke 4:1-15)
4. Times of Hunger require that we don’t try to turn stones into bread, but watch for the Provision of God (in his Word, and through the ministry of angels. Matthew 4:1-11)
5. Times of Spiritual Thirst require that we seek, again and again, the Living Water found in Christ Jesus. (Israelites in the desert at Moab Exodus 17:1-7; the Samaritan woman John 4:1-42)
6. Times of Isolation require an Outpouring of Love. (St. Paul wrote 1 Corinthians: 13 from a Roman prison cell. “Love is patient, love is kind, love is long suffering…” )  
7. Times of Anxiety require Thanksgiving. (Don’t worry about anything, but in all your prayers ask God for what you need, always asking him with a thankful heart. And God’s peace, which is far beyond human understanding, will keep your hearts and minds safe in union with Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:5)
8. Distressing times require Faithful measures. (“Be careful not to let yourselves become occupied with too much feasting and drinking and with the worries of this life, or that Day may suddenly catch you like a trap. For it will come upon all people everywhere on earth. Be on watch and pray always that you will have the strength to go safely through all those things that will happen and to stand before the Son of Man.” Luke 21:34-36)