Given by Rev. Madison Shockley April 5, 2020
On this Psalm Sunday, we are still in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. This also marks the beginning of the passion narrative recalling Jesus’s suffering and death. After the celebration of his arrival in Jerusalem, Jesus sat with the disciples for dinner. He tells them that one of them will betray him. Jesus did not want to die. He had shown others how to live. This new life was disruptive to both the Eastern and Western cultures of the time. He was in trouble with the Romans and the colonial collaborators of his own people. Matthew’s story indicts us all as betrayers. Judas represents all of us. Just one month ago, we shared the communion table. One pastor of another church unintentionally infected 500 members of his own church. Luckily, no member of Pilgrim has contracted COVID-19 so far. This pandemic hits at the heart of what it means to be human, living in community. This disease has us living in isolation. We have found new ways to connect through technology though. We still have church and community. Take your bread and cup and join with Christians across the world in celebration. Continue to share and care for one another. We shall come out of this with a new and deeper sense of community.
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