Pandemic Parables: May the Force...
Pandemic Parables: May The Force...
Today, on Monday May 4th, I met Darth Vader.
I had just turned into the Emergency Department to pray at the end of their daily 11 am “huddle” and there he was! Dressed in his signature swirling black cape and full face mask he was getting ready to convene the meeting. Surrounding him was a forest of Princesses Leia hairstyles on both the men and the women.
And then I spied the head of the department smiling broadly and handing out hair bands containing the signature swirls.
Today had been declared Star Wars Day in the ED of the hospital in Frederick, Maryland where I am working as a Resident Chaplain until the end of August.
They were having a party!
I came ready and armed with “Dark Side Pumpkin Bread” that, despite its name, was a Trojan Horse as I had prayed that every bite consumed would bring great peace, healing, love and light.
Once Darth Vader had finished updating the staff it was my joy to be able to declare that the Force would indeed be with this brave, skillful, medical team. Then I prayed that the power and love of God would blast through them bringing healing, comfort, strength, blessings, and miraculous provision for them and their families.
Lord let it be so in great measure!
The Force of God’s love did indeed swirl through the hospital today bringing comfort and healing. There were two more Celebration Walks bringing the total number of patients released virus-free to seventy.
Hallelluia!
Hallelluia!
I was in a patient’s room and so hadn’t heard the overhead announcement to gather for the first Walk. But as I was returning to the Chaplain’s office I saw medical staff heading for the stairs.
“Are you going?” said one.
“I wouldn’t miss it for the world” said the nurse behind her.
I thought there must be another Star Wars party somewhere until I got to the top of the main foyer’s stairs.
There below me was an abundance of masked, mainly scrub-wearing well wishers waiting for the departing patient to appear.
I spied the hospice nurses down below and went to join them.
“This is wonderful” said one. “We see so much death, so it’s invigorating to celebrate life.”
The patient was wheeled through, oddly without music, and was ushered into the care of his waiting sister. Meanwhile the place had erupted with applause and cheers.
When it died down the sister addressed the crowd.
“When my brother was brought in here he was terrified. I’ve never seen him scared before. He didn’t know how he’d be treated. My family gathered every night on Zoom and prayed for him, and we prayed for all of you. And look what has happened. He is healed and you are here. Thank you!”
The place erupted once again and the love that drove out that patient’s fear, was tangible in the foyer. So was the unspoken relief that this dark enemy was being vanquished.
Light was overcoming darkness.
The place was abuzz.
As I walked back to my office amidst a swell of people I saw, off to the side, near the registration desk, an inmate in a bright orange and white prison jumpsuit flanked by two enormous correctional officers. He was in full restraints - handcuffs, waist chain and leg irons. I caught his eyes above his mask and we both nodded and smiled at each other. His eyes laughed. Despite his circumstances he looked as though he could have started dancing.
Clearly he too had been swept up in the joy and enthusiasm surrounding him.
Any other inmates I’ve seen being registered have have had slumped shoulders and downcast eyes.
But I’m believing that force, the force of love, had swirled around him bringing fresh hope and inner freedom.
There are reminders of the power of love everywhere in the hospital. Literally thousands of masks have been made and distributed. Beautiful masks with pretty fabrics and prayer in each stitch. Companies are coming together and blessing the staff with meals, car care, coffee, treats.
I have a second angel on my desk gifted to be by Connie, the cleaner on the third floor. She is the one with an angel ministry. She collects all kinds of statues, prays over them, and asks the Lord who she should give them to. She gave me a beautiful cherub with a rose some weeks ago that touched me deeply.
The other day she said to me.
“Here. This is for you. This is my last day. I’m retiring. But I felt you should have this.”
She pressed into my hand a brightly colored angel that looked as though it had been painted by a child. The face was a blank oval surrounded by long brown hair.
I treasure that angel.
To me it symbolizes the many acts of simple, innocent love that Connie poured out over her long years at the hospital.
Genuine kindness
It represents the nameless, faceless people who have prayed, given, sewn for this hospital. Small acts that together form a tsunami of grace and love that bring hope and healing.
This is a dark and difficult time we are living in. Uncertainty, fear, despair are swirling in the atmosphere.
But light overcomes darkness.
May the light of love surround each one of us and show us the way forward.
May we see miracles in our lives in these days both domestic and dramatic.
May we be recipients of both small and large gifts of loving kindness, and may we pay that forward with ease and grace.
May we be transformed in this season to become who we were meant to be all along.
And on this fourth day of May, and every other day in our lives from now to eternity, may the force of God’s love be with us.
Amen.
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