This is part of a series of devotions based on the Daily Office, which is found in the Book of Common Prayer.
 

This morning’s Scriptures are: Psalm 69; Exodus 1:6-22; 1 Corinthians 12:12-26; Mark 8:27–9:1

You never know on any particular day how God’s Word is going to grab you. That’s part of the adventure of praying Daily Morning Prayer.

Of course, the start of the book of Exodus is worth noting: Exodus begins the saga of the return home. Separation from the Garden leads to slavery. Israel’s exile under “taskmasters” in Egypt is a parable for the whole human condition of captivity under the dominion of sin, evil, and death. God is not going to leave his people under this oppression. As Eucharistic Prayer A puts it: “…and when we had fallen into sin and become subject to evil and death, you in your mercy sent Jesus Christ…to reconcile us to you….” The book of Exodus, we’ll see, is a telling of that story in advance.

But what stands out today is the last verse in the reading from 1 Corinthians: “If one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honored, all rejoice together with it” (12:26). Throughout this passage, the apostle Paul contemplates the “oneness” and the “manyness” of Christ’s Body the church. All baptized into one body, all drinking from the same Spirit. Unable to do life without each other. Everybody feeling everybody’s joy. Everybody feeling everybody’s pain.

A pandemic that is sweeping the globe—one manifestation of our being subject to evil and death—means we certainly are feeling everybody’s pain right now. It has to break our hearts to see so many lives upended, so many lives destroyed, so many futures seemingly sunk by this pestilence. 

Knowing that we are all in this together provides focus to our prayers:

May the Creator God bless governing officials and health care providers and researchers, that a cure may emerge.

May the Redeeming God uphold mental health workers and all who provide spiritual care, that hearts may be strengthened until we see the subsiding of this pestilence.

Meanwhile, during this “stay-at-home order,” may the Lord who took on our flesh sustain and encourage the many in our community who are barely hanging on, who are struggling with finances, who have been sent home from school, who are lonely, afraid, stressed, or depressed. 

May the Lord of Compassion shower his tender care on the weaker and more frail among us; may he pour out protecting, healing grace upon them. 

May the Man of Sorrows be alongside each of us, and, by the Spirit of Life, may the hope of his resurrection sustain all of us. Amen.

Blessings on you this day.

Reggie Kidd+