Hope Beyond Pestilence and Despair

Last updated on: March 17, 2020 at 10:55 am by C. Don Jones

Hope Beyond Pestilence and Despair 2020-03-17T10:55:44-06:00 C. Don Jones

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I am tempted to despair in this time of global pandemic. I see a denial on the part of some for political reasons. The denials take the form of conspiracy theories about where the virus originated or who caused it. I could be equally disheartened by the desperation I see when hoarding begins and by the cynicism of price gouging. The despair appears as infectious as the COVID-19 virus that plagues the world.

Isolation appears to be the rule of the day. I see schools closing, restaurant dining rooms closing, advisories about “social distancing,” and recreational centers closing. Social media appears to be our salvation. We get updated news. Work is done by meeting on Skype or Zoom. We continue functioning in this way. We even can watch live streamed worship services. But we do not get the full sense of our faith from it.

Where the problem resides

What’s wrong with worship services being viewed online? Isn’t that a connection? Of course, it is. I am discussing the quality of the connection. Presence is the important quality that will be lacking. The visit to the nursing home that should not be made will leave the resident feeling lonely. A phone call would be good. It wouldn’t be the same. Sharing a meal is much more intimate than skyping. A well-planned sermon without a congregation present lacks an important aspect. There is no communication from the congregation to the preacher. And that lack changes the quality of the sermon.

An Example of Fixing the Problem

The fifteen year plague that afflicted the Roman Empire from 165 to 180 C.E, often called the Antonine Plague brought about a change in perspective in the Empire. Presence became the most important part of life. I don’t mean to imply it was not always there. I mean it was there when it mattered the most. And the people who were present trying to alleviate the suffering were Christians. The sect that was officially thought of as “atheist” helped as many people as they could during the pestilence. They believers cared for the people in need. If someone suffered from the pestilence itself or from economic aftermath of the plague, the Christians offered what aid they could.

The care given by the Christians gave the subjects of the Empire a new perspective. The new way of viewing the world was that of Divine Love. Christians understood the plague differently. Most of the world understood the plague to be the wrath of the gods. The myths about the gods helping or frustrating the selected heroes made the situations more desperate than they needed to be. Our spiritual ancestors knew the plague was neither the wrath of the pagan gods nor of their God. The pestilence (which many researchers now believe to have been smallpox) simply demonstrated the brokenness of creation. St. Paul describes the creation as a person who suffers and labors in vain awaiting redemption (Romans 8:18-23). St. Paul says hope as the virtue that allows creation and the children of God to continue even when the situation appears desperate.

Examples of Alleviating the Problem

Actions taken to care for the sick – actions of practical theology – demonstrated hope winning over despair among the marginalized people of the Empire. The COVID-19 pandemic places already marginalized people in more dangerous situations that further marginalizes them. What can the rest of us do about that? Help people in their isolation. Find a means to deliver meals to persons who cannot have contact with anyone else. Perhaps, an isolated person needs help with their laundry? Or that person may need necessities brought to them? Yes, be cautious. And most definitely do not put a person in a worse situation than their present one.

The Renewed Viewpoint

Medical professionals and biologists especially zoologists may wonder about the assertion that creation is broken. We know more today about the different types of bacterial and viral infections a person may suffer. Plagues are historically normal occurrences. I agree. Despair is not a normal response. A lion chases an antelope because it is hungry and needs food. That I believe is normal behavior for a lion. It is not normal behavior for the antelope to resign itself to being killed. Running away, fighting, kicking, or screaming out for help are the normal behaviors of prey. If the rest of the herd of the prey responds by charging and chasing the lion away, I consider that normal too. Why then is the case that human beings responding in hope can be considered abnormal?

Why isn’t desperation considered abnormal? All of the behaviors associate with desperation, whether we are talking about hoarding or stealing by sale price, ought to be viewed as abnormal. Never having hope is the demonstration of the theological understanding of the “brokenness of creation.”

There is a simple fact that we know about these plagues. They may last a long time but all are temporary. The essential goodness of the broken creation shows that it is redeemable. Love requires an action of some kind. We can respond with hope as the second century Christians did. Never allow despair, even when it is prompted by the bad ideologies of fellow believers, to destroy the love and hope the faith should inspire. When the present crisis ends, remember to nurture love, hope, and faith by continuous connections with God and other people.

Take care. Give care. Be hopeful.

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