With the Coronavirus, we face fewer choices. But there remains this choice: to panic or to hope. Given the choice of giving up or doubling down, God always seems to choose the latter. 

Creator of the Heavens and Earth, Mother/Father of Us All: You know our cells and matter, our make-up and material, our limits and our resilience. You form us with your Divine Hands and adopt us as your own. It is not that we aren’t your children from the beginning, but you continually choose us as Your own in Your tender care, covering us with mercy and grace – Divine Presence covering our mortal flesh.

Jesus, who is Teacher, Redeemer, Friend: You walked these roads and know these days. You remember what it feels like on the streets when people feel fear and see that it reality warrants our caution. You walk into the pain and prioritize the suffering ones. You obliterate the social boundaries, confusing and bewildering your disciples, the religious leaders, and even the oppressed themselves. You choose us in your passionate dedication, covering us with healing and redemption – Divine Touch transforming our mortal flesh.

Spirit who is Disrupter and Comforter: You pulse through our veins and weave among us. You knit our very being into One Body, which brings the Divine into this “profane” sacred space. Holiness disrupts the elusive boundaries of the “secular,” and we become even more confused than we were before. Here, right here? Now, right now? Sweep through each of us and demonstrate Your power to topple our idols and soothe the child living within. You choose us in Your persistent presence, covering us with steadfast love and dissolving our isolation – Divine Being abiding with our mortal flesh.

If You choose to remain engaged, how could I withdraw and forsake Your outstretched hand?

Shape my demeanor to be tender in its interaction.

Fashion my spirit to be strong in its conviction.

Make my eyes to be gentle in their gaze.

Focus my mind to be patient in its rest.

Cleanse my hands to be safe in their doing.

Prepare my feet to be attentive in their moving.

Form my heart to be Yours in its beating.

You create me in Your choosing image, so I am able again to choose the world whom You so love – vulnerable and mortal, fragile and finite. 

So today, help me to choose to double-down on Love, just as I am chosen by the One who double-downs in Love.