Dec 18th, 2021: Leper of Our Time?

 

What is happening to us? Last night, a friend of mine, who was supposed to play in a concert that raised funds to support our Alberta Children's Hospital, was not allowed to enter an art performance venue because she was not vaccinated. She was tested negative for COVID 19. It was unfortunate and troublesome considering that people can go to a pub with a negative test. The owner was very rude and militant towards her and her husband. This event was supposed to be a Christmas concert. My friend came up with the idea for this concert. She recruited and selected two other performers.


The theme of the concert was "Christmas in a Time Machine". Let us consider that theme with what happened to my friend.


A) Have we forgotten that Jesus touched the leper and lepers could not enter the Temple Worship? We have come to a place where we treated those unvaccinated as lepers. I am vaccinated, but it does not mean I have the right to treat unvaccinated folks like trash. We have moved from the time of being gracious and giving to being rude, judgmental, and fearful. Remember that Jesus even touched the leper.


B) Have we become so afraid that we cannot see anything good about anyone who happens to disagree with us? I begin to hate the way we treat one another in dealing with this virus because it has taken away our humanity before killing us physically. I refuse to ask whether people are vaccinated or not before I care for them. Christmas is when we celebrate Jesus' birth. His birth took place in a filthy manger two thousand years ago. We then discriminate against one another because of being unvaccinated.


C) God chose to send His son into the world. He was one among us and identified with our human conditions completely. Jesus experienced pain, sorrow, loneliness, anger, and more. He did that because of us. I have reasons to be vaccinated, but I can also identify with my unvaccinated friends. I feel their pain, fear, frustration, and discomfort. I will walk with them as much as they allow me to because I know that Jesus walks with me daily in all of my human brokenness.


The love of God for us and the world has no limitation. By the way, the name of the venue is Asylum for Art. It provides absolutely no asylum for unvaccinated artists.


"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you." - Isaiah 43.2


"The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake." - Psalm 23.1-3

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