Enough Grace
“If the prophet had told you to do something extraordinary, would you not have done it [to be cured]? - 2 Kings 5:12
With each passing day, we experience more stringent measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Nationwide, we are urged to cancel gatherings of more than 50 people. Statewide (in California & other states), all persons over 65 are requested to participate in home isolation. Citywide (in Los Angeles & New York), we are told to close all bars, nightclubs, and restaurants. More extraordinary measures will probably be announced in the coming days.
I found myself going into prayer yesterday expecting to encounter God in this extraordinary time. I pray for many people, those infected, those who are vulnerable, my aunt in Northern Italy, my elderly parents, my older brother Jesuits, healthcare workers, the list goes on. Yet, I cannot focus. My mind is crowded with concerns; my heart flooded with fears. Breathing slowly and deeply helps, but anxieties remain. Nothing seemed to happen.
After prayer, I happened to meet a new neighbor for the first time since he and his wife moved to our street. We talked from a safe distance. It was a short, simple encounter. Yet, surprisingly it stayed with me the rest of the day.
In today’s readings, grace came through the unexpected. Naaman was a mighty and favored army commander of the king. He traveled a long distance replete with horses and chariots, carrying a royal letter of introduction, and bringing significant wealth. When told to simply wash in the river, he scoffed, “Are not the rivers of Damascus, the Abana and the Pharpar, better than all the waters of Israel?” He did not expect the unspectacular. Similarly, in the Gospel, the people could not imagine that Jesus, the familiar, homegrown carpenter, could be a powerful prophet.
Despite my tendency to look for God in the dramatic or the remarkable, I experience grace more often in ordinary, hidden, humdrum ways. Not dramatic, but just enough.
Jesus, grant me enough grace during these days of heightened uncertainty, however it may unfold.