Advent Love and Lock-down

                                              Annunciation -- Tanner

It's snowing this morning, but not heavily, so we'll cautiously make the 25 kilometre trip to Trenton for morning worship. The is the Love Sunday of Advent, following the themes of Hope, Peace, and Joy. I've certainly been thinking about loving choices in this unprecedented year. 

Tomorrow Premier Ford will announce new lock-down measures to help stem the rising tide of COVID-19 cases in the province. I don't know about you, but I'm weary of the government announcing that they will be making an announcement -- why can't they just "out with it" instead of teasing and torturing every proclamation? 

I accept that restrictions are necessary, and we've been much more stringent that our neighbours, even though we live in a region with blessedly few cases of COVID. Don't get me started on the anti-maskers who are the epitome of arrogant and rude. 

That said, is it loving to exclude family members from our lives for the sake of a greater good? So many are suffering from isolation and loneliness, so saying no to any Christmas gatherings can seem cruel. 

And what about Christmas Eve services? When we attend worship on Sundays we literally touch nothing during the time we're there. We wear masks, sit at a distance from others. The same protocols will be in place on Thursday evening, but it feels now as though this would be more of a wild card. 

The story of this Sunday of Advent and Christmas itself is that love is messy and bewildering at times. Yet God is present and active in our lives as the young, bewildered Mary exemplified.  We all have to make our decisions according to our circumstances. because one size doesn't necessarily fit all. That's the way it is with love as well. 

I have used the 1 Corinthians passage some years as one of the scripture lessons for Love Sunday. It  complements the Annunciation and Magnificat in Luke, certainly seems appropriate in 2020. 

God be with us all as we discern what love will look like this year. And perhaps Premier Doug could recruit the angel Gabriel to do his press conferences...