Plague Journal (22): Random Thoughts

My fair city issued a warning to its citizens that they'd had reports that people were not observing the six-feet-apart rule in our city parks. They were going to send out observers to check on this, and hinted at the possibility of closing the parks and beaches to the public. 

This would be silly on several levels, but especially because now more than ever the people need these public spaces. I have been out and about to some of these very places, and have not noticed any wanton and unhealthy togetherness. But what's probably most annoying about all this is that we have busybodies in our midst who just can't wait to tell the teacher that Johnny in the back row is drawing pictures in his math book.

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Signs that I'm adjusting to the new order of things: I'm getting more work done. Mostly because I'm less antsy, less prone to get up from the desk every few minutes. And I'm also getting more exercise. 

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The last two or three days have been beautiful Spring days, with crocuses popping everywhere. But today the skies are overcast and we may even get a dusting of snow, so sat the prognosticators.

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But these last two days have also been record-breakers for coronavirus deaths. The experts warned us that this was going to be a bad week, of course, but they have also lowered their estimates for overall deaths from the virus, saying that the social distancing is working. Since they were right about the bad news, I'm going to trust they are also right about the good news!

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I came to this passage this morning in my Bible reading:

Then Jesus told his disciples, "If anyone would come after me [Jesus had just foretold his own death and resurrection], let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?" Matthew 16:24-26

 Which leads to some obvious questions:

• In what way will I, who claim to be a follower of Jesus, be asked to deny myself today? I what way will I be able to take up my cross?
• How do I try to sometimes to "win my life" even as I profess to be a disciple of Jesus?
• What does it mean, what does it look like, to lose one's life for the sake of Jesus?