By Dori Gorman, YMCA Chaplain
Dear Lord,
The stay-at-home deadline has been extended once again. How long, oh Lord, will this last? We are concerned about COVID-19, but we also have concerns about social distancing. What is this time alone doing to us? We know we can make the most of it and we pray that we will. But we also pray for anyone who is fighting loneliness right now.
We pray for people who live alone and have gone without human touch for several weeks.
We pray for senior adults living in nursing homes, wondering when they will be able to see their loved ones again.
We pray for anyone who now stares at a computer screen all day—still interacting with people, but missing the three-dimensional dynamic of a human sitting across from them.
We pray for children who miss friends, teachers and playgrounds.
We pray for anyone fighting a mental illness that worsens in isolation.
We pray for everyone to reach out in safe, yet creative ways to check on one another. May we remember that we are called to be your hands and feet. As we connect in new ways, may we go wisely where you call us.
Lord, help us fight this new coronavirus, and also help us fight the age-old virus of loneliness. And through it all, may we remember you are “Emmanuel”: God with us. Thank you that we are never alone.
Amen.