Bee collecting manuka honey from spring flower - Photo:bigstock.com
In these strange days, I have been reading about and reflecting on the theology of the Universe as God’s body.
God delights in God’s creation all around us, but at the moment large areas of God’s body have the coronavirus and are sick.
Our God is transcendent, but also immanent, and so God is holding this suffering Universe within God’s self. Our triune God is suffering in this too.
Here in Kowloon, Hong Kong, I have been keeping within the boundaries of our small property for exercise. I noticed on my walks a small bush in our General Council garden, which has tiny flowers with their nectar attracting the local bee community and the occasional small bird.
It seems the bees are healthy and do not need to practice social distancing, although I have not followed them back to their beehive to check on them. It is a delight to see that they are continuing with their bee-life and I am sure God is enjoying their work as much as I have enjoyed watching them.
With all the massive unemployment, social disruption and restrictions on our movements caused by the pandemic, most of us are experiencing a strong sense of powerlessness.
It is claimed that the Manuka honey from bees in my home country of New Zealand has healing properties, so the bees I chat within our garden are reminding me that there is also a lot of recovery and healing going on in the world.
Although many of us are experiencing a different sense of powerlessness. It is as though we are living in a liminal phase, a space that encourages growth, but we are not there yet…
Some people are helping us with advice online on how to cope with the grief we are experiencing in these days of tension, isolation and loss. There may be a sense of “cosmic grief”, as the whole Universe is affected by a virus that seems to have originated from humans improperly containing animals in wet markets.
The local bees seem to be coping well, but what of the broader Universe? What kind of prayer and liturgy will we need to express these relationships as we come through this liminal phase?
Social harmony has been tested in many communities and, in the political world, some leaders are not leading well. Cross-cultural communication is our charism to be shared and we can rebuild the relationships of trust with people of other faiths and cultures, as well as heal our relationships with the natural world.
It is claimed that the Manuka honey from bees in my home country of New Zealand has healing properties, so the bees I chat within our garden are reminding me that there is also a lot of recovery and healing going on in the world.
Our Healer God is alive in the health care of people and those researching for a vaccine for the coronavirus. There is a strong sense of communal gratitude for the generosity and concern of so many people, especially the frontline health workers.
Where else is the infinite creativity of the Triune God emerging as we move beyond the suffering toward transformation, liberation, and new life?
Hopefully, some of it is in our renewed efforts to change our lifestyles and reduce our reliance on fuels that are damaging our environment. Everything is interconnected.
I am relating to the Universe/Nature in new ways and I am aware that global warming/climate change is the major concern for the future.
Many of us are experiencing a different sense of powerlessness. It is as though we are living in a liminal phase, space that encourages growth, but we are not there yet…
Columban Fr Brian Vale is the Society Vicar in Hong Kong.
