Dear St. Luke’s,

As Christians we are called to live not just for ourselves but for Christ to died and rose again for us. This advice that we receive through Paul’s Second Letter to the Corinthians is something that seems well suited for a seminary class, but Paul didn’t intend this to be an intellectual exercise. All of his letters were meant to encourage normal people to live a life that brings them closer to Christ, and his words are just as relevant for us today as they were for the ancient Corinthians.

Putting our ego aside and living for someone else, whether they are Christ or our neighbor, is a profoundly difficult task; something we can get better at doing, but something we will never perfect. Throughout the pandemic the world was thrust into a position where our ability to live for the other was often the difference between sickness and health, life and death, and wholeness and brokenness. As the pandemic is winding down there is a reasonable temptation to cast aside this exercise in practical empathy and get back to normal, but Paul is still challenging us to make living for the other part of our normal lives.

I hope this challenge will continue to be part of our lives in the years ahead, but for right now, we cannot hide resume and reexamine old routines, because we have a specific task in our immediate future. While the pandemic continues to become less and less part of our everyday lives, we need to realize that many are still waiting for their vaccine or for their loved ones to receive theirs. The science is still out on whether or not a vaccinated person can still transmit the virus to another, but the prospect of being the cause of a child’s hospitalization means that many parents are motivated to remain vigilant.

Within our community there is a wide variety of desires, needs and realities, and the Church should strive to move forward together, which, in this case, means moving forward when the last person is ready. This may be frustrating for many of you who have been vaccinated for months and are eager to shed your mask within our sanctuary. Before you let your frustration turn into cynicism, please remember those who are still waiting and who are simply not yet ready. We do this Christian thing together, not because it is easy, or because we always get our way, but because it makes our lives more meaningful to live for more than just ourselves.

Thank you again for your faithfulness and patience, and I cannot wait to see you in Church!

Blessings,

Nick