Currently it appears that the Church can be seen to be redundant in a world that is solely interconnected through electronic life. Those that follow a faith journey are on the outside and in exile as it were from the normality of life. The life of faith appears to offer little to relieve the disaster of COVID 19 and unlike previous pandemics (see for example the story of Eyam) seem to disintegrate into the background with little to say or offer. Yet the beginning of the Exodus story (Ex.1:8-2:10) tells a different narrative as do the other readings for today (Rom. 12:1-8; Matt. 16:13-20). However, it is narrative that we can only grasp if we recognise its presence in our lives and grasp the opportunity that God creates with imagination and faith.
The narrative of Exodus begins with a bestial legacy, brought out in the Jewish scriptures, which interpret the increase in the population as having "swarmed" (Ex. 1:7); an image that brings to mind a large population of insects. This imagery relates to the seeming loss of identity of the population and the loss of knowledge of the pharaoh that goes with it. Pharaoh's edict is one of death for the Israelites, which is rejected in the first verbal interaction in Exodus, between the midwives and pharaoh, as the midwifes see life not death in response to pharaoh's edict of death. In their utterance of words against the edict of pharaoh they put forward an alternative world view to a complete nourishing of life itself rather than the edict of death. This dangerous view is continued as Moses is reclaimed from death by pharaoh's daughter with a dialogue over the nurturance of life, especially a young one, with arrangements being made that continue the subversiveness as Moses is placed back within the birth family (Ex. 2:9).
In many ways we could almost consider ourselves in a similar situation with COVID and the ever "swarming" online population that influences our lives by focusing on a death culture rather than a culture and a view that is based on life. The stories that define our culture are ones that are based on death not life, on disaster not creation while we squander our lives on things that depress us. Paul speaking to the Romans appeals to them saying "Conform no longer to the pattern of this present world, but be transformed by the renewal of your minds" (Rom. 12:2). A transformation that begins to see life and not death and to challenge the narrative of death within the world. We bury our gifts beneath our guilt and angst in the current world not challenging the narratives of our lives but bowing down as a worker bee scurrying here and there at the behest of the queen and colony (read swarm). Our transformation begins when we put our varied gifts to the service of life as a sacrifice in rebellion against the forces of death.
In Christ we see new life just as Peter proclaims (Matt. 16:16) and it is upon this assertion of life that the church should be built (Matt. 16:18). Yet, in our indifference and apathy created by the swarm we turn away from the burgeoning new growth that is found in the midst of disaster. We are unable to listen to any narrative that is different to the one we are fed and so lose hope fearing the loss of faith in our time. Yet, in the midst of the indifference of the swarm we can name hope and challenge death with life in the same manner as the midwives of the Israelites. We recognise God's love in the presence of Christ and name Christ for who he / she is in wisdom and understanding that Christ nurtures our faith so that we may grow strong in love and bring community to life once more. A community that is God centred brimming with life and rejecting the edict of death that our present culture manifests in our daily lives.
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