Eternal hope in unprecedented times
Eternal hope in unprecedented times
LIU Oi Sze, Alice 廖藹斯 (’05)
The “Make Way for Ducklings” Statues in Boston Public Garden were dressed in masks and decorated with flowers and the sign “We appreciate all you do, thank you!”.
To honour medical staff battling COVID-19, the statue of Edward Everett Hale in Boston Public Garden was dressed in a mask and surgical gown.
Unprecedented.
It seems like the perfect word for 2020.
Like an earthquake, COVID-19 has shaken the ground beneath our feet. Things we assumed we could count on (meals together with friends, graduation ceremonies, work) have been canceled or postponed.
This quarantine and pandemic have confronted us with the realities that we are not as in control of things as we like to believe. They wean us from this world and transfer our hopes and dreams from this fallen creation to our blessed hope in God’s new creation.
The Apostle Paul when writing to the Colossians in their own strange, turbulent times, reminded the believers that Christ existed before all things, created all things, and thereby was prevenient to all that was taking place:
“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things and in him all things hold together. (Col. 1:15–17)”
In an unprecedented time, our Savior remains unparalleled. There is none like Him who knows the end from the beginning. While we may not know if there will be another wave this fall and when an effective vaccine will be available, we know the One who knows all things and who, through his cross, reconciles all things to himself. As recipients of the unprecedented love of the prevenient and preeminent One, we can walk with hope through these strange times.
Previous article written by Alice can be accessed here.
Instead of in-person parties, birthdays are celebrated with friends and families by decorating their cars and parading around the neighbourhood.
Stores and supermarkets were not allowed to operate to full capacity. Once a store reached its limit, people were asked to wait in line outside, standing 6 feet apart.
A baseball court at Boston Common was closed, but a sign of “Boston Strong” was put up to lift the public’s spirit.