Peace in Your Walls, Security in Your Towers
December 5, 2020
Betsy Samore
Peace be within your walls, and security within your towers."
~Psalm 122:7
Sunday, December First's Lectionary reading spoke to me because my family is sheltering together from the Covid storm. My husband and I were empty nesters for a couple of years but our sons have now returned to the Chicago area. My third son fled New York City at the very start of the pandemic. We eventually grew from a household of two to a pod of six plus a toddler and my first son and his wife and daughter moved from Cleveland to Naperville and became a satellite pod. This makes ten in our pod solar system.
There is not a quiet and orderly peace within my household’s walls. Rather, it is a loud and raucous peace with baby toys strewn about the house and a constantly messy kitchen. But there is peace in knowing that we are all helping each other through this difficult time. Peace in knowing if each person is still healthy. Peace in knowing that if one of us is sick, they will not be alone.
The “security within our towers” is more worrisome to me. How do you stay secure from a virus? Especially when two of us work in high risk professions? As we strive for security as a unit, it means having some difficult conversations. Quarantining in our bedroom when needed. Getting a Covid test to alleviate another family member's fears. Hand sanitizers at the front door and HEPA filter units in the kitchen, living room, and basement.
“Peace be within your walls, and security within your towers" reminds me that our Covid Storm is not a new type of challenge to us humans. From time immemorial, we have weathered wars, pandemics, famines, and on and on and on. Our walls and towers and our faith may need fortifying but they are tried and true.
My prayer for my First United Family:
May you look for the peace that is within your walls, may you build security within your towers.
May we look beyond our walls and towers to help our larger family.
May all give thanks to the scientists that are creating a vaccine at high speed, for the front line workers that put themselves at risk, and for all that wear a mask.
This time will pass.
Amen.
