Forty minutes. It took forty minutes.
As our nation passed the grim milestone — 400,000 American lives lost to the coronavirus crisis — the Washington National Cathedral offered a solemn tribute to the lives lost. The cathedral bell tolled four hundred times: once for every thousand lives lost.
And it took forty minutes.
As our nation passed the grim milestone — 400,000 American lives lost to the coronavirus crisis — the Washington National Cathedral offered a solemn tribute to the lives lost. The cathedral bell tolled four hundred times: once for every thousand lives lost.
And it took forty minutes.
Were the cathedral bell to toll for every American life lost — not every thousand lives, but every life — it would take more than 277 days.
The Washington National Cathedral has shared (via YouTube) a video of this memorial, with images of the cathedral’s current art installation (a display of origami doves soaring above the cathedral nave).
I invite you to watch the video, to hear the bell. (Find it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CdWJBFdcep8&feature=youtu.be)
I invite you to light a candle, to mark the moment.
I invite you to fold a dove, to seek some peace. (Find directions here: https://cathedral.org/visit-us/doves/)
These are the kinds of rituals that help us to grieve, to heal, and to hold on to hope… and it’s that hope, church, that I wish for you this day.
Have hope, friends, and remember:
Our God is bigger than coronavirus.
Our vision is bigger than coronavirus, too.
We are people blessing people.
We are Wesley Church.
Want to know more?
- Learn about our church and its ministries: https://wesleychurch.com/
- Make a gift to support our mission: https://wesleychurch.com/giving-2/
- View our recent messages: https://wesleychurch.com/sermon-message-on-video/
- View previous devotionals: https://wesleychurch.com/pastor-candys-devotionals-2/
