Habit of Grace: His Eye is on the Sparrow

April 6, 2020:  His Eye is on the Sparrow

There is a prayer that begins the Good Friday liturgy that may be perfect for this time. It's found on page 276 in the prayer book and it prays, "Almighty God, we pray you graciously to behold this, your family, for whom our Lord Jesus Christ was willing to be betrayed and given into the hands of sinners and to suffer death upon the cross. Who now lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever. Amen." That may well be a prayer for us this Holy Week.

"Almighty God, we pray you graciously to behold this, your family, for whom our Lord Jesus Christ was willing to be betrayed." Over the years that I've prayed that prayer, almost some 40 years now as a priest, I've often asked myself the question, who's the family? Who's the family we are asking God to behold? Is it the family of faith? Those who have been baptized and accepted and follow Jesus as savior and Lord? I think that's true. But is it bigger than that? And during this Holy Week, in the midst of COVID-19, I believe we must pray it, praying it bigger than praying for ourselves. I have a feeling this prayer is for the entire human family of God.

John 3:16, speaking of Jesus giving his life as an act of love on the cross, says, "God so loved the world." Not just the church, not just his faithful followers, not just any particular nation or any particular race or any particular ideology or religion. No, no, no. "God so loved the world that he gave his only son." The family in the prayer, let it be the human family of God. Let it be all of us. Asking God to behold us now. To behold us in these moments. To behold those who are sick, who suffer, who die. To behold their families and loved ones. Behold all who care for them. Behold us all.

When I hear that word behold, praying God behold this your family, particularly during this Holy Week, which may be one of the toughest times during this pandemic, I remember that old song that says this, "Why should I feel discouraged? Why should the shadows come? Why should my heart be lonely and long for heaven and home when Jesus is my portion, my constant friend is he? His eye is on the sparrow and I know he watches me." And then the next verse says, "Let not your hearts be troubled. His tender word I hear. And resting on his goodness, I lose my doubts and fears. Though by the path he leadeth, but one step I may see, his eye is on the sparrow, and I know he watches me. Oh, I sing because I'm happy, I sing because I'm free. His eye is on the sparrow, and I know he watches me."

God love you, God bless you, and may God hold us all, the entire human family of God, in those almighty hands of love.

Presiding Bishop Curry