This is not a punishment or test from God.

I have a few more thoughts on this, so thread. 1/x https://twitter.com/DandiaAsad/status/1238336121899233280

#Covid_19 is a virus that evolved into existence (because of science reasons--not my lane). The test has been of leadership--failing at the top of the US, but showing powerfully in many places in the US, at the local and state level.

The part that has God in it is about what we all choose to do from here. The Torah commands us to love our neighbor as ourselves. Right now, for those of us with lower risk, that looks like punctiliousness around limiting our own exposure in order to keep others safe.

The part that has God in it is in whether we check in on those who are more vulnerable, whether we offer to run errands for them or bring by a casserole, how we reach out and towards one another during a time when everything feels stressful and scary.

The part that has God in it is in our awareness that we're all interconnected, and that each of us is an irreplaceable manifestation of the divine image. And in our decision to fight for one another--now, by staying home, not hugging, washing hands, but also in calling MOC

And doing everything else we can to try to help mitigate the impact of this pandemic. Personal level, family level, community level, systemic level. All hands on deck. The part that has God in it is in the showing up.

The part that has God in it is when we tap in to the divine, connect to that great, shimmering interconnectedness, draw from the wellspring rather than our tiny, individual selves, to pull down rather than be used up. To find the Source that can fuel us; we so need it.

The part that has God in it is in the traditions and ethical systems that remind us that preserving life is the most important thing, the thing that pushes off any other choices we might make. That help us to orient our choices towards care and concern and connection.

The part that has God in it is the people working tirelessly, selflessly, sometimes around the clock to take care of other people even at risk to themselves, because ill people need care, better tests need to be developed, vaccines need to be created, and it must be done.

The part that has God in it is in how we are going to come together (ok, probably on a Zoom call) to find a way out of this, because we have to, even if it's hard, even when it's hard.

Here are some thoughts on theodicy if you want them.
I am less interested in where suffering comes from than what do we do when it shows up, unbidden, at our door.
What resources can we draw on? Resilience? Care and love and bravery and risk? https://twitter.com/TheRaDR/status/1090360431556866048?s=20

And if this is useful, here are some thoughts on hope, which we must continue to hold on to. Grab on tight to the light and don't let it go. Which doesn't mean that everything will be fine, or that people won't die. It means: fight despair. https://twitter.com/TheRaDR/status/1116056237517541379?s=20