Daily reflections from St Paul’s Cathedral

Specially-commissioned reflection on love in the time of Covid-19

“Love Your Neighbour”

The LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone.
I will make a helper suitable for him. Genesis 2:18

“The other day I spoke to an elderly woman – Amanda – about the situation regarding social isolation, social distancing and the likes (she was in her doorway and I was walking past doing my I hour of daily exercise). She just laughed!  I have been in isolation for the past ten years! People have become experts at distancing themselves from me. But now with the coming of the virus, suddenly everyone wants to help me. It’s odd really.”

I felt a bit bad as I was probably one of the social distancers she was commenting on. She lived but a few hundred yards away from my house and it took a pandemic for me to notice her. It is worrying that people can be amongst us and can be so vulnerable to being lonely, isolated friendless: to not being noticed. The real tragedy was that Amanda had got used to being lonely. She was genuinely surprised when people started to pay attention to her.

Loneliness is one of the most painful experiences for human beings to go through. God creates human beings and tells us very clearly that we are made for community, that our natural state is to be in relationship: to belong. We belong to God, we belong to creation, we belong to one another.

In order to feel that we belong people need to affirm us, to notice us and to offer the gifts of time and friendship. To belong is to be loved. Amanda had had very little experience of receiving the fruits of the practices of belonging, but now when things are so radically changed suddenly people want to find out about her. That is potentially a beautiful thing. But only if it continues. There must be nothing worse than finding company in the midst of a crisis, only for it to disappear again when things get back to normal whatever that “new normal” will look like. The revived sense of community that has emerged during this time of Covid might just be a gift that we should not lose as we move towards healthier times.  Love your neighbour.”

The Revd Prof John Swinton is Professor in Practical Theology and Pastoral Care in the University of Aberdeen, specialising in dementia care.

St Paul’s Cathedral is closed to the public at the moment.  During the weeks of closure, the Cathedral has commissioned short reflections from leading Christian writers, offering insight and comfort in these extraordinary times.  They are sent by email Monday to Friday so if you would like to receive this email, join the mailing list, clicking ‘Adult Learning’ as your mailing preference.