By Kate Williams

A Blessing for Health Care Workers in Time of Pandemic

Blessed are the ones who cannot be isolated.

Blessed are all the healthcare workers.

Blessed are the hands that are raw from scrubbing and sanitizing, and the hands for healing, comforting, and supporting.

Blessed are the shoulders that carry the weight of life and death.

Blessed are the feet that are aching from standing at the bedside, running between rooms, and answering phones.

Blessed are the hearts that are frightened and breaking.

Blessed are the mothers and fathers, grandmothers and grandfathers, sisters and brothers, partners and friends, who cannot go home.

Blessed are the families who become isolated from each other, the ones who sacrifice their own comfort so that others need not be alone in their suffering.

Blessed are the sick and the dying, those who bear the image of God before us.

Blessed are those who look upon their work as sacred as and as gift at this time of overwhelming demand.

Blessed are those who lack the space to process all what lies ahead and may others bear their burden with them.

Blessed are the ones who are found weeping in corners of our emergency rooms, our hospitals, our primary cares, our outpatient centers so that we might see a strong face to greet our need.

Blessed are those who weep openly with us, so that even our tears have companions.

Blessed are you, O God: quietly holding each of us along the way. Come quickly, abide unceasingly. Love us while we see the worst, and give us the hope to do our best and continue our mission with compassionate care. Amen.

~By Kate Williams