Day 58: The Dominion of the Plague

DAY 58

Faith in the Midst of a Pandemic

A series of daily reflections for people of faith

by Rev. Robert Bayley, Interim Pastor

Patuxent Presbyterian Church, California, Maryland

WEEK NINE: MONDAY 11 MAY 2020

The Dominion of the Plague

“Once the faintest stirring of hope became possible,

the dominion of the plague was ended.”

Albert Camus 1913-1960, French philosopher, writer,

Nobel Prize in Literature winner,

in his allegorical novel “Plague,” published in 1947.

In Camus’ novel, people are ruled over by a plague that has ‘dominion’ over them. For us today this is not fiction but reality. Billions of people, especially in third world countries, are experiencing this pandemic ‘lording’ it over them, an inescapable unseen ruler of their deepest emotions and fears, lurking invisibly everywhere they look.

And how do people respond? Camus tells us: “The public lacked, in short, standards of comparison. It was only as time passed and the steady rise in the death rate could not be ignored that public opinion became alive to the truth.” They became alive to the truth that something had dominion over them, something over which they had no control. Our English word ‘dominion’ comes from the Latin ‘dominus’ meaning Lord. Paul wrote to the Roman church, that “… sin shall no longer be your master, for you are not under law, but under grace.” Some translations read “sin shall not lord it over you,” others “sin shall not have dominion over you.” The concept, the dynamic of dominion, master, lord, runs deep. 

So the coronavirus is exercising dominion, lording it over, is the master of, all the people on the planet, all, that is, except those who have come under the dominion, the lordship of the Creator of everything: “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Romans 10:13.   

The response of the people to the plague in Camus’ novel reflects the ‘faintest stirring of hope’ signaling that ‘the dominion of the plague has ended.’ “… we should go forward, groping our way through the darkness, stumbling perhaps at times, and try to do what good lay in our power. As for the rest, we must hold fast, trusting in divine goodness, … .” And in that trust we also hold fast.

Reflective question: Who has dominion, lordship over your life: the virus or Jesus?

Reflective Scripture: Philippians 2:11 – “… every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.”

Reflective hymn:

“Jesus is Lord of All” – LeRoy McClard (1926-2014)

Jesus is Savior and Lord of my life, my hope, my glory, my all.

Wonderful Master in joy and in strife, on Him you too may call.

Jesus is Lord of all, Jesus is Lord of all –

Lord of my thoughts and my service each day. Jesus is Lord of all.