Angels in Blue Gowns
27 Mar 2020
As the coronavirus crisis continues, I am thinking more and more of our healthcare workers, who sacrifice so much for us. Last week the image of angels in blue gowns came to me, and the rest of this prayer quickly followed. Please join me in praying for those who work so hard for us.
Angels in Blue Gowns
by Cameron Bellm
Angels in blue gowns,
They wear face masks instead of haloes.
Their gloved holy hands administer to us
Care we are too weak to provide for ourselves.
Without sleep,
Without hope of a day off,
In the face of ever-dwindling supplies,
They risk their lives at every moment
In order to save ours.
Blessed are the hands,
Rubbed raw from washing,
That connect us to ventilators.
Blessed are the feet,
Sore and swollen,
That tread the ER floors.
Blessed are the eyes
That have stared down death
Hundreds,
Thousands of times,
And yet look upon each desperately ill patient
And refuse to give up hope.
God Most Merciful,
Preserve the health and safety
Of those who work so hard to preserve ours.
Amen.
As always, please feel free to share this prayer, read it aloud, or use it in any other way that brings you comfort. Thank you so much for praying with me.
Mar 27, 2020 @ 11:26:45
Another beautiful prayer! Thank you!
Mar 27, 2020 @ 16:48:41
Thank you so much!
Apr 02, 2020 @ 11:53:14
Cameron, I want to thank you for both these prayers!! I have used them so often, and in so many meetings I am in it has been used. Blessings to you and thank you!
The Rt. Rev. Gregory H. Rickel, VIII Bishop of Olympia
Apr 03, 2020 @ 10:40:34
Dear Bishop Rickel, thank you so much for writing to me! I am so glad to know I am connected to your community during this time of isolation. Thank you so much for praying with me!
Jan 08, 2021 @ 01:44:52
Thought someone might enjoy having this touching prayer in German, too —
New Year’s blessings,
Jeff
P.S. I’m a Presbyterian pastor from the U.S. living and serving in Frankfurt, Germany.
Engel in blauen Kitteln
von Cameron Bellm
Engel in blauen Kitteln,
Sie tragen Gesichtsmasken statt Heiligenscheine.
Ihre behandschuhten heiligen Hände reichen uns
die Fürsorge, für die wir zu schwach sind.
Ohne Schlaf,
ohne Hoffnung auf einen freien Tag,
angesichts immer knapper werdender Ressourcen.
Sie riskieren jeden Moment ihr Leben,
um unseres zu retten.
Gesegnet sind die Hände,
wundgerieben vom Waschen,
die uns an Beatmungsmasken anschließen.
Gesegnet sind die Füße,
müde und geschwollen,
die die Böden der Notaufnahme beschreiten.
Gesegnet sind die Augen,
die den Tod zum Wegsehen zwingen
Hunderte,
Tausende Male,
und dennoch auf jeden schwerkranken Patienten schauen,
und sich weigern, die Hoffnung aufzugeben.
Barmherziger Gott,
erhalte die Gesundheit und die Sicherheit
derjenigen, die so hart arbeiten, um die unsere zu erhalten.
Amen.
Jan 11, 2021 @ 08:04:35
Thank you so much, Jeffrey! My grandfather was a Presbyterian pastor, so I have it in my blood. 🙂 Thanks again for your beautiful translations! I studied German years and years ago in grad school, but certainly don’t have the capacity for such beautiful translations!