ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
September 11, 2026
My doctor is wanting me to get the usual vaccines, plus a couple of extra ones. I had yet to get the RSV, a vaccine to protect from certain strains of a nasty respiratory virus. Finding myself already a little fatigued, I wanted to check the potential side effects. I put my question before AI, and though it gave me the traditional side effects, such as headache, joint pain, fatigue, and soreness at the injection site, it started by saying: “No strange or supernatural side effects exist for the RSV vaccine.” Supernatural side effects? I feel like I’m watching the beginning of a Marvel movie, where the average person unknowingly receives the incorrect vaccine, only to gain supernatural powers. As a kid, I would have found even the possibility of such a thing to be really nifty. And to be honest, even as an adult, my capacity to dream has just enough kid-like imagination to wonder what it would be like to climb a wall like Spiderman or turn into a mass of green muscle like the Hulk. Yet at the end of the day, I’ll accept the vaccine doing what it was created to do—provide my body with a level of protection from something that could cause hospitalization or death. That probably doesn’t fall under the category of supernatural, but the science is pretty extraordinary. Of course, we need to acknowledge the prevalence of junk science currently circulating, based on anecdotal evidence at best, yet the nonsense undermines the safety of people worldwide. While Jesus was willing to give everything for the sake of the vulnerable, without herd immunity, we are putting the most vulnerable individuals in genuine danger. There are occasionally important reasons for someone not to get vaccinated, but the rest of us can help keep those few people safer by getting vaccinated. I think it is the right thing, maybe even the Jesus thing. And if you get some supernatural powers, please let me know.
God of Healing and Wholeness, we celebrate all the ways scientific discovery provides new life and renewed joy. For those waiting on a treatment that has yet to come, we pray for your peace and love to be known. Awe-inspiring breakthroughs have been achieved, driven by a passion to discover and bring healing. Bless this noble work and the required patience that is needed for all the good and life-giving work being done. Amen.
