Covid-19 Reflection

More than 365 days have passed since the March 22, 2020 lockdown. We have had time to think about the things we did and did not do but should have done.

COVID-19 has jolted me. I have more time to read Bible passages and watch TV, more time to worry about the health of my family, relatives, friends and neighbors. Sometimes I feel bad thinking everything is hopeless. Bible reading has lightened my depression and brightened my outlook. I learned that plagues, death, sadness, famine, hunger, war, typhoons, earthquakes are part of life just like birth, weddings, and family gatherings.

The Old Testament talks about prophets sent by the Lord (Isaiah, Samuel, etc.) to guide the people and to avoid sin. All were killed because people did not want to listen to sermons about sin, guilt, punishment, and mercy. Yet the Lord showed kindness. Nineveh’s King and people were saved when they repented, wore sack clothes, fasted and begged for mercy. In the New Testament, St. John the Baptist and Christ who were considered by the Israelites as prophets were also killed. However, we should not panic. The Church left by Christ remains to lead us in place of prophets.

Because of human pride, greed and wrong use of our brains, we have forgotten or disregarded the words of the Lord. We have focused on money and relied for our needs man-made science, technology, artificial intelligence, electronics etc. In the last 24 hours, how many minutes or seconds have we spent kneeling, praying, begging for forgiveness, asking for help to save our families from Covid-19 and giving thanks for the blessings we have received, praying for a comfortable good life, good health, good food, no family problems about drugs, gambling, sex, alcoholism? When was the last time the whole family went to Church service together? Count the minutes and hours you and your family spent on TV, computers, cellphones, laptops, video games during the same 24 hours.

Without cost, we have received so much blessings from the Lord. We should in return acknowledge these bounties by way of prayers, alms giving, and participation in church and civic activities. While praying or during religious services, we stop all activities and go outside when our cellphone rings. We are not giving the Lord the attention he deserves. 90% of our daily life is spent on routine, earthly activities and less than 10% for the Lord. It should be the other way around.

Now that Covid-19 is destroying the world, some are asking, where is God? Why is he not saving us? Harvard philosopher George Satayana said that those who forget the lessons of the past will repeat the same mistakes. We never learn. The Lord’s gifts of love, faith, and hope are always with us and they’re free. But sometimes we forget about them or worse reject them. It is not too late.

In 1917, Our Lady appeared in Fatima, Portugal. Among others, she told Lucia, Jacinta, and Francisco that Russia will be a threat to world peace. She also asked to tell the world to pray for the conversion of Russia. Since 1918, the church all over the world included in all its novenas, prayers for Russia’s conversion. In 1989, Russia released its hold on the more than 20 nations it controlled and became a more open society. After 72 years (1917-1989), the prayers of the faithful were answered.