It hasn’t been hard to find faith in these unprecedented times. Sure, that faith is often mixed with uncertainty, fear, or doubt, but that doesn’t negate our declarations of hope. Each week as I “attend” virtual church on a YouTube livestream, I’m amazed at the vulnerability of my fellow churchgoers. The comments are full of believers of all ages announcing their struggles and victories from home, stories I never would have heard on a regular Sunday. I see faith as my classmates show up to finish their schoolwork day after day despite the turmoil that they’ve encountered. I see faith in the drawings in chalk on the sidewalk behind my neighborhood: I may never know who encouraged me with a drawing of a bunny and the order to “smile,” but I can be grateful for their multiplying impact. We’ve all begun to realize how connected the world can be, and how much each of us can deeply impact others, for better or for worse. Each day we stay at home, waving to our neighbors from our windows, we’re recognizing our individual power and purpose. We may have heard over and over how being a “child of God” means we can change the world, and although we probably never imagined that statement being true in quite this way, we are coming to terms with this new reality.
If we have the privilege to reflect, this time can allow us to reevaluate our priorities in a radical fashion. This pandemic forces us to recognize what truly keeps our society running. I’ve never seen mental and physical well-being encouraged on such a wide scale or the open acknowledgment that workers who provide the most essential services often face extreme job insecurity. The Catholic value of care for creation has come to the forefront as we escape to nature for peace of mind and abandon pollution producing air-travel.
The Catholic tradition also calls us to love our neighbors, a command which can seem increasingly complicated these days. Humans are used to expressing their ties through physical gathering and cultural celebrations, which are rapidly being canceled. Although many people have access to digital tools to connect virtually, our most vulnerable populations may find digital connection difficult. Just this past week I dropped off paper towels to an elderly neighbor who lives alone. He invited me in to chat, and, in turning him down, I wondered how to acknowledge his loneliness, dignity, and physical health all at once. I find it hard to pass folks on the street without worrying about the harm we could be doing to one another, even if we’re doing everything “right.” I worry about the people who aren’t sharing their struggles, to whom I could be a friend during this time.
With the ethical gray areas surrounding certain types of social distancing, I don’t have easy answers to address suffering in this time, but I do know that God calls us to help how we can. Whether that means extended social distancing or donating supplies, money, and time to those who are affected, we can all strive to extend love to ourselves and those around us in a concrete way during this time of suffering. Most importantly, may we pray that God’s grace envelops us all, addressing the needs we can’t see from inside our four walls.
Image courtesy of Shawn Carpenter via flickr.
- Finding Faith from Home - April 1, 2020
- Dr. Helen Phelan on the Miraculous Lives of Irish Medieval Saints - February 26, 2020
- Reflections from Last Year’s Lenten Season - February 26, 2020