We often talk about “pre-Covid time” or “the before times.” It was a time when our culture so overtly prized competitiveness, privilege, and productivity. For many of us, these things seem to be less significant today; our perspective has been changed a lot by a worldwide pandemic. Let’s not forget that, in time of great distress or not, the Word of God and the Sacramental life of the Church call us to see with new eyes, to appreciate things from God’s perspective, and to love with a God-like heart. Our work, which we also call “living the Gospel,” is ideally centered on “the well-being of people.”
As one new variant of the virus spreads far and wide and as others may be on the way, this is a perfect time to reaffirm our concern for, closeness to, and solidarity with all those who are suffering right now. So many millions of people, some of whom we know well, remind us each day that we live in a very fragile world and we are all in this together. We suffer along with those who are presently ill, with those who have no health insurance, with those who have nowhere to turn, with those who are especially vulnerable, with those who are lonely, and with those who have lost their jobs.
We reach out, at the very least, in prayer for those nurses, doctors, and medical professionals who are attending to the sick and their families. May these heroes in our hospitals and clinics find the strength, stamina, and hope they need right now.
Let us pray. “O Mary, you shine continuously on our journey as a sign of salvation and hope. We entrust ourselves to you, Health of the Sick. At the foot of the Cross you participated in Jesus’ pain, with steadfast faith. You know what we need. We are certain that you will provide, so that, as you did at Cana of Galilee, joy and feasting might return after this time of trial. Help us, Mother of Divine Love, to conform ourselves to the Father’s will and to do what Jesus tells us: He who took our sufferings upon Himself, and bore our sorrows to bring us, through the Cross, to the joy of the Resurrection. We seek refuge under your protection, O Holy Mother of God. Do not despise our pleas – we who are put to the test – and deliver us from every danger, O glorious and blessed Virgin. Through Christ, your Son. Amen.”
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Do not forget that we are offering our third Vaccine Clinic this Sunday, August 22, from 10am to 2pm. Spread the word to friends and neighbors who are not yet vaccinated. Also, take a look at the message above from Pope Francis and other prominent leaders on getting vaccinated: “the loving thing to do!”
