COVID-19 AS SOCIETAL HEALER

Corona in Latin means “crown” or “halo“, which appears around the virus particles on electron microscopy.It might just as well have been devilish horns. Genesis 50:20 states “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present outcome, that many people would be kept alive“.

This pandemic has brought tough times to us all, some much more than others. Death tolls continue to rise, especially in New York City, the epicenter. This is the perfect time to consider your values… what about love?

Mother Teresa stated “Love cannot remain by itself – it has no meaning. Love has to be put into action, and that action is service“. This is a call for those of us who are healthy to come out of hiding and serve! There are endless opportunities. I will share a few recent examples from my own life. Last week my handyman, Freddy, asked me if he could buy four rolls of toilet paper. As a joke I said $20 please! I gave him 12 free rolls from from our abundant supply. A couple of days later my good friend, Pastor Doug, visited for coffee (maintaining social distance of course!) My wife and I felt led to gift him with a bag full of meats, paper towels and toilet paper. Our new enjoyable endeavor is to sit on our porch outside and greet all of our neighbors walking by, exhorting them to stay safe!

This is the time to radiate your love to your spouse or significant other, children, parents, grandkids ,in-laws, neighbors, friends, etc. There is no shortage of need in your own community. Consider checking with your local churches, synagogues or mosques to determine the needs.Donating to worthy charities is also a great idea.

Love is a great reason for changing our behavior for the better. Be generous of your time, treasure, and talents. This may just be the time to reach out to reconcile strained or broken relationships.

I just recently came across a very nice article entitled “Coronavirus and how Christians can Respond” at juliesanders.org. She writes “As people experience fear about the unknown, this is an opportunity to experience and share God’s peace. Amen!