Our Holy Father, Pope Francis, empathizes with our suffering from the Covid-19 pandemic. Being keenly aware and sensitive, he exhorts all peoples, Christians, and non-Christians, in the spirit of our Risen Lord, to be strong, not to give up, to fight on, and to be sensitive to the sufferings.  He calls on everyone to make this world a better place through respect for one another, protecting, nurturing, and cherishing our earthly home. He reminds us that God created this home for our benefit and enjoyment and as responsible caretakers, we must take care of it, i.e. Consider less harmful alternatives that sustain instead of destroying our wonderful Mother Earth. He criticizes and admonishes leaders who claim they are committed to fighting Covid-19 but are used much-needed resources to manufacture arms and weapons. He called for these resources to be re-channeled in ways to combat this pandemic. He also brings the attention of the whole world to the people who risk their lives to attend to the sick and prevent those who are healthy from becoming infected. He praised the people who were doing wonderful work at the front-lines such as, caregivers, volunteers, religious and priests. He also prayed for them for risking their lives and doctors, nurses not to forget about the poor people who live in tiny ramshackle dwellings or the homeless. He said that spending time in prayer is important during these times. He challenges them to do better and gives them hope to persist in this fight. He pleads for all people to reject selfish indifference, self-centeredness, and forgetfulness, and to share resources, information, knowledge, and promote solidarity with one another for the common good of all. Only by faith in God, Pope Francis says, can we overcome this horrible pandemic.
 
Just like in a storm, the pandemic creates fear in us. We are like the apostles who were caught in a storm in the boat with Jesus who asked them: Why are you afraid? Have you no faith? 

The storm exposes our vulnerability and uncovers those false and superfluous certainties and lay bare all our prepackaged ideas and forgetfulness. We have gone ahead at breakneck speed, feeling powerful and greedy for profit. We thought we could stay healthy in a world that was sick. Pope Francis calls us to choose what matters and what passes away. He said that it is time to get our lives in order, back on track, and to let the Holy Spirit lead us out of this pandemic. Pope Francis urges us to put our trust and faith in the Lord, who will save us from this pandemic.

The Pandemic gave me a great opportunity to reflect and pray to God not only for a quick end to this deadly pandemic, but it resolved deep concerns in my heart that had been overlooked during my “busyness”.  The people who still cared enough for others gave me hope.  At the beginning of the lockdown, I felt lost not being able to attend Mass on Sundays and having the Eucharist, but the opportunity to spend undisturbed time praying the Rosary and Divine Mercy every day gave me peace of mind and consolation. I was also very happy to be able to spend quality time with my two children who had to work from home.  Unable to venture out for dinner and having dinner together gave us time to share our feelings and thoughts which could not be possible on a hectic “normal” day. The lockdown also delayed my daughter’s posting to another state. Without this period of lockdown, she would have been posted earlier and we would have less time to spend with her. The pandemic also gave me time to spring clean my home and to ponder deeply about the goodness of God in my life. Most of all, my faith in God was greatly strengthened during this period.