I missed April Fool’s Day. Sigh. There’s no making up for that, but here’s a belated riddle: What’s green and plays the guitar? Elvis Parsley! There’s more where that came from, folks.
Amidst the confusion, let’s remind ourselves of some things that have always been true:
- None of us is expendable.
- No level of suffering is acceptable.
- Success cannot be measured in loss.
- What affects one of us affects all of us.
Any crisis has a way of bringing a society’s existing inequalities into sharp relief. This crisis, sadly, is no exception. Example: I recently heard that members of a hospital’s (I won’t say which) housekeeping staff had been directed to wipe down rooms that had held COVID-19 patients. The workers spoke very little English, were not helped to understand the risks involved, and were given no protective gear. So, even though we’re all affected by the pandemic, some of those among us are hardest hit. Partial list:
- The poor and those of slender means.
- Low-wage workers.
- Those who speak little or no English.
- Part-timers and members of the “gig economy.”
- Those without access to health care or without meaningful access.
- Those without internet access.
- Those already sickened by living in poverty.
- Those who live from hand to mouth.
- The undocumented.
- Those with few connections.
- Those with no housing or with inadequate housing.
- Those victimized by prejudice and injustice.
This is not a happy list, and I’m sorry. I’d much prefer to talk about happy or silly things. But we can’t hide from the world’s suffering or pretend it away. Life can be hard. We’re called to make it less so.
How to proceed? We remember. We pray. We do what we can. We do our best to be part of the solution and not part of the problem. The light of Christ shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. Dear ones, stand in the light.
And keep on keeping on STAYING HOME, knowing that you are LOVED, now and always.
*Rejoice In Hope, Endure In Affliction, Persevere In Prayer!
Please DON’T FORGET that parishioners are standing by to help with shopping, child care, phone calls and other such necessities. Please call the office at 303-322-8042 for assistance.
