Beloved brothers and sisters in the Lord,
It may seem that we are living in perilous times. Indeed, the peril posed by the rapid, global spread of the COVID-19 virus is real, and it is all the more frightening because it has caught the world by surprise. Moreover, today social media exist, enabling far faster dissemination of information—and disinformation—than has ever been possible before. On the one hand, we know more about what is going on with the pandemic on a minute-by-minute, global basis, as well as usable information about protecting ourselves and each other from infection. This, of course, is a good thing! On the other hand, social media have fed a kind of “herd” reaction, such as rather bizarre and very counterproductive hoarding of toilet paper, which social psychologists, economists, and other experts tell us is no more than a means by which people feel they are doing something.
However, please note that I said that it may seem that we are living in perilous times. In my view, all times seem to be perilous, although in fact all times are in God's infinitely loving and providential care. More about that in a moment.
For now, let me observe that there is a fine line between prudence and panic. Up to now, our country may have made too little of the risk this virus entails for us. Perhaps now, some of us have gone from ignoring or downplaying the problem to becoming paralyzed by fear of it. We may even have succumbed to the many conspiracy theories that attempt to assign blame or promote barely believable narratives about how this virus came to exist and why it has spread so rapidly. This is, of course, nothing new: those of us who were around in the early 1980’s will remember the wild stories being spread about the HIV-AIDS virus when it was first making its deadly appearance.
It is critical that we all take measures to protect ourselves, our loved ones, and the general public as much as possible, but panic responses to the crisis do little to improve the situation for anyone. I believe we have taken prudent measures to deal with the virus in our parishes (see the “Pastoral Instructions” we have published, available in English here) and in Romanian here.
The dispensations offered in those instructions regarding the relaxation of Lenten abstinence and the Sunday and Holy Day obligation are intended to make it easier for you and all our people to choose to remain at home as much as possible without feeling guilty or burdening your conscience. If you need to stay home, are in a heightened risk group or are experiencing any of the symptoms of a cold or flu, please do stay home! Believe me, being stressed by panic or a conflicted conscience will not do anyone any good. I know something about that. I have worried about many things that never happened in my 64 years.
And that is the message I principally wanted to convey in this brief letter to you: do not worry! "Fear not, little flock" (Luke 12:32)! God is on your side, no matter what may happen. Much as it has become a cliché, there is still truth in the expression, "It's all good." Christ is risen!
There is a book I have read and re-read dozens of times in my life. Abandonment to Divine Providence, by 18th-century Jesuit priest Jean-Pierre de Caussade, has given me much comfort in my times of panic and conflict. In it, he says,
God has a plan for each soul and carries it out very successfully, though it is well disguised. Under the name of “disguise” are such things as misfortune, illness and spiritual weakness. But, in the hands of God everything flourishes and ultimately turns to good. God arranges the accomplishment of His highest designs by means which deeply offend our normal feelings.
Father de Caussade's thought is certainly pious enough, but it may be scant comfort for you, as it has been for me. If that is the case, know that God is challenging you to grow in ways you perhaps have never grown before, in trust, in hope, in love and in mercy. He is about to put powerful spiritual weapons in your hands, but you must be prepared to receive them. But how do you make yourself ready for this spiritual armor?
I said before that there is a fine line between panic and prudence. That fine line is prayer. In response to the situation in Italy, Pope Francis offered this prayer:
O Mary, you always shine on our path as a sign of salvation and of hope. We entrust ourselves to you, Health of the Sick, who at the cross took part in Jesus' pain, keeping your faith firm. You, Salvation of the Roman People, know what we need, and we are sure you will provide so that, as in Cana of Galilee, we may return to joy and to feasting after this time of trial. Help us, Mother of Divine Love, to conform to the will of the Father and to do as we are told by Jesus, who has taken upon himself our sufferings and carried our sorrows to lead us, through the cross, to the joy of the resurrection. Amen.
Under your protection, we seek refuge, Holy Mother of God. Do not disdain the entreaties of we who are in trial, but deliver us from every danger, O glorious and blessed Virgin.
This translation was done by Catholic News Service. Pope Francis recited this prayer by video on March 11 asking Mary to protect Italy and the world during of the coronavirus pandemic. [Text taken from the website of America Magazine.]
Any prayer, all prayer, is what we, indeed the whole world, needs now more than anything—certainly more than panic. The simple Divine Mercy prayer, "Jesus, I trust in you!" is enough. There is power in the Jesus Prayer: "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner." The Rosary has been a prayer beloved by the Catholic people during times of epidemic and plague. If you haven't recited a rosary in a while, now might be a good time to go find your old rosary and start.
Confront your panic with prayer and soon you will find peace of heart, and that you will be acting with prudence, if not mercy and love.
The Archbishop of Los Angeles, Archbishop José H. Gomez, President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, issued a prayer to Our Lady of Guadalupe that I will attempt to make available to you, but in the meantime may be found here. He issued it in a message recently that I found moving. Allow me to close with a word from the Archbishop's message, along with the pledge of my heartfelt prayer for all of you as we get through this trial:
God does not abandon us, he goes with us even now in this time of trial and testing. In this moment, it is important for us to anchor our hearts in the hope that we have in Jesus Christ. Now is the time to intensify our prayers and sacrifices for the love of God and the love of our neighbor. Let us draw closer to one another in our love for him, and rediscover the things that truly matter in our lives.
Thank you, Archbishop Gomez, and thank you, dear reader, for your patience and prayer. With every good wish and blessing, I am
Your brother in Christ-God,
+John Michael, a sinner
Bishop, Romanian Catholic Diocese
Canton, Ohio
March 14, 2020