Each week a member of the Vincentian Family will share a part of his/her experience during recent months. From the depths of their heart these writers will present a message of hope because we are convinced that there are positive lessons to be learned from this pandemic.

Our life during the state of alarm has hardly changed. Outings abroad have been limited exclusively to the purchase of food and the acquisition of the medicines we take daily. Confinement has not caused us any trauma, since we are very much lovers of life at home.

Personal difficulties have been few. Living at home during the time of pandemic has not caused us any difficulties. We have missed not being able to attend the Sunday celebration of the Eucharist at the parish. The televised masses have supplied for that absence, and spiritual communion, in a way, have supplied us with the strength that we received from sacramental communion. From the information provided by the media, we have suffered little when compared the sufferings of those men and women who were afflicted by the coronavirus and those who lost their loved ones.

There have been several positive aspects that we have experienced, and continue to experience during this time of COVID-19.

• Beginning with the idea that all human beings are brothers and sisters, that we come from the same Father, this pandemic has made us deepen our bonds of solidarity with those who are suffering, as well as with the deceased and their relatives.
• We have put this solidarity into practice especially with prayer. We pray that those who have contracted this virus may be cured, if that is the Lord’s will, and they do not have chronic consequences that they will have to endure for the rest of their life.

This pandemic has moved us beyond praying for our family and friends and for ourselves. Now we place before God the entire human family that is in a state of suffering. All those who have become infected and all those who have died are our brothers and sisters … that is why we are morally obligated to place them in the hands of the Lord so that his will may be done in them.

Even though man does not live on bread alone, nevertheless people need their daily bread. Many thousands of people have become homeless and hungry when the companies where they worked were closed. The widow’s behavior, her offering of all that she had, has been revived in our hearts as we reach out to help our many brothers and sisters who are experiencing difficult days. Likewise, Jesus also reminds us of this urgency when he told his disciples to give the hungry multitude something to eat. How can we not share with those who have nothing when the Lord has provided for us on a daily basis?

We have learned two very important lessons from this catastrophe that has effected humankind:

1- Our personal prayer of petition has to encompass all humankind. Therefore, we pray

• For the salvation of those who die every day.
• For the suffering caused by this pandemic and other evils, such as: war, terrorism and famine. May they events become a means of purification and salvation.
• We do not forget to turn to our Mother, the Miraculous Virgin, pleading with her that those rays that remain opaque in her hands, become graces for these who, at this time, are in so much need.

2 – As far as possible, we attempt to reach out to those most in need through Caritas. Since we have received so much for free, we feel that we must give to others in need.

By way of conclusion, we recall the beautiful words of Saint Teresa which serve as a wonderful reflection on the present situation:

Let nothing disturb you, nothing frighten you,
all things are passing, God is unchanging.
Patience gains all. 
Nothing is lacking to those who have God:
God alone is sufficient

A married couple