At the beginning of this pandemic, average people could not even make an approximation of this disease. As we witnessed, epidemiologists and public health officials were also confused. But everybody knew we could no longer have the same life and activities as before. We had to choose what to restrict and limit. Societies, as well as individuals, had to make decisions on what is necessary. And these decisions and choices have exposed our values. In other words, this pandemic revealed what we value the most.
Some may attempt to explain that scientific and medical assessments and analyses provided with bases for restrictions and prohibitions. Certainly, these assessments and analyses had influence. However, if science and medicine had made decisions on restrictions and prohibitions, governments and public health officials should never have used the word, ‘essential’. Instead, they should have chosen words such as ‘high-risk’ or ‘low-risk.' Science and medicine do not study or decide what is essential to human life or society or economy. All the decisions and choices we made during the pandemic to restrict and regulate are moral decisions based on our values.
In the meantime, while everybody talks about essential businesses and activities, no one, no government agencies or public health officials have clearly explained what is necessary or essential. This is why people have a hard time understanding how gyms and bars are open while churches are closed. But what is clear is this: decisions and choices of the world this time have revealed what is important to the world. And it is greatly different from what is important to Christians.
Will the world understand the faith one day? St Paul tells us, “The message about the Cross is foolishness to those to are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” During the whole pandemic, were liquor stores ever ordered to close? No. Because liquors were deemed as essential to people’s lives. Of course, many reasons were provided to explain why alcohol is necessary for people. But the world does not find a cause to keep churches open. “We proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles.” Do not forget that our faith is nothing but foolishness to the world.
Am I insisting on reopening our churches? Am I claiming worshipping together is essential? Essential to what? Essential to salvation? I have never heard that. Jesus did not say that. Instead, faith in the Gospel and baptism in the name of the Trinity are essential to salvation.
This pandemic asks all of us what is essential to us and our faith. While our churches are closed, we should open the churches of our hearts. And, as Jesus purified the Jerusalem Temple with a whip of cords, we should purify our hearts with a whip of penance and repentance. Do we not remember our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit? Then, we should also keep our bodies holy with penance.
I hope that we have enough time to purify ourselves during this pandemic. And I pray that we may present ourselves to the Lord with pure hearts and bodies when our churches reopen. I wish the Lord may accept all of us as pleasing offerings before his holy presence.
