The Road
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This year the Catholic Church's greatest celebration, the Easter season, has become one of penance. Many cannot receive the Eucharist or go to Confession. Many people are now sick, and some may die. There is currently no cure for a spreadable disease that is sweeping the entire world. Where is God in this?
Everything that God permits to happen must have a spiritual reason attached to it.
Why is a universal question to suffering. As Catholics we understand a hidden, spiritual world is very real. So, why would our loving, fatherly God allow this COVID-19 pandemic?
Just as when Jesus walked the earth and taught and healed people, but the leaders of His time would not accept Him and His message of salvation, today we see an attitude of indifference towards, or outright rejection of God. Jesus (and His religion) is mocked by many leaders of culture and academics. As well, the worldly seek to change the teachings of Jesus that they reject, but keep the social works of the Church that they accept.
Even in our Sacramental life, the influence of the world has made its mark. People have disregarded Jesus' words about the Eucharist being His Body and Blood. Many do not believe Him or take Him at his Word.
When a crisis comes along, people try to make sense of it through their own world viewpoint, but we as Catholics must use prayer to make sense of suffering.
Some have claim Mother Earth is mad at us and gave us this COVID-19 killer virus to right a lot of wrongs humans have done to the Earth. Even our Holy Father seems to sympathize with this sentiment.
Pope Francis has speculated on the reason we face the COVID-19 pandemic stating, “I don’t know if it is nature’s revenge, but it is certainly nature’s response.”
I have a different theory. I have concluded we, as a Church, have sinned in two ways that are spiritually dangerous.
The first way we, as the Body of Christ, have sinned is through the lack of worthy reception of the Eucharist. The majority of Catholics reject many Church teachings on sin, especially sexual purity. Also, about 70% of Catholics do not believe the Eucharist is really Jesus' Body and Blood given to us for our spiritual well-being. These translate into many unworthy recipients taking Communion week-after-week. Wouldn't God be offended?
Second, the First Commandment was broken when the Pachamama statue was placed in the Santa Maria church during the Amazon synod. Did our Church leaders understand they were giving this false goddess a place of worship? However we look at this action, I doubt the prominent placement of an idol near the Eucharist pleased God.
We have perhaps failed as a Church to give due reverence to Jesus. The Holy Spirit will act to protect the Eucharist. We are witnessing a life-changing time in the spiritual realm as well as the physical one. The spiritual is more important.
We, the Body of Christ, must reflect on whether this sickness of not being able to receive the Sacraments--the Eucharist--is because we failed to value Christ enough.
A long time ago I thought I was a writer. Because my parents were practical, I went into teaching. About ten years ago, I began to write again.
I hold a B.S. degree in Elementary Education from Penn State University (University Park). I enjoy gardening, reading, Pittsburgh sports, and cooking, but not in that order. My regular job is being a wife and mother.
