I’M praying that you continue to be strong in faith amid this pandemic. Like you, I often ask God to make his will and presence known, to put an end to this crisis. And there are times when I am tempted to think that he is not listening to our prayers, especially now that we keep learning about the increase of death among COVID-19 patients.
So, in my quiet moments with God, I wrote these poetic and straightforward words with the title, The Silence of God:
We pray alone, together.
We pray, yearning for an answer, a resolution, a remedy.
But God’s silence is often deafening. God’s silence is troubling, threatening one’s faith.
Do we keep on praying? Do we keep on hoping?
Yes, we will…
Because for now, our hope and our peace come from resting on the bosom of God.
Let’s continue to pray for the end of this pandemic, for the safety of families and communities, and the recovery of our economy. Let’s not lose our hope and faith in God.
We pray for those who have died from COVID-19 and our heroic doctors and nurses. We pray for those who have lost their jobs and are now in difficult financial situations.
Last Sunday’s Gospel, the Road to Emmaus, challenges us to see the Risen Christ amid this pandemic. And like I said in my homily:
He’s in the neighbor, friend, or relative, who just dropped off for us while we’re on isolation.
He’s in the heroic hearts of some nurses and doctors who try to save the lives of COVID-19 patients.
He’s in the heart of the scientist who is trying his or her best to find a remedy for this disease.
He’s in the good intentions of the governor of a state whose only wish is the health and safety of his fellow citizens.
Those might be simple answers, but for sure, our hearts are burning within us every time we hear stories of fellow men and women showing their generous hearts and heroic deeds in these troubled times.
Let’s keep sowing stories of love, kindness, thoughtfulness, courage, and strength during this pandemic. It’s how we make stories of tragedy triumphant. It’s how we make our faith in the Risen Christ come alive!
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Fr. Rodel “Odey” Balagtas is the pastor of Incarnation Church in Glendale, California.
