There is something unreal about the sense of chaos now enveloping almost the entire world over Coronavirus, COVID-19, a sense of doom and anxiety is etched on the faces of those who still walk the streets, the media talks of nothing else and why would they? They seem to relish this kind of event.
Everything is out of control, the world is entering turmoil over a disease. For us Catholics, this is a reality check, as we are plunged suddenly into a more intense spiritual struggle than we have hitherto perhaps ever experienced.
Firstly, we are confronted with death and judgement. Well, we are, if we are Catholic and have a Catholic understanding that upon our death our souls will undergo our private judgement in the light of God Himself.
Suddenly, all our personal hopes, dreams, ambitions are being placed at the back of our minds as we contemplate just how close we could be to imminent death. This should spur us on to place ourselves at the foot of the Cross, implore God's mercy, seek the Sacraments of forgiveness and healing and desire God in prayer.
It should move us to be reconciled to others we have offended or been offended by, to forgive our enemies, to love God and our neighbour and to live in God's grace. It should move us to live a deeper Lent than we had anticipated.
In a way, it is liberating to have a different plague to confront other than Pope Francis and his hireling Bishops. Many of these men have switched the lights off in the churches and shut up shop, leaving Catholics who long for the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, for our Eucharistic Lord, for the sight of statues of Our Blessed Lady and the Saints, the Sanctuary Lamp, the Tabernacle, for the Confessional light switching from red to green.
Millions of Catholics have been abandoned by Bishops precisely at our hour of deepest spiritual need. The supermarkets remain open for food for the body, but public Mass has been suppressed by Bishops, starving the Flock of Christ of food for the soul. It is unfathomable, if in purely human terms, understandable.
The Bridegroom has been taken away from the Bride, the Eucharistic Lord from many of the Faithful, in circumstances that can only feel apocalyptic. Bewildered by the present, two thoughts pass through my mind as if along parallel lines.
What if I die during this outbreak?
What if I live through this outbreak?
I look at life now through the prism of death, the end of earthly existence, fear of judgement and hope of eternity, I look at death through the prism of continuing life, one which involves complete uncertainty and fear about what could emerge from a crisis like this. Like all Catholics, in all of this, I have nowhere to turn but to God, Who alone has every right to my complete trust.
Bishops have abandoned the Faithful. God is faithful. What will emerge from this crisis? We do not know for certain but many imagine the worst. Death by virus? God is faithful. Death by vaccine? God is faithful. Communism? God is faithful. World Government? God is faithful. The Antichrist? God is faithful. Mass apostasy? God is faithful. The UN taking over our cities? God is faithful. Microchipping of the human race? God is faithful. All my conspiracy theories becoming true? God is faithful. Evil being paraded triumphant in the Vatican? God is faithful. Freemasonry lauding it over the Church on Earth? God is faithful. Camps for those who dissent from the edicts of a ruthless dictatorship? God is faithful. Imprisonment? God is faithful. Poverty, penury, pain, destitution? God is faithful? Death at the hands of the wicked? God is faithful.
God is faithful.
Whatever emerges from this, we know now that we can take nothing with us on our journey to eternity and what we have stored here is mostly rubbish. Apart from toilet roll. Toilet roll is useful.
God is faithful and all of his judgements and commandments and His promises are to be trusted. Jesus Christ is truly Saviour, Jesus Christ is truly Lord and King of Heaven and Earth, He has no rival, He is with us in life, He is with us in death, His victory is assured, and He will crown those who trust in Him, who turn to Him and turn away from sin, seeking His mercy and His love.
Jesus, Son of God, Sovereign Lord and Divine Bridegroom, look down from Your Heavenly Throne and have pity and mercy on me, a poor and wretched sinner. Spare me, O just God.
Have mercy on us, O Lord.
Spare us, O just God!
Come, Lord Jesus!
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