In the last two months I have been reaching out by telephone to both deacons in the Diocese of Orange and to parishioners of St. Joseph. In the first instance it was to solicit assistance on a telephone line to coordinate food pickups and drop-offs for those in need who are unable to go grocery shopping or are too poor to afford food. A majority of those contacted volunteered and the diocese seems to have enough to handle the need as provided by Catholic Charities and a few food pantries that are still open.
The calls to parishioners are to reach out to our St. Joseph faith community to see how everyone is coping with being self quarantined and doing both social and physical distancing during this Covid-19 virus pandemic. I am both amazed and gratified after hearing their responses to questions like: How are you doing? Is there something we can do to help? Is there anything you need at this time? Are you taking advantage of the live stream the parish is offering in daily and Sunday Masses, Adoration and Benediction, Taize Prayer, Stations of the Cross and the most recent Theology on Tap?
In everyone I have reached, though they are concerned about health, jobs, money to pay bills and unknown fears about what the future holds, they are doing things that indicate God is very much in their lives. The mainstay I found repeated is they are being there for one another. They are not just only filling time, but they are making sure that everyone is included. It’s that inclusion of which today’s readings and Gospel bring to the forefront.
In the first reading from the Acts of the Apostles, St. Peter calls for all who believe in Jesus the Christ who died for our sins so that we may have everlasting life to convert our minds, hearts, behavior and relationships to be saved by God’s actions of love and mercy. When we reach out to others, we are reaching out to God because He created us to be one with Him and all He has created.
The message is much the same in our second reading from the first letter of St. Peter when he writes that we must be patient when we suffer just as Christ suffered for us, because the purpose behind the suffering is for a good reason; healing of our souls to be saved. You might ask how does this equate with the Covid-19 virus taking away all that we have known to live a good life with God as our Savior? Just as Christ lost everything in His death as a human, He gained for us eternal life because we as Christian Catholics believe that it is the life after for which we are created that we need to follow Jesus in all that He has shown us by words and deeds.
In St. John’s Gospel today, we realize the full meaning of inclusiveness as our Good Shepherd Jesus says: “I am the gate (Savior). Whoever enters through me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture (heaven).” In other words, Jesus is our life, truth and path to eternal life. We are meant to be bonded together in faith, hope and love.
What we need to remember and hold on to is that life will bring many tragedies that will directly affect us in so many different ways. The Covid-19 has for some included not only illness, but even death to loved ones. It has put us in terrible financial stress and has changed the way we live as people used to having untold freedoms. But as we have either seen, heard or read about, no one in our world has THE answer as to what needs to be done for us as individuals to find the “best” place for us in this time of distress.
That’s why as believers, we need to find both our hope and answers to how to cope and live with a new reality in Jesus, the Christ, our Savior. He is here with us during the time we live on earth and forever in heaven.
Continue to be inclusive with those you love and know, be patient during this time of suffering and follow in the footsteps of Jesus, our Good Shepherd, who is our protector in both the good and bad times of our lives. It is the path on our faith journey that will bring us what peace we need to get us through this.
Please know that the priests, deacons and staff of St. Joseph have you in our daily thoughts and prayers and are here for you.
Reading 1: Acts 2:14, 36-41
Reading 2: First Peter 2:20-25
Gospel: John 10:1-10
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