The new corona virus named COVID-19 that originated in Wuhan, China, that radiated around the globe, has put the world's hustling and bustling economy on hold. It has led to people who live from paycheck to paycheck without much or any savings in a difficult position, not being able to provide for themselves and their families for very long.
The virus has put severe strain on the health professionals who are risking their own health and lives for those sickened by the virus. Many patients who had tested positive had died as a result. The number of infections and deaths around the globe, particularly in the northern hemisphere, are rising on a daily basis, and quite rapidly in certain regions within a country.
Some experts have predicted that the southern hemisphere could also see a rise in infections and deaths as winter approaches. It is still unclear whether summer would slow infections in the northern hemisphere. It is also unclear whether this virus will strike again in the northern hemisphere when summer turns into autumn, and autumn into winter this year, and how many more will suffer in so many ways, and how many more will die.
Some scientists have observed that the lockdowns, or shelter-in-place, whatever term one wishes to use to describe government-mandated home stays, have led to a dramatic change in the quality of air. If this continues, the environment damaged by commerce and expansion could eventually heal itself with less air pollutants, CO
2 emissions and demand for natural resources. In this sense, this global pandemic is good for the global environment.
This pandemic has also allowed people to slow down the pace of life and to come together as a community in many different ways, to appreciate each other, whereas before life was too frantic that people were unable to take the time to appreciate one another. On the other side of the spectrum, there are people who are showing their selfish and evil sides in a such an unforgiving environment.
There are people who cannot wait to get back to a life they are used to living. Some need to earn money in order to survive. Others, including big businesses and countries, are greedy for more of what they already have.
Where is God in all of this? God knows what is going on. God is omniscient and omnipresent. God sees everyone and hears everyone's prayers.
If God is listening to the prayers for the virus to go away, why has God not acted? Why did God allow this to happen in the first place, and why in the present time? Why not in the year 4000 when perhaps medical advancements would be able to produce within hours or days medications and vaccines for new diseases which would stop them from spreading?
People do have Free Will to do what they wish, including those in Wuhan, China, who chose to eat wild reptiles and animals. Wild animal and reptile markets are not limited to a single city in China, nor is China the only country with such markets. Yet, all indications seem to point to a Wuhan wild animal market as the epicenter of this virus.
China is a country that does not permit religious freedom. Is this a punishment from God?
In recent news, there have been a few reports that certain Christian churches that did not wish to follow guidelines for shelter-in-place in parts of the United States. A number of choir singers who belong to a church who practiced together had contracted the virus, resulting in some deaths. This occurred in the United States, a country that does permit the freedom of religion. Why did God not shield these dedicated Christians from being infected? How many churches and religious schools around the world that are unwilling to close are not so much looking toward God but looking at how much money they lose if they did close?
How many religious people in this secular world are genuinely supplicating? How many of them have absolute faith in God and have genuine love for God? How many religions use God to enrich themselves? How many religious and non-ordained believers are honestly contrite, are determined to repent and are ready to convert from sinners to saints?
The dilemma is what to pray for? Should one pray for the healing of people, for an end to suffering and an end to the transmission of this virus? Or should one pray for God's will be done, assuming that allowing the new virus to exist and spread are part of God's plan?
Should a Catholic keep this in mind that God works all things for the good of those whom He loves?
In this sense, then one can be assured that what seems to have been an untimely death due to the virus could be better than what could come later which could either be another virus or a fast-mutating bacterial infection. Either one could be far deadlier and more contagious disease that causes far more pain and suffering than the COVID-19, that cannot be healed and that leads to an excruciating death.
One has to hope that this frightening scenario will not unfold soon and will not be in humanity's future. Although there is no way to guarantee that it will never happen since man still has Free Will to ruin his future.
Since Free Will allows man to do whatever he pleases, there is a glimmer of hope that the same Free Will that can lead to the end of humanity can also be the cure of all of humanity's ills.
To heal humanity, people need to stop being prideful, stop being greedy for wealth and power and start living simply with humility, with kindness and charity toward one another and toward all living creatures that inhabit this earth, and begin to respect rather than exploit the environment for convenience, comfort and luxury. Perhaps that is what God is looking for mankind to do in order for mankind to save itself.
At this present time, perhaps God is upset with humanity and wants to show His might over people who think they are powerful enough to rule the world. People who are extremely prideful believe that they already have or will have this virus under control soon to allow life to return to normal. Time will tell if their beliefs will become reality, but time is not on their side.
Time is on God's side and belongs only to God, the One and only God who rules over life and death on earth and eternity in Heaven and in Hell.
Whatever prayers one prays for are perhaps not as important as one's true faith in and true love for God.
