Hello, world.
Keep your distance. It’s quite tough to say how I’m handling this brave new world we have today. A contagious and potentially deadly disease has taken over almost every aspect of our daily life. The COVID-19 pandemic has taken a toll on the fabric of the society. The world around us might never be same.
The latest prevention technique for this disease is social distancing, which involves avoiding going to public places and large gatherings, working and staying at home, and putting six feet between you and others whenever you can. This prevents the spread by limiting the contact between persons. This is critical to slow the spread of a disease that can exist in the body without symptoms for about 14 days.
The struggle with this new normal is the mass scale of infrastructure change this requires. Instilling fear in others could be effective in enforcing this type of protocol. The government and media could prey on our emotions, our security, and our livelihood. Fear can lead to anxiety, distress, uncertainty; in short, fear ruins our mental and societal health. Fear shouldn’t be the answer.
So, what else can we turn to? Hope. I believe the hope of a new life after all of this. I place my hope in Jesus Christ, who is the resurrection and the life. There is something greater coming in store. God has a plan, and it will work out.
Some say it’s hard to find God in the midst of struggles. People seek solutions. People seek a escape from all of the ruin around us. People seek God. God is present in our sufferings. If we were to escape without Him, it wouldn’t be enough. Jesus knows all of our sufferings and suffered for us. He is present in our suffering. So, what are we to with our suffering? Offer it up. Make it a prayer to him who is present in it all. Offering up prayers of suffering can make light of our sufferings, as we trust that God will use our prayers to support those in need.
In the midst of this new world, make time for prayer. Pray the Rosary daily; watch Mass on television. Offer up your personal sufferings for others that hopefully won’t get sick, or to support those who are sick and dying. This is a long fight, and it’s not going to be over soon. Trust in God, who heals all suffering and brings new life to a world dying to live.
God Bless,
The Nerd of May
Andrew Maynard
The Nerd of May 