The life of the Spirit is central for followers of Jesus. We commonly refer to this as spiritual life, because it indicates that we are open to the Spirit of God dwelling within us, and guiding us towards our call of holiness. It is recommended that we continue to reflect on our spiritual life in the midst of ever changing circumstances which come our way. In our daily prayer the question we should continue asking is: “what is God calling me to do, to change, to be?” Perhaps you’ll permit me to reflect on these questions in view of the COVID19 circumstances. What is God revealing to us in the midst of this pandemic? The first lesson that comes to mind is a simple truth of our control, or lack of control, over our own lives. This is a hard lesson to learn, but essential one if we are to find peace in the midst of trials. The truth of our faith is that we are not in complete control of our lives. The good news is that God is in charge of our lives, and God knows what is best for us. This is a lesson that is especially important for us, who live in a first world country where we have been given so much wealth, freedom, and health. These gifts we enjoy can sometimes make us think that we are in charge, that we can control our lives. It takes moments of helplessness to be reminded of our own poverty. No matter how much we build our own wealth, freedom, or health, we are never completely in charge. Anything can be taken away from us, anything material that is. So what can we learn from this experience of a worldwide pandemic? We learn that faith in God, hope in God, and love of God and of one another, these are spiritual gifts that cannot be taken away from us. The only way we can lose them is when we choose to give them away, to abandon them. Difficulties, therefore, provide a great opportunity for resetting our priorities, for changing our focus, and for renewing our faith, hope, and love in God. We don’t know what tomorrow will bring, but we know that whatever it is God will not stop loving us and caring for us. So, we keep the faith!
Fr. Kuzma