Through the Second Wave with Jesus

A year on and the, dreaded coronavirus pandemic is still on the loose. The second wave seems to be drowning our country and state, yet we roam the streets like there is nothing wrong. We blame the government for its policies. We complain that “they” wear their masks below their noses, that “they” flout social distancing protocols, that “they” are careless. But are we better ourselves? We attend parties and meet up with friends. We don’t quarantine when we should. We blatantly ignore doctors’ advice while framing our own “scientific” explanations. We must admit, we have become complacent.

Yes, I get it, it has been a LONG year! We hoped the pandemic would end by now and things would return to the normal of 2019. We miss our friends and family. We are tired of the upper-lip sweat and the discomfort of masking. We want this to end. We want to be free from the fear of the invisible virus and its effects.

Aren’t we free? Aren’t we a redeemed people? Jesus has conquered all things of this world. Why do we need to invest so much effort in protecting ourselves, then?

Precisely for that reason.

Jesus endured passion and death on the Cross for the love of you and me and every other person. Our lives are worth so much for Him, infinitely more than we can imagine! Ought we not protect our lives for the sake of His love? God has a purpose for our lives. Shouldn’t we long to live to fulfil it?

At this point, in the swiftly spreading pandemic, each of us has a responsibility towards God, ourselves, our families and the society. We have to be faithful stewards of the precious gift of life. We have been taught over the last year, five simple things:

1. We mask efficiently and always. I will agree, it is annoying to have to be reminded time and again, we don’t want to be controlled. But let us wear our masks out of humility. Humility, because all our knowledge and studies cannot tell us for sure where the virus lurks. Humility, because we cannot control to whom we transmit it if we fail to mask.
2. We keep our distance, a sufficient amount. In hard times, physical contact is very comforting. Yes, it tempts us now, more than ever. But let us stay apart, out of respect for our and the other person’s body and gift of life.
3. We quarantine, as soon as we know we should. If we have met somebody who has tested positive, let’s just stay at home. Let us forget our vanity and remember that the world can go on without us for a few days. Remember that we stay apart, so that when we meet again, no one is missing.
4. We sanitise diligently, remembering that just how a clean soul is needed for eternal life, a clean body is needed for earthly life. Stay immuned with Kashsyam
5. We vaccinate at the earliest opportunity. Amid all the controversies that the vaccines have created, let us remember that we prayed for an effective vaccine, and God has given it to us in a miraculously short while. Doctors admit that vaccinated people contribute much less to the burden on the medical system because of lower infection intensities. If we are afraid of the spiritual war that injecting a serum into our bodies will cause, let’s remember that Jesus said, “Nothing that goes into a person from outside can defile him.” (Mark 7:15) Let’s avail of the vaccine with gratefulness and trust in God.

Don’t tell God how big your storm is, tell the storm how big your God is

Jesus invites us to return to Him and rest a while. Last year, at the beginning of the lockdown, we began spending more time in prayer as families. Gradually as things opened up and we began returning to our work, we lost the time we kept aside for prayer. In these last weeks, we have tired ourselves out, grappling to catch up with the usual workload. But Jesus asks us to slow down once again and trust Him.

While we struggle through this hard time once again, full of grim news and apprehensions, let’s tell the wave how big our God is. Let’s help and protect each other. Let’s be responsible members of society. Let’s remember that Jesus is walking with us.

O you of little faith, why did you doubt?