The Crisis of Coronavirus in the World

 

Covid19 virus, a new plague     

    

The covers of all the media on the planet have been virtually monopolized in recent months by the covid19 pandemic. Without being as lethal as SARS, MERS or swine flu (pandemics of our century), Covid19 has expanded much more easily and quickly, now assuming one of the most fearsome health threats. To be sure, the extraordinary increase in international travel, the result of globalization, has contributed crucially to this expansion.

It should be remembered that this pandemic, regardless of its origin, has neither been the first nor will it be the last. Remembering only the deadliest since the beginning of our era, we can cite the plague of Justinian (541-542) that ended the lives of more than 30 million people in just one year. The Black Plague (1347-1351) took more than 200 people ahead (one-third of the population in Europe at the time); smallpox (1520) took the lives of 56 million people; already closer to us we have the American flu imported into Europe (1918-1919) that wiped out 20 million people, and finally AIDS (1981- )  that has killed between 25 and 35 million people.

It is worth remembering the history of pandemics to avoid the presumption of believing that they are new catastrophes. Certainly, no pandemic is similar to another; in this sense we can say that what is happening to us is something "new". For example, one of the novelties of Covid19 is the rapidity of its expansion, the result of the great interconnectivity of humanity, as well as the media magnitude it has had or the incredible impact on the world economy, managing to paralyze for the first time in history, and at the same time, the largest economies on the planet. As some experts say, the economy is now on unsociable ground.

Even so, these unique characteristics, typical of globalization achieved in the 21st century, should not overshadow the reality of a common denominator that helps us interpret each pandemic from its fundamental keys. Although the tools with which we are to deal with this pandemic should not be the same as those of our ancestors, it would be foolish to discard the wisdom acquired by humanity throughout its turbulent history. To give an example, there we have the ancient technique of confinement or separation between healthy and sick as a better solution to stop an uncontrolled infection.

Believing and reading of the Virus. 

Unfortunately, believers have not always been bold enough to face the evils that come from an ever-creative nature; we have not even been to interpret natural disasters within the divine design in a constructive way. In this way, we must recognize that religion has sometimes understood pandemics as plagues of divine origin, either to annihilate enemies (as in Egypt) or to punish believers themselves because of their sins (such as banishment). The tremendous insecurity that comes to human beings does not understand the meaning or origin of the tragedies seems to have made it necessary to seek "guilty", whether It is God in his inscrutable designs or mankind in his sinful condition.

It is clear that there are fundamental theological experiences related to concepts such as "divine punishment" or "wrath of God", although making a literal reading of them, ignoring historical, psychological and even mystical contexts, can cause us to fall into not a few traps that we will find very much about going out of. The simplicity of attributing to God any event that overflows our intellectual and even spiritual knowledge can constitute a serious transgression of the second commandment, taking without modesty the name of God in vain to justify not only our rational limits, but even our intellectual and spiritual laziness.  

Covid-19 offers us the opportunity to advance the pastoral conversion. In addition to a health and economic crisis, it is also an opportunity for spiritual liberation. It is about leaving behind once and for all a magical and superstitious attitude transvestite of Catholic spirituality. This "pest" has given us the opportunity to turn away from the sacred, not to separate ourselves from God, but to approach him in a deeper way. God asked Moses to barefoot before the burning bush and Mary Magdalene not to touch him once he was resurrected. Catholicism (especially Latino) finds it very difficult to believe without touching, kissing, hugging. Without realizing it, perhaps many Christians have become addicted to forms, ignoring the substance. This means the compulsive use of the internet of many priests overwhelmed by having to live weeks and months without being heard.

Covid19 is another step in the inexorable paradigm shift we are witnessing. There will undoubtedly be more or less traumatic experiences that accelerate this change. Let us hope that for the sake of humanity the next virus is no more dangerous than this or that the natural disasters to come will be progressive, so that it gives us time to adapt to them. In any case, we must rejoice that Christianity in general and Catholicism in particular have taken a giant step in helping to heal and liberate, rather than delving into the wound with more magical than religious visions, which always end up blaming the same humanity they seek to serve.

Believing attitude to the Virus.

Reality is making us smaller and smaller in number, but that's not why it has to make us weaker. On the contrary, in nature this process of squeathing has its advantages in increasing what is now called "resilience". This is therefore an ideal time to recover some essential values of faith, especially those that reinforce the community as an antidote to individualism. If individualism makes the subject great is to differentiate him from the community, Christian personalism advocates a relational humility that not only dignifies the individual by making him a person, but reinforces the resilience of groups whose members live in communion.

The stress to which we are subjecting the planet forces us to a model of a more ecological Church, where relations with nature, with others and with God are imposed by their quality. Digitization will test the quality of our relationships. If new technologies cease to be a means and become an end, I fear that far from reinforcing ourselves as individuals and collectives will make us more fragile, immature and dependent. It is essential to value a natural relational sense, where artificial is a medium and never an end in itself. The domestic church must take centre stage and thereby the pastoral promotion of family relations. I am thinking, for example, of the need to recover children's catechesis as a family, freeing parishes from too collegial a structure to become an oasis of spirituality in an increasingly desert world. The treatment of the sick and elderly in hospitals and residences must be a priority, prologue to the healing of Jesus of Nazareth. Needless to say, given the economic crisis ahead, social service from charity must be the backbone of our parishes, even if it entails the loss of economic power of the clergy which, although in itself low, enjoys social security available to many few people. 

In short, it is a question of taking a step further in the process of pastoral conversion that is based on a spiritual renewal, taking advantage of the plagues to leave our addictions and freely enter the deserts of life, because the hardness of the desert also frees us from the accessory, purifies us and strengthens us in the essentials.

Robert., NSINGA

Authenticity And Language

Is it possible to live it in today’s world?

The world is not a perfect place; in fact, we live surrounded by contradictions in all social spheres. Spirituality, morality, tolerance, solidarity... are concepts that do not mean the same to everyone and that become important only by virtue of what interests those who are interested. How is it possible to live an authentic and fulfilling life in a society that contradicts itself? How can we be honest and honest when those who should be are not always honest or seek to disguise the truth to appear what they are most interested in at that time?

What does it mean to be authentic, we could say that to be authentic is to give yourself permission to be yourself, to assume the right to be wrong, and to act on our values and goals? Being authentic means being honest, responsible, and self-aware.  What prevents us from living an authentic life?, There are some obstacles that prevent us from living an authentic life. These obstacles are ego, pride, guilt, inequalities, complexes, external influences, socio-economic factors, fear and lack of self-knowledge, among others. Social contradictions make it very difficult to overcome or minimize these obstacles.

Sometimes our sharp tongue shows an inability to live our beliefs in goodness. For example,  on a Sunday in a class, a brother asked for the floor and commented:  "The church is not a charitable center where all the needs of the brothers are met. We have limits, and we can only deal with a few, but not all, cases." This comment caused discomfort in some people, especially in an old man who complained about what the brother had said. The following Sunday, the same brother asked for the floor and  said, "Brothers, the previous Sunday I made a comment that caused harm to some brothers,and since only the rivers are not returned, I want to retract my words and ask forgiveness to the brothers who were offended." One can reverse the consequences of his words through words, speaking with his mouth the opposite of what has caused the harm. Language is such an undyed member myth, James.3:8-10, that we need to do our best to discipline it.

The truth is, we all have problems with what we say. That's probably why the Bible talks so much about the power of the tongue. The proverbs are filled with verses about the positive and negative aspects of the tongue. James 3:4-5 says: Most people want to be heard. What better way to be heard as a believer than as a gospel teacher? However, James urges us to consider the power of the language. We must not rush to propel ourselves to a position where the tongue is constantly used. It is powerful and as such, it will incur a "stricter trial." Control the tongue and you'll control the rest of the body. James argues from highest to lowest in verse 2. If one can control his tongue then we will be able to control the rest of the body as well.

Words can build or destroy. Better than anything else, the tongue shows the state of our hearts. Humanity alone cannot control the language. If James left us here this would be a miserable message: the tongue is a deadly poison that no man can stop. Fortunately, we're not left alone. Talking negatively is costly in the spiritual realm, as we observe that what we say can bring spiritual reward. In Jericho, God's people marched silently around the city for six days. When they finally screamed on the seventh day, the walls fell immediately. Their silence and their cries at the right time earned them victory. This is also true for us individually. If we keep our speech, we can win a big win.

St. 3:9-12, presents us with an impossible image: the indomitable language. He compares the control of the tongue to a forest set on fire by a single spark. It's like the time I participated in a paper lantern lighting event: real flames, dry land and paper. An incorrect movement or gust of wind, and the result would have gone from beautiful to devastating. Our words have the power to bring life or destruction. If, with your speech, you praise God and curse man, how can you really say that your faith changes your life? Let God redeem your speech by thinking before you speak. St.3:17-18, The flange of our tongues begins in our hearts, moves toward our minds, and comes out of our mouths. A changed heart is a heart refined by the wisdom of God, which is what gives us the right words to say at the right time. But how do we know the difference between wisdom divideandworldly wisdom? St. provides us with the criteria to decipher between the two. Choose the wisdom of God and let what resides in your heart pure, peace-loving, considerate, submissive, merciful, good, impartial, and sincere. As you pursue divine wisdom, your heart changes.

Finally, we all have a responsibility to be true to ourselves. Becoming an authentic person and living authentically in a contradictory world is an individual mission, different from person to person. Being authentic is an ongoing process that will last a lifetime. Authenticity begins when the intention to be genuine is established, especially when personal values have to face situations in which interested and manipulative behavior can occur and are strengthened. These are moments that are personally equivalent to the cotton test. Thus, the values are made ours  when we have to pay a price for them in exchange for putting them into practice. Then there must be an awareness of what is seen and felt, and the will to act on one's own genuine nature, even when one feels vulnerable.

Although authenticity quality seemingly intangible, its results have a very easy and clear translation into reality. According to one study, authentic people feel better, are more resilient and less likely to resort to self-destructive habits in search of comfort, and tend to have a purpose in their choices and more likely to meet their goal.. In other words, Santiago’s letter has an immediate topicality to discover the roots of a Christian project that harmoniously combines faith and active commitment.

 By Robert., NSINGA  

 

The Reaction Of Man Towards suffering Today.

 

What does it mean to be Sick/Suffering

According socio-cultural context, the primitives considered individual and cosmic misfortunes to be a reflection of superhuman powers of which man was a victim, and in front of them they sought protection in magical rites, without giving up personal defenses. The Jewish and Greek cultures highlighted personal co-responsibility. In modern times, Marxism has denounced social conditions and psychoanalysis has analyzed those of the subconscious.

The life of the individual and coexistence are a continuous and hard-working struggle, sustained for millennia against all forms of suffering, although he persists by adopting new forms, caused by the same progress. Social and ecclesial awareness, which is an index of human promotion, sharpens contrasts and exasperches tensions. Forms of marginalization and oppression are renewed for even the most extreme violence, even in the name of social promotion. The power of social media and ideological integralism provoke an onerous massification of thought, when political, religious or racial persecutions are not reached. Health progress has ended epidemics, reduced infant mortality and made it possible for an increasing number of people to reach an advanced age; but it is faced with the complications of degenerative diseases, and does not rarely cause subsequent suffering with the same therapeutic attempts. We instinctively conceived life as health and well-being, and suffering as an unfortunate incident, which can cross our path.

The harsh reality of life contrasts with this conception of existence ours. We must accept that the first cause of suffering is inscribed in our vital fabric, in biological potentialities and in our critical consciousness, which constitute the energies of individual and social vitality and, at the same time, cause insecurities and sufferings. Effective sexual potential is a cause of tension, pleasure and suffering. Social evolution is not carried out without violent contrasts, even if homicidal violence is condemnable.

Hence, between life in its earthly phase and suffering there is no radical opposition, but suffering enters as a constituent element of our existence. Accepting life also means admitting the reality of suffering and death. The problem is not how not to suffer, but to know how to react to suffering and to lessen the causes that aggravate it.

The reaction of man today, the sufferer, especially if he is a sick person, is aware of the right to claim respect, understanding and help from society, and accuses others (the family environment, inadequate and unjust social structures, selfishness and mistakes of others) as primary causes of their sufferings. He fatigues by analyzing his share of responsibility, reviewing his reaction attitudes and avoiding feeling only a victim of the system and the misunderstanding of others. 

The secularizing mentality that sharpens tension towards earthly realizations, the myth of well-being, confidence in technological power, increasing psychological sensitivity are factors that cause a greater allergy to all forms of suffering and a wait, sometimes neurotic, of immediate solutions. No more can and no one can be expected; consumerism and overuse of drugs, obsessive repetition of clinical examinations, more reckless attempts, including abductions and kidnappings, are an indication of what we have just said. The use of drugs. outrages and violence, even murderers, for political reasons or for common crime are part of this mentality of freeing yourself from suffering as soon as possible and however.

There is no shortage, even in our countries,the distrustful, the "tired of life", which range from a fatalistic sense to the desire for suicide; these are the most serious patients. In man's millennial struggle against suffering, reflection has deepened the causes of it and the technical means have multiplied; however, it seems that today's man is more fragile in the face of suffering.

Jewish psychologist Viktor  Frankl denounces an "existential frustration," which necessarily follows the contrast between the ordinary conception of life and the reality of existence. As long as we are imprinted with a mindset about life based on pleasure and affirmation itself perhaps identified with our own social or religious ideas and those values are seen as absolute, we will have to experience continued frustration at seeing progressive physical weakening and social oscillations and contradictions.

The "logotherapy", or medical priest of the soul, which V. Frankl proposes is to help the subject to ask about the meaning of his existence, convincing himself that  in any situation, however absurd, it is possible to find a "vital task", starting with the most modest answers as long as they are achievable at that time.

In conclusion, we need to ask ourselves the meaning of our existance especially in this period of coronavirus (COVID-19), however hard it is in all aspects of life with an open mindset, we shall able to overcome. 

Robert., NSINGA