Let’s Do Our Part

UNTIL the beginning of 2020 we thought we could be self-sufficient thanks to the relentless technological developments of the last fifty years, however Covid-19 has been enough to knock us all sideway, with overwhelmed hospitals, the economy in a disastrous situation and social hardship at unprecedented levels.

I know this is a topic that has been thoroughly discussed and analyzed both on TV and in the press, yet Covid-19 does not cease to influence our existence and to govern our reality.

The perception we have of both the disease and the virus continues to change, and the disease is like a travelling companion we do not know well, but who is decidedly unpleasant.

We are in the middle of Autumn and, there’s no denying it, we are at the beginning of the new flu season, the most feared period of the pandemic, especially for those of us who are living in the Northern hemisphere. And with the new flu season, all the doubts and fears we had tried to ignore throughout the summer have re-emerged.

However, I do not wish to dwell on the difficulties that still exist and that unfortunately will remain with us for some time yet. Instead, I would like to give you hope and to urge all of us to be more patient because the road to so-called “normality” still seems to be quite long. Therefore the only way to make this journey less painful and difficult is to do it together, because we are less vulnerable when we are not alone. We must not forget, in fact, that God did not create human beings to be alone, but to share the journey of their lives with other people.

I have always been a great supporter of teamwork in all areas of life: in the family, among friends, among work colleagues and also within religious and non-religious communities. And in this pandemic period we are all called to take care of each other, to protect our health and that of others with all the means at our disposal in order to get to the end of this dark tunnel as soon as possible. Therefore it is important that, if necessary, we wear face masks, wash our hands, keep our distance from others… and, if we can, get vaccinated.

I know that vaccination is a rather thorny issue for some people but, as Catholics, we must at least trust our Holy Father who, in a message on August 18, wrote, “Being vaccinated with vaccines authorized by the competent authorities is an act of love. And contributing to ensure the majority of people are vaccinated is an act of love. Love for oneself, love for one’s family and friends, love for all people.”

Therefore, let’s imagine an even more beautiful future than the time we had before the pandemic, and in doing so, let’s support and improve each other by following the rules and setting a good example. And, above all, let’s not forget to pray. Prayer is the most powerful weapon against evil and the greatest act of charity towards our neighbor. St. Padre Pio often reminded his penitents: “Prayer is the best weapon we have; it is the key to God’s heart.”

Dear sisters and brothers, we have a common goal: to make our lives and that of others better. To do that we must naturally face the challenges of every day and continue our journey with trust and hope in the Lord. I certainly cannot assure you that the path made so far has been the most difficult and complex part of the journey, but I like to think that there are no longer so many obstacles to face and that, with the Lord’s help, it’s now all downhill from here.