Sunday, November 15, 2020
Sunday Reflection: Faith in a pandemic
We are a nation in crisis. The COVID pandemic is raging beyond the expectations of even the pessimists among us. On Friday, there were 181,000 new cases, blowing far past the previous one-day record. The spread means that tougher measures will be needed, which means that the economic hardships will be even greater.
What aggravates me is the cultural issues that led us here. A lot of the hardship could have been avoided if people had simply limited their contact with others and worn a mask. But a strong plurality of the country simply refused.
Here is part of what bugs me so much: Most of those refusers probably identify themselves as Christians. A faith led by Christ who steadfastly taught personal sacrifice for the benefit of others. It is one of the Two Great Commandments, and woven into nearly every lesson he gave. Just that: Christ taught that we sacrifice for others.
And yet for all these Christians, other values trumped that simple one: Personal Freedom. Political allegiance to leaders who denied the need to make any sacrifice. A belief that COVID was an issue in other places.
If you believe in what Christ taught and apply that to your life, it means doing things different than other people. It means that your liberty will not be as important as your duties to others. That might not be popular or politic, but it is clear.
