COVID-19 : REMAIN IN CHRIST ! (Jn 15,4)

 COVID-19 : REMAIN IN CHRIST ! (Jn 15,4)                                  
 (Covid-19 : “ HÃY Ở LẠI TRONG THẦY !” (Ga 15,4)
Author : Jorathe Nắng Tím
Translator : A. Prisca
March 30, 2020

Jesus said: “REMAIN IN ME, AS I REMAIN IN YOU!” (Jn 15,4)

During the last days in the end of March 2020, the Covid-19 Pandemic forces most of people in the work “to stay INDOORS”. In most of countries all over the world, “Stay-at-home” orders have been increasingly launched, even mandatory curfews, travel bans and rail blockades are requested to strictly observe in a lot of cities throughout the world. The “Stay-at-home” order has seriously become like the one in the war time.

Staying at home like many others, partly because of the self-protection, the prevention from spreading the coronavirus and also because of being fined by the police, has made me feel really uneasy as I am familiar with going out very often… But tonight, during an uneasy sleep with the fear and anxieties when getting the information on the increasing number of deaths and the non-stop number of confirmed cases every day all over the world, we feel really frightened to realize it is essential that we stay in YOU, our Loving God, not just “stay inside”...

Remaining in YOU, we feel utterly calm and stay away from surrounding fears, confusion, insecurities when the coronavirus proves that it can cross any country bounderies and attack any person regardless of age, gender, race, religion, sexual orientation or any other social or personal characteristics. Besides, we will not go in a panic or get bewildered to shout out “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” (Mk 4,38) as the Apostles used to do among the ocean at night when a violent squall came up and waves were breaking over the boat.

Remaining in YOU, it is WORTH living this life on earth because until now we cannot find out exactly where this kind of virus originates, we cannot know precisely when a new vaccine or a new medicine to cure this dicease and we do not know what will going on for the next few months in this world. Also, we feel peace at heart thanks to the reminder that is “God alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not fall.” when the hidden power of the death seems to overwhelm the life of all people now, just as found in the breaking news in the state of  Hesse, Germany about Mr. Thomas Schaefer, the Minister of Finance Ministry committing suicide after “coronavirus crisis worries” on March 28 by heading into a railway track.

Our loving God, tonight we are reminded of what You have taught us as the Apostles in the old days “Remain in me, as I remain in you!” (Jn 15,4). Tonight, we are invited to find out the hidden meanings of what you taught us while it seems that You have come and remained in us first.

Our loving God,

When we remain in You, do You just expect us to accept to be loved by You, to trust in You so that we are all protected in Your boundless power and forgiven in Your infinite mercy ?

Our loving God,

When we remain in You, do You just ask us never to go out of  Your merciful heart ? Because only You love us to the end and become Lamb of God, who takes aways the sins of the world.

Our loving God,

When we remain in You, do You just want us to offer you what we think at the bottom of our hearts and “ask for whatever [we] want and it will be done for [us]” (Jn 15,7) because You want us to become your disciples to bear much fruit in the close relationship with you like “a branch remains on the vine” (Jn 15,4)

Our loving God,

Pandemic Our loving God,

When we remain in You, do You just want to enrich and enhance the love in our hearts with some mistakes, some short comings, and some selfishness to become a generous love like Yours when granting us a divine strength so that we can “lay down our lives for the others” as You for the humankind. (Jn 15,12)?

Our loving God,

When we remain in You, do You want us to become your true friends and this choice of yours is the best one because You want to told us everything you have heard from God the Father (Jn 15,15) and You want us to trust that Your love is the salvation brought to everyone in this world.

Jesus Christ, you have humbly asked us to remain in your love,

Please let teach us to take advantage on this precious time, “Corora Time”, to get closer in the relationship with You by leaning on You like Mary Magdalen to “Remain in [Your] love” (Jn 15,9), by putting our hope on You like Martha in the time of Lazarus death about the resurrection and living with You forever although knowing that “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died” (Jn 11,21) and also strengthen our fragile and doubtful faith like the one of  Your disciples, who “returned to their former way of life and no longer accompanied [You]”. (Jn 6,66).  

Jesus Christ, God of my heart,

Please embrace me and all people of this world in Your heart, which is the Ocean of Your Mercy in the midst of this dangerous pandemic. All that people in the world need during this challenging time is LOVE, so please keep all tight in your eternal love, especially those who are lonely, marginalized, and suffer in silence as well as those who hate me, envy of me, misundertand me and accuse me of bad things. I’d love to offer you all of sufferings, my harship, my difficulties in my life as the sacrifice to you to request the grace and blessings for the above- mentioned people .

Jesus Christ,

The world is sinked in fear, in axieties and in darkness in the midst of Covid-19 Pandemic because many people do not put their faith into God the Almighty Father and Lord of Mercy. In unity with the Universal Church, we long that all people remain in Your heart to realize it is the only true and enteral shelter because You are the loving and forgiving Lord, rich in kindness and slow to anger. 

Jesus Christ,

The world is sinked in troubles and despair because people have trusted for a long time that humandkind can achieve absolute and enormous power on other creatures and even nature. In unity with Pope Francis, at his eighties, who takes tremendous responsibility on his shoulders, we turn to You as the God of Hope with You Word alone having the power to save all.

And tonight, our Loving God, in communion with All Saints, All Souls and the Vietnamese Church as well as the Universal Church, we beg You to save all people living amidst the darkness of the pandemic, regardless of race, religion, political views or social status and to become JOY, HOPE and GIFT OF SALVATION for all peoples when we remain in You, the Almighty Merciful Savior.