I remember very well, Thursday, March 12th, 2020 the Rector of my seminary had just finished his conference with us all the seminarians, briefing us of what he knows about the new coronavirus and the plans the seminary has on ground to protect all the resident formators, staff and students of St. John’s Seminary. Very early the next morning, Friday, March 13th, he had to send out an email to us all mandating us to leave the seminary before the end of that day, to go to our various homes or parishes for two weeks and after, they will evaluate the progression of the virus spread and inform us when to come back. Well, the two weeks turned to two months, then the rest of the Spring semester so that my class, the graduating class, had to finish from home. We never saw each other again, ordinations were postponed.

Those who still had their ordinations were not able to invite even us, their classmates. People were becoming sick and dying. It became very real and sympathy for those who are sick all over the world was very much needed. I found solace in the fact that God whom we serve and Jesus Christ His Son and the Holy Spirit, the Vivifier of all creation, will not let the whole world perish due to sickness.

Throughout history, especially in the time of Christ, we know as we read that Jesus went about doing good including curing the sick and raising the dead. He will not forsake us now that we direly need Him. The Catechism of the Catholic Church tells us that “Christ’s compassion toward the sick and his many healings of every kind of infirmity are a resplendent sign that “God has visited his people” and that the Kingdom of God is close at hand. Jesus…has come to heal the whole man, soul and body; he is the physician the sick have need of.

His compassion towards all who suffer goes so far that he identifies himself with them: “I was sick and you visited me.” His preferential love for the sick has not ceased through the centuries…” (CCC 1503).

This is my conviction as well as my courage as I hear, see and visit many who are sick in their homes, hospitals, nursing homes et cetera. I just wish to be able to heal them all and take away their pains and sufferings. Can I do that? I think I can and so can you. How? First, let us continue earnestly to call on Jesus Christ the Divine Physician to stretch out His healing hands on those who are sick and dying because He wants to make their miseries His own, for He took our infirmities and bore our diseases and sufferings (cf. Matt. 8:17; Isa. 53:4).

Then, if we can and when we can, visit the sick by giving them a phone call or writing them or sending care packages to them since most of us cannot visit them physical now. Remember Matt. 25:36, “I was sick and you visited me.” As little effort as these can take, they go a long way to comforting the sick and making them feel that the world has not forgotten them and that Christ is still with them. With God’s grace and our prayers and support, Jesus Christ in us will continue to go around doing good and healing the sick.

This is my thought today; How much we need Christ the Physician!
May God bless you all!

Fr. Stan