Where does my help come from???

Good morning, happy Friday and many blessings.
 
Psalm 121:1 tell us; I lift up my eyes to the mountains-- where does my help come from? Of course, my help always comes from God. The challenge of the Coronavirus is not a time to take away our faith, on the contrary, this is a time to reaffirm ourselves and strengthen our faith in God and solidify our relationships.
 
The emergence and spread of the Coronavirus-COVID-19 as designated by the World Health Organization, has faith leaders wondering about their role and response. At such times, we are reminded of how interconnected our global world can be and how important it is to approach one another with an ethic of compassion and care.
 
We sometimes focus on the numbers and the maps, yet we are reminded that each reported case of the virus has behind it a person, a family, a community. We are connected globally and our compassion and care reaches out to the full human community. The church is called to be in prayer for those affected, those caring for the affected, for those valiantly trying to diagnose and treat patients, and for the development of strong partnerships across international communities in order to effectively prevent, detect and respond to this virus. As members of Holyrood Church, we are keeping our church’s doors open for prayers and pastoral support for all affected.
 
As a church body we need to pray. Pray for those infected by the coronavirus, for health specialists and authorities who are combatting the spread of infection, and of course for all who at this time are feeling anxious. Additionally, you may be concerned about church events, including your regular worship and the rituals involved in church life. The priority right now is to protect ourselves and others. Everything has definitely changed in our lives, especially with social distancing. But let's not lose faith, better times will come and then all this will be history.
 
Our Holyrood Church continues to seek a way to be proactive in our ministry. As faith leaders we can help educate and calm fears, providing information about risk assessment and best prevention practices. We can educate and calm fears; we can create spaces for prayer and pastoral support. And on Wednesdays and Fridays we can continue to feed hungry people. All of this is what we are doing right now.
 
Our challenge for the Lent Season is: How can I bring light in the darkness?
 
Blessings
 
Fr. Luis+