"After a long break for the coronavirus shutdown and the regular summer slowdown, I'm ready to reclaim my spot in the Rhode Island Catholic and resume writing 'The Imitation of Christ.' I ended my last column in March with this question: What are the spiritual lessons of the coronavirus pandemic? Now, six months later, we can begin to answer that question.
"Let me emphasize, first of all, that I don't believe God sent this virus to punish us for our sins or to signal the end of the world. The pandemic happened because we live in an imperfect universe. Throughout history we've had, and will always have, pandemics, earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, floods and fires, along with personal illnesses, accidents and misfortunes of every sort.
"Nonetheless, there are some practical lessons we can discern from the pandemic experience."
In a recent commentary, Bishop Thomas J. Tobin, of the Diocese of Providence
(RI), reflected on some of these lessons, including the fact that we're not completely in control of our lives and fortunes and that our behavior affects others (if "we don't take seriously the
prescribed health precautions, e.g., wearing a mask and socially
distancing, it can spread the illness and cause harm to others").
To access Bishop Tobin's complete essay, please visit:
The Imitation of Christ: Okay, God, You Can Stop Now (3 SEP 20)
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