The title sounds strange, if not ironic. Maybe we can gather some important bits of knowledge from the debris that COVID-19 is leaving in its wake.
The skies in urban hubs are clearer and man is breathing freely after decades of polluted air. We have pushed God aside for far too long, yet now He has taken the lead.
And through this unwanted harmful virus, He is giving new life, ensuring healthier lifestyles, setting imprisoned humanity free from the imprisonment of ecological degradation, a far cry from the well-being found in the so called Garden of Eden, in which life flourished lavishly with no boundaries prior to humanity’s greed.
An almost invisible entity, a virus has unleashed death to the mighty, the most powerful, the untouchables, which have developed a culture of death exemplified by the ever-present war, slavery, hunger.
Nations have gone through unprecedented fear. This fear can become an antidote to a way of living dominated, so far, by selfishness.
Individualism has taken over societal camaraderie, man has lost control of his senses, where common non-sense is more common, where love of God and of neighbour has been relegated in our list of values.
We see, however, that generosity and solidarity have come out from there where we thought were buried.
Many people have discovered their talents, which were, until now, eclipsed by their egoistic way of life.
It seems that when our concern and care touch the heart of our brethren, our fundamental nature, our true selves, resurface, and we indeed realise that we can reflect God’s nature, who is love infinite.
We have pushed God aside for far too long, yet now He has taken the lead
Hopefully, when fear will fade and pass away, we continue to endorse the fraternal love which many of us are exhibiting, triggered by this undesired tsunami of fear and concern.
Should this uncertain time be a formative experience to us, we can continue to appreciate one another, to look at other members of society as brothers and sisters not as contenders, to hug our beloved ones who, perhaps, have much longed to be noticed, listened to, encouraged and accompanied.
Surely, we must maintain our appreciation towards those professionals who have risked, and sometimes lost, their life while we were secure inside our home, sheltered from the incumbent disease.
At times, we have to be honest, these loyal persons have been victims of our criticism. Doctors, professors, consultants, nurses and priests.
A further point which comes to mind, is our current lack of freedom. One could not help but think on those who have been unjustly imprisoned.
We may be guilty of having mistreated them through our judgements, condemning them into ‘house arrest’, before they were proven guilty or otherwise.
Maybe this is a favourable time where we can alter humanity’s future and finally realise the limitations of material wealth and believe that putting the common good as our priority is no more a utopia – it is a reachable concept.
Maybe this is the moment when our society returns to its senses and understands that when the superfluous replaces the need, we become poorer.
When we believe that hygiene matters only to the elite, we breed sickness everywhere.
When we look at others and consider them as enemies, we become strangers to ourselves and put ourselves in house arrest.
The way to a future which respects the law of life that the omnibenevolent God has put into our existence, is fraternal love.
It is the hidden seed which can lead to the much desired realisation of unity in diversity of all nations which are ennobling the face of the earth.
May we be witnesses of a time when nations love each other as they do themselves.
Rev. Dr Joseph Zammit, Ecclesiastical judge