Radical Rethink

Pope Francis has called this time of pandemic one of conversion: “…pass from the hyper-virtual, fleshless world to the suffering flesh of the poor. This is the conversion we have to undergo. And if we don’t start there, there will be no conversion.” The turn toward “suffering flesh” is not immediately inviting.

At Thinking Faith Karen Eliasen considers a story to assist this turn, the “story of Miriam’s wilderness bout of...‘a harmful skin disease’.” Ms. Eliasen notes the story of Miriam speaks to today's circumstances: “...in a complex mix of power struggle, emotional outbursts, disease, isolation–and even spitting. Add to this already compelling mix the timeless ur-issues of gender and prayer, and the juicy ingredients are all there to be squeezed for contemporary pandemic relevance.”

Are you familiar with the story of Miriam in Numbers 12? An episode that reads as a heated and traumatic encounter with Moses, Aaron and God might well lead us towards something entirely more hopeful, suggests Karen Eliasen. https://t.co/Yy4GsGAjQ0

— Thinking Faith (@ThinkingFaith) July 4, 2020

Safeguarding Children

Jesuit Fr. Hans Zollner offered the second webinar in the series organized by the International Union of Superiors General in collaboration with others. Fr. Zollner’s focus was online safeguarding. The Vatican News summarized yesterday’s webinar and included the dates of the next two webinars. Download the slides of Fr. Zollner's presentation here.  

During a safeguarding webinar, Fr Hans Zollner explores online risks for children and offers tips to help parents improve their online safety.https://t.co/gZrjfVKahh

— Vatican News (@VaticanNews) June 19, 2020

Front Lines

Health care professionals are working over overtime everywhere. They face very steep challenges and deep shortages. Pope Francis has called nurses “experts in humanity.” Doctors, and all “medical caregivers and the authorities…are pillars, who help us go forward, and defend us in this crisis.”

Hospital chaplains are vital caregivers, too. They are having to protect themselves and the patients they serve by praying “through glass” instead of personal contact. Chaplains are attending more to medical staffs. America Magazine published brief accounts of four chaplains in different areas in the United States.

___________________

Wiki-image Simple Bible Logo by “Crutons  | CC BY-SA 3.0"

Living It Better

A friend required immune-suppressive therapy last month, and the incursion of Covid was terrifying. Wondering about God in our current crisis came up in the conversation. It influenced this post.

The Coronavirus causes suffering for societies and individuals. Suffering spurs many to question God. First, the experience.

Suffering is not one-dimensional; its “dimensions [are] the physical, the psychological, the social, and the spiritual,” noted  Passionist Father Robin Ryan in a March 2016 U.S. Catholic interview. [Context: Fr. Ryan referenced Paris often; suffering was experienced because of the November 2015 Paris attacks.]

Suffering is a “mystery.” As a result, “Human beings will never understand why suffering exists. But even in the midst of our pain, there is God.” As in 2016 God remains present now and every day. This interview can assist us to live this “mystery” better today.   

___________________

Wikimage Schwanenstein, Lohme, Insel Rügen by "Ansgar Koreng / CC BY-SA 4.0"