The coronavirus pandemic gave me a glimpse into the void, and it was frightening. Not the void in prevention. The void in the lives of family members and friends who have no faith to turn to.
What did I see? Many people, instead of looking to God for comfort and strength, were turning to politicians, celebrities and commentators. One turned to the universe. Now, I’m not taking anyone’s spiritual inventory. I admit the universe has its place—and we have our place in it—but I wouldn’t turn to it for solace when I could have the real deal, aka Jesus.
If there is any lesson this should have taught us, it can best be described in the words of a priest who told me, “God is in charge.” COVID-19 showed us how helpless we really are when we’re stripped of the illusion of self-sufficiency.
Of course, there are many who think they’re in charge rather than God. In a much-publicized press conference, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said, “The number [of cases] is down because we brought the number down. God did not do that. Faith did not do that. Destiny did not do that. A lot of pain and suffering did that.”
I certainly don’t mean to minimize the efforts of many individuals, but let’s give God his due too. For myself, I’d rather put my faith in God than the New York Department of Health. The proud and the arrogant have faith only in themselves. The humble put their faith in God.
The good news is that several polls showed many Americans turned to their faith more during the coronavirus pandemic. One fourth of all Americans said their faith grew stronger, according to a poll by the Pew Research Center. Sadly, 7 percent of those surveyed said, “I am not a religious person and this hasn’t changed.” As my mother used to say, “Some things never change…or if they do, they change for the worse.”
A poll by Fordham University showed that “62 percent of Catholics had been helped at least somewhat by their faith” compared with 95 percent of Evangelicals and three-fourths of mainline Protestants. Maybe Catholics should work a little harder on that. In addition, the poll concluded that people who attend church regularly got the greatest help from their faith.
Faith doesn’t necessarily solve a crisis, although that could very well happen. But faith helps you get through the crisis because you realize, to paraphrase St. Paul, out of everything comes good because of God.
At one point during our self-quarantine, my wife Sandy said, “We’re so blessed to have our faith,” and for once we agreed wholeheartedly without any reservations.
All my life, I’ve heard people say, “Faith is a gift,” and as simple as that sounds, I never completely understood what it meant.
Where would any of us be without faith in Christ right now? If you don’t have it, ask for it. If you see someone who doesn’t have it—and there are many— ask God for them. If your faith is weak and you want it stronger, sit in front of the Blessed Sacrament and you’ll be given the graces you need. Simply say, “Jesus, I trust in you.” And say it often.
Yes, faith is a gift so cherish it…and ask for more. Ask for a stronger faith. Say thank you every day for this gift—that rare pearl of inestimable value— because only with faith will you be able to endure challenges, crises and suffering and still be joyful, hopeful and peaceful.
There’s nothing more precious than our faith. Out of that faith flows everything. Through that faith, we inherit eternal life.
Faith helps us trust in Jesus even though the rest of the world thinks that trust is misplaced and foolish. It’s a fact of faith that God is with us on our best days and most assuredly on our worst days. Having faith in Christ doesn’t insulate you from suffering, but at the end of the day, it’s the only security you need. It ensures you that even when you are confronting trials and tragedies, you will have the peace and joy that only Jesus can give.
Yes, faith is a gift…and all you have to do is ask for it.
