Extraordinary Urbi Et Orbi Blessing in the Time of the Coronavirus

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Extraordinary Urbi Et Orbi Blessing in the Time of the Coronavirus “For weeks now it has been evening. Thick darkness has gathered over our squares, our streets and our cities.” CNS documentary service Francis offered his meditation on the mean- contents ing of the COVID-19 pandemic and its impli- 721 Extraordinary Urbi et Orbi cations for humanity March 27 before raising Blessing in the Time of a monstrance with the Blessed Sacrament and the Coronavirus Pandemic giving an extraordinary blessing “urbi et orbi” by Pope Francis (to the city and the world). Popes usually give 724 Pandemic and Universal their blessing “urbi et orbi” only immediately Brotherhood: Note on the after their election and on Christmas and COVID-19 Emergency by the Pontifical Academy Easter. Pope Francis opened the service — in for Life a rain-drenched, empty St. Peter’s Square — 728 Apart but Not Alone: praying that the “almighty and merciful God” Hope and Strength in a would see how people are suffering and give Time of Crisis and Fear them comfort. He asked God to care for the by Bishop Dermot Farrell sick and dying, for medical workers exhausted 729 Closeness in the Spirit by caring for the sick and for political leaders by Bishop Steven Biegler Extraordinary Urbi who bear the burden of making decisions to 731 National Religious protect their people. The service included the Vocation Conference et Orbi Blessing reading of the Gospel of Mark’s account of Study on Recent in the Time of Jesus calming the stormy sea. Then in his mes- Vocations to Religious sage, the pope said, “Let us invite Jesus into the Life: Executive Summary by Mary L. Gautier and boats of our lives. Let us hand over our fears to the Coronavirus Sister Thu T. Do, LHC him so that he can conquer them.” The pope 736 Datebook Pandemic spoke in Italian; a Vatican translation of his message follows, copyright © 2020 by Libreria 736 On File Pope Francis Editrice Vaticana. The worldwide coronavirus pandemic is not hen evening had God’s judgment on humanity but God’s call come” (Mk 4:35). The on people to judge what is most important to Gospel passage we them and resolve to act accordingly from now have just heard begins on, Pope Francis said. Addressing God, the wlike this. For weeks now it has been eve- pope said that “it is not the time of your judg- ning. Thick darkness has gathered over our ment but of our judgment: a time to choose squares, our streets and our cities; it has April 9, 2020 what matters and what passes away, a time taken over our lives, filling everything with a Volume 49 to separate what is necessary from what is deafening silence and a distressing void that Number 45 not. It is a time to get our lives back on track stops everything as it passes by; we feel it in with regard to you, Lord, and to others.” Pope continued on page 722 continued from page 721 priorities. It shows us how we have allowed to Countries fighting the coro- the air, we notice in people’s gestures, their become dull and feeble the very things that navirus pandemic could face glances give them away. We find ourselves nourish, sustain and strengthen our lives and deadly consequences if they focus on protecting their afraid and lost. our communities. economies more than their Like the disciples in the Gospel, we were The tempest lays bare all our prepackaged own people, Pope Francis caught off guard by an unexpected, turbulent ideas and forgetfulness of what nourishes our said. storm. We have realized that we are on the people’s souls; all those attempts that anes- In a handwritten letter same boat, all of us fragile and disoriented, thetize us with ways of thinking and acting sent March 28 to Argentine but at the same time important and needed, that supposedly “save” us but instead prove Judge Roberto Andres all of us called to row together, each of us in incapable of putting us in touch with our Gallardo, president of the need of comforting the other. roots and keeping alive the memory of those Pan-American Committee of Judges for Social Rights On this boat ... are all of us. Just like those who have gone before us. We deprive our- and Franciscan Doctrine, the disciples who spoke anxiously with one voice, selves of the antibodies we need to confront pope said that some govern- saying “we are perishing” (v. 38), so we too adversity. ments that have imposed have realized that we cannot go on thinking In this storm, the façade of those stereo- lockdown measures “show of ourselves but only together can we do this. types with which we camouflaged our egos, the priority of their decisions: people first.” It is easy to recognize ourselves in this always worrying about our image, has fallen story. What is harder to understand is Jesus’ away, uncovering once more that (blessed) “This is important because we all know that defending attitude. While his disciples are quite natu- common belonging, of which we cannot be the people implies an eco- rally alarmed and desperate, he stands in the deprived: our belonging as brothers and sis- nomic setback,” he said in the stern, in the part of the boat that sinks first. ters. “Why are you afraid? Have you no faith?” letter, which was published And what does he do? In spite of the tempest, Lord, your word this evening strikes us and March 29 by the Argentine he sleeps on soundly, trusting in the Father; regards us, all of us. In this world that you newspaper La Nacion. this is the only time in the Gospels we see love more than we do, we have gone ahead at “It would be sad if they opted Jesus sleeping. breakneck speed, feeling powerful and able for the opposite, which would lead to the death of many When he wakes up, after calming the wind to do anything. Greedy for profit, we let our- people, something like a viral and the waters, he turns to the disciples in a selves get caught up in things and lured away genocide,” the pope wrote. reproaching voice: “Why are you afraid? Have by haste. In his letter, the pope said you no faith?” (v. 40). We did not stop at your reproach to us, we that while he was concerned Let us try to understand. In what does the were not shaken awake by wars or injustice about the global spread of lack of the disciples’ faith consist, as contrast- across the world nor did we listen to the cry the COVID-19 virus, he also ed with Jesus’ trust? They had not stopped of the poor or of our ailing planet. We carried was “edified by the reaction of so many people — doctors, believing in him; in fact, they called on him. on regardless, thinking we would stay healthy nurses, volunteers, religious But we see how they call on him: “Teacher, do in a world that was sick. Now that we are in a men and women and priests you not care if we perish?” (v. 38). Do you not stormy sea, we implore you, “Wake up, Lord!” — who risk their lives to heal care: They think that Jesus is not interested in “Why are you afraid? Have you no faith?” and defend healthy people them, does not care about them. Lord, you are calling to us, calling us to from contagion.” One of the things that hurts us and our faith. Which is not so much believing that you Although lockdown mea- families most when we hear it said is, “Do exist but coming to you and trusting in you. sures implemented in many you not care about me?” It is a phrase that This Lent your call reverberates urgently: “Be countries may “annoy” those forced to comply, the pope wounds and unleashes storms in our hearts. converted!” “Return to me with all your heart” said that people have real- It would have shaken Jesus too. Because he, (Jl 2:12). You are calling on us to seize this ized that it is for the sake of more than anyone, cares about us. Indeed, time of trial as a time of choosing. It is not the the common good. once they have called on him, he saves his time of your judgment but of our judgment: a In the long run, he said, disciples from their discouragement. time to choose what matters and what passes “most people accept them The storm exposes our vulnerability and away, a time to separate what is necessary and move forward with a uncovers those false and superfluous certain- from what is not. It is a time to get our lives positive attitude.” ties around which we have constructed our back on track with regard to you, Lord, and Pope Francis also told Gallardo that he recently daily schedules, our projects, our habits and to others. met with members of the Dicastery for Promoting ISSN 0093-609X, Origins, CNS Documentary Service, is published weekly (except biweekly during July, August and Integral Human December's last week) by Catholic News Service, 3211 4th Street N.E., Washington, D.C. 20017-1100. Copyright © 2020 Development to discuss “the by Catholic News Service/U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. Periodical-class postage paid at Washington, D.C. present situation and what Editor, Edmond Brosnan; Associate Editor, Mary Esslinger; Director and Editor-in-Chief of CNS, Greg Erlandson. comes after” because “pre- Editorial: (202) 541-3284. Circulation: (202) 541-3290.
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