Thought for the Day, Wednesday, April 22, 2020.

Fear, Uncertainty and Hope

Bible Reading: “Peace be with you” John 20 :19

Reflection

Some countries like Austria, Denmark, South Africa, etc. have started opening up after the lockdown of COVID -19, signaling the worst of this disease is coming to pass and fear and uncertainty is giving way to hope. But what is this hope? What is the type of society our world is going to ushered into?  Is it going to be the same world we knew before where some felt better than others for various reasons or is it a world where we think of each other? We will see with time. What I think we should learn from this virus is that sickness and death come to all of us and we need to always have the hope that Christ offers us in our daily lives. Even if we cannot change the way we are towards each other we can at least be a people of prayer. 

In our gospel reading last Sunday (19/4/20), we came across this statement “Peace be with you”, these words were the resurrected Jesus’ first greetings to his disciples who were gathered in the upper room. The disciples at that time were afraid, isolating or socially distancing themselves because, their leader- Jesus had been crucified. They were afraid and uncertain about their future because they felt the same punishment will come to them probably because of Jesus’ warning to them during the last supper in John 15:20 when he said: “if they (the world) persecuted me, (Jesus) then they will persecute you (the disciples). But Jesus after this greeting of “Peace be with you” making the disciples glad and hopeful, bestowed upon them the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit the creative power of God enabled the disciples also to forgive sins, heal the sick and do many more miraculous things as our Lord Jesus Christ.  So, at this time of COVID-19 when we seemed troubled and the time to come may God show us and give us the power to pray so that our world grows to become a joyful, peaceful and loving place. Amen.

Prayer 1:

Lord, we pray at this time for all those who have been affected by the corona virus, grant onto those who have died and are dying your peace in your kingdom.  And to those who are still ill, bring them your healing and your peace to all those worrying and distressed by their situation. We pray Lord that, you grant courage and patience to all those working with the sick at this time and make their work continue to bring a positive impact on all of us Amen

Prayer 2:

Dear Lord, we pray for your peace to come upon our world. May your peace which passes all human understanding bless us this day and always and enable us to live and grow as children of yours always. Amen.

Hymn: https://youtu.be/v1mQT1u_45I (Nearer, My God, to Thee - André Rieu (live in Amsterdam)