What spiritual lesson do we learn from Covid-19 Pandemic? Keeping with the nature is the best cure against Corona virus and all eco-crisis: this is the lesson we learn from the COVID-19 pandemic outcome. We are called to be more human by becoming more responsible for our physical, mental, spiritual and emotional living. It teaches us more directly to move from religion that shifts human responsibility to the Other (God), through structured prayers and rituals, to humanity itself through responsible participation in building the universal ‘kingdom’.
Bill Gates in an open letter (allegedly a fake message appeared in the English Paper – The Sun, 24th March, 2020) has emphatically reiterated the spiritual purpose behind each event however grave or simple, that occurs in life. Bill Gates says, there is “a spiritual purpose behind everything that happens.” Despite the chaos there is a spiritual purpose behind the recent pandemic in order to remind of the important lessons we have forgotten to learn.
This pandemic has made human more humble and it needs to be so. Self-isolation has become the best safety measure: to teach that we need to turn to nature, to our very self, to introspect and realize the higher spiritual nature of our being. This is the responsibility for each one. Today we need to be realistic and not live in a ‘make up’ dream world of religious superstitious belief system for easy cure and personal satisfaction, shirking responsibility.
The Urbi et Orbi blessing of Pope Francis at the empty St. Peter’s Square on 27th March proved the universal crisis of the world and of the futility of religious practices of all religions. The world is at risk of grave material, physical, mental and religious sicknesses. No Church-Mosque-Temple-Gurdwara has saved the humanity from this grave sicknesses. This grim situation is the reason for a substantial socio-religious systemic changes and a move towards a holistic cosmic spirituality within the most basic day-to-day routine affairs – the spirituality of the next-door.
Life is changing dramatically. But this dramatic situation can be changed for better with an integral eco-spirituality. We need to ‘immune’ ourselves against all that has made us ‘worldly’. It is time to take care of our nature, our physical and spiritual health. A spiritual compassion is a medicine. It gives opportunity to live as one humanity without distinction.
As humanity retreated in their inner homes, the nature reclaimed its space, with birds and animals reclaiming their way to live without fear and threat of humanity. Spiritual solace and “spiritual balm” at this moment of distress and clemency are superstitiously sought after by helpless persons who have no other solutions to their human problems. (e.g. Ramayana being telecast twice a day during the pandemic period for this reason!; lots of online stuff and live streaming, for the Christian liturgical rituals and prayers for domestic and personal use, etc.).
The global pandemic teaches that all are equal regardless of one’s culture, religion, occupation, financial situation; no one is greater than the rest, that we share the sources equally. We all live loving and serving each other without boundary and discrimination. The universe is one, so is the humanity. We are connected and linked with the rest of the nature. Referring to Tom Hanks, Gates holds that “something that affects one person has an effect on another.” That is the only way to live healthy and well in this world.
According to Bill Gates, we have put false borders in order to suppress and oppress others; in fact, such thing does not exist in nature. Health (physical, mental and spiritual) is as important as the natural wealth that we enjoy outside of us. These God-given sources are to be part and parcel of our life and responsibility.
In this materialistic society we need to retreat back to live by our basic needs, our family and home life, and not the luxurious wants that we “give unnecessary value to”. Our call in this world is to look after each other, look after the nature, take care of our common home; to protect, to share and support each other. It is time to start anew with a nature-spirituality.
Pandemic has happened in the past, is happening and will happen. The cycle will go on but humanity learns a lesson from it to have a new beginning and heal the man-made sick earth. The global Coronavirus plague has been a “great corrector” of the course of human life that is divine in nature too.
Tomorrow: COVID-19: Understanding Authentic Inclusive Spirituality
Fr. Soroj Mullick, SDB is a Salesian priest from the Kolkata Province. He has a Licentiate in Catechetics and a Doctorate (Christian Education) from UPS, Italy. He has number of years of teaching experience in college and in the formation of future priests. Besides, he has written number of research papers and articles, and has 25 years of Ministry in India and abroad as Educator, Formator, Retreat Preacher, Editor and engaged in School, Parish Catechetical & Youth Ministry. He is now an assistant priest in Bandel Basilica, rendering pastoral and catechetical ministry to the parishioners and to the pilgrims. He can be contacted at [email protected].