Looking Forward

By Bishop Francis I. Malone

Anew normal. It’s an expression you hear more and more these days as we journey through COVID-19 to signs of recovery, and what it will be like when we return to our usual activities. Already, our Mass numbers have increased, restaurants are serving food inside as well as outside, stores are opening with greater frequency, and there seems to be, as it were, “light at the end of the tunnel,” with the spread of the virus. Still we live in a restricted world, with masks, social distancing, sanitizing and washing our hands. The daily news reports give us numbers on the numbers of those newly infected, those on ventilators, and sadly, those who have lost their battle agains the virus.

But rarely a day passes when you don’t hear someone talk about “a new normal,” what our world will look like, feel like, when a marked improvement will be apparent to us all. Personally, I cannot imagine that “things” will be as they once were prior to the onset of this disease. We don’t yet know what will happen when the Fall arrives and then Winter – will the virus return, will there be a cure, an antidote? Will we have adopted a more practical and cautious approach to personal hygiene, and the contact we have with those around us? Will some of us simply forget how bad this really was (is) and become casual or careless so as to see a new spike in the virus?

“A new normal?” I don’t think so, in fact, I hope that the new normal will make us never take for granted our health and that of others. I hope that we will continue to live in a cleaner world with sanitizing our environments, and I hope that we will be aware of those around us who lost someone during these months, and look after them, check-in on them, let them know of our prayers and support for them.

I hope that our new normal will see us as being a more prayerful people, not only going about our world more cautious, but more aware of the presence of God who is watching over us and those we love, imploring His continued help and providence in our lives, and being His agents of change for the better.

Let’s always remember that we are “one Church,” and our “new normal,” should reflect what we do as one Church for the good of all our brothers and sisters.

And may God have mercy on us all.

Your brother in Christ,

+ Francis I. Malone, D.D., J.C.L. Bishop of Shreveport

Needing Prayers?

Bishop Malone wants you to know he prays for you and your intentions daily in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament. If you have a special intention, please feel free to email Bishop Malone at: prayerrequests@dioshpt.org