Dr. Cherian Samuel: Archival Digitization of Kerala Christian Heritage: A Call

COVID PANDEMIC - A PORTAL TO RECONCILIATON AND UNITY

Fr. Thomas Punnapadam, SDB

The unprecedented COVID pandemic continues to baffle the scientific community, with its unpredictable mutations and untraceable spread. While people are continuing to lose their dear ones and often unable to give them a respectable burial, the medical fraternity continues to be overwhelmed and unable cope with the emergency. Thankfully the proportionate death rate is not very high though the actual numbers are mindboggling indeed.

As people continue to be healed, everyone seems more focused on the recovery and the after effects of being affected by COVID. The complete recovery is incredibly slow for some. Already for some time now the medical experts have been referring ‘long COVID’, namely the long term, even life long, after effects of a COVID attack. Long COVID is reality humanity will learn to live with gradually. However, each one is subject to it from one’s own experience or from that of dear ones. Being a human reality Long COVID has many dimensions. A personal experience can lead to what possibly are spiritual insights of Long COVID as related particularly to with the theme four reflection, reconciliation and Unity of humankind.

To start with Reconciliation and Unity are inseparable realities. They have many common characteristics. When reconciliation is experienced, unity naturally follows. Greater unity is inconceivable without reconciliation in some form or another. They are almost synonyms. To some extent, reconciliation is often narrowly understood as a back ward-looking, regret inducing reality leading to mending broken relationships. It cannot be denied that genuine reconciliation implies also a deepening of and mutual understanding. As Christians we know reconciliation is the fundamental lifelong response to the offer of the fullness of Salvation, it is filled with hope. Jesus invited us to repent not because we have sinned but because the Kingdom is near (Mk 1/15). Hence reconciliation needs to be understood primarily as a lifelong project rather than an occasional act of regret about misdeeds or weaknesses.

Long COVID is a reality of life. As Zen wisdom reminds us, the secret of a happy life is flipping. Physically flipping is very simple action and yet it can reveal to us realities totally unexpected and hidden. Flipping one’s perspectives on life situations is indeed the ultimate secret of a happy, contented life. So, whether long COVID, like the epidemic itself, is an opportunity or threat depends entirely on perspectives. Gradually recovering (as I am) from being subjected to rather severe COVID symptoms, this is indeed a moment of grace to be enlightened that the illness as well as the after effects is more an opportunity to be reconciled and united with one another.

The spread of Corona is indeed baffling the medical fraternity. No one, not even the most even the most economically prosperous with the best health care systems in place, was protected from the attack of the epidemic. Like death, the pandemic is a great leveler. This awakens us to the fact that our bodies are more similar to one another than different. Skin color, physical stature, intellectual acumen, socio-economic status are superficial, transient, negligible realities. Deep down we are one. We need to set aside differences; irrational prejudices are separating us and causing us more harm than good. All of us need to focus more on what makes us one than on what separates us.

The search for, production of and distribution of vaccines is another area where reflective people are discovering the need to be focused on reconciliation and unity. It was not long ago that there was an international call for the waiver of all patent rights on the production of vaccines. A clear reminder to humanity that economic considerations should not have the pride of place is life’s priorities.

While lockdowns and social distancing regulations have taken a heavy toll on the lives of many people, it cannot be denied that flipping will enlighten us to deeper oneness in essential needs for contented human life. As many have acknowledged, they have realised that they can be happy with being wise enough to discern essential needs and superficial wants. The Pandemic has definitely taught us to appreciate the little things of life. Even on the emotional level, family bonds have been deepened as a result of the lockdowns. As one gentleman confided to me, his marriage was near breakdown. Providentially the