You could say with a certain level of certainty this world is suffering greatly. With COVID-19 spreading rapidly, everyone is searching for answers and solutions.
A lot of my friends who graduated in the class of 2019 from our respective institutions keep acknowledging how lucky we truly were – are – that we got to experience something the class of 2020 doesn’t; how if this happened only a short year ago, we’d be in the same position. Some of my friends who are getting married no longer have a date set; friends and family have been plagued and have loved ones who also are suffering. People have lost their jobs, cutting off any source of income to feed their families and pay their rent and bills. Children are being kept out of schools, a place that, for many of them, is their safe-haven. My second grade CCD class won’t get to receive their First Communion in May. The whole world is suffering. And I am grateful to say, that though I have my own struggles and fears during this pandemic, I’m in a position where I am able to say that I am luckier than many people around me.
Why am I so blessed?
This whole situation raises many questions: how do we stand with those who are going through things we’ve never experienced? Things we have experienced? And how do we do it during a time when we can’t do things we’d usually do?
I find myself reflecting on the words of St. Teresa of Calcutta:
I pray that you will understand the words of Jesus, “Love one another as I have loved you.” Ask yourself, “How has he loved me? Do I really love others in the same way?”
St. Teresa of Calcutta
Sometimes, all we can actually do to love and serve others feels inadequate. It’s this guilt of not being able to do enough. But friends, we shouldn’t help others for ourselves; we should help others as best as we are able because it’s what we are called to do. We are called to show love in this world, to love thy neighbor as yourself, and to be Christ to others. We’ve heard it all before. We need to have a heart like Jesus in these times: open and pouring out in love and compassion. When I can’t do one thing, I can do something else.
There’s always a way to love and help others, and we do the best we can. Start where you can. If we can donate time or money or resources, we should. And that’s often the first act of love and service we cling to. But there’s other ways that are often forgotten. To listen, show love and compassion, and to pray are, in my own experiences, the best services people have given me. Each person is different. This might not be what everyone wants, or truthfully, what they need. But in my experience, I’ve found that since we can’t always fix situations and the problems of this world, the least we can do is be loving, compassionate, and kind through it. To take a moment and listen, and then express in your own words, “I understand your feelings and I validate them. I’ll never be able to understand your exact situation, but I am always here to listen and show you love in the ways I can. Let me know what you need.” For those friends who follow the Lord: remind them of His faithfulness. Remind them of His heart. In times like this, where we can’t offer a hug or a shoulder to cry on, words go far.
Instead of feeling guilty for things out of our control, I have found this to be a more helpful way of showing love: recognize that you have received blessings, and pass them on in the ways you can. Blessings should create a thankful heart, where we glorify the Lord, but also a compassionate heart, where we are able to show Christ’s love to others when they need it most. To stand with the suffering means that you need to use your own blessings, whether they be ones you’ve experienced in the past or ones you are experiencing now, to power your drive to be compassionate. Don’t compare. Part of this means recognizing that we as people are inherently equal, though our circumstances may not be. God doesn’t love you more or less; He’s answering our prayers differently, with love, in His time.
And think: maybe God is sending you to answer their prayers.
So, check in on your friends. The ones who aren’t getting to walk for graduation, the ones who might need extra prayers, the ones who are going stir crazy. Write them a letter, shoot them a text, give them a call. I’m sure that you certainly appreciated it when you were in a low place. And above all else, thank the Lord for His goodness and His faithfulness, and use that to show love to others. In times like this, we must recognize that we as people are inherently equal and loved equally by His design, though our circumstances in this world might make us think otherwise. God doesn’t love you more or less; He’s just answering our prayers differently. In these times, be thankful, but use what you have to love like He loves.
And, remember: to stand with the suffering means using your blessings to power your compassion, not your comparison. You’ll be grateful when someone does the same for you.
