In this article, published on the Temes de Avui Website and entitled “Coronavirus and Trust in God,” Dr. Josep Maria Montiu de Nuix, priest and missionary of Mercy, shows the way of trust in God, including when things seem to go wrong.
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The coronavirus illness is a reality that affects many ambits of a person and of society. It generates difficult situations. It projects to the future many questions and uncertainties. What will happen with this or that? The pandemic designs a future in a macro-unknown way. Pope Francis has compared this new scenario to a storm. It is a strong and universal storm of not brief duration.
This new atmosphere of the world puts on the table a very clear manifestation of the need for support. It has arisen as a great cry asking for a lifeline.
The problem posed can’t be solved by turning it around and around in one’s head, based on worries. So many rotations, so many twists, and turns of the brain, cannot solve anything. They only serve to confuse, to disturb, to lose peace, to harm.
The solution to the question about what awaits us in the future is trust in God. This expression, “trust in God,” should be imprinted with large gold letters. “Jesus, I trust in You.” “Sacred Heart of Jesus I trust in You. In fact, we are children of God, beloved children of God. We know that He takes care of us, that He has wonderful loving plans for us. He is such a great Father that we can trust in Him. It would be absurd not to trust a Father who has loved us so much that He has given us His only Son, Jesus Christ. Christ, Shepherd who gave his life for his sheep; the God-Man who gave Himself for men on Calvary. He loved me and gave Himself for me.
With the passing of time, we will be assailed again and again by questions and uncertainties, darkness and shadows. Then, we must renew again and again our trust in God. “Jesus, I trust in You.” Thus, we will recover peace.
A plane was lashed and shaken by a terrible storm. A child, traveling in it, remained calm. All the others, who were very frightened, were surprised by his quietness. Asked about his serenity, he said he was not worried, as his father was piloting the plane. We can be completely calm, as God is a provident Father! God’s loving plans for us are stronger than a hurricane, than the virus, than poison, etc.
Trust does us much good. It spells rest for the soul, gives great consolation, comforts, creates hope. With a Father who loves us so much, there is always a reason to be glad and happy.
Sometimes Providence seems to abandon us, we don’t see it act. In reality, He continues to see us with the mentality of a Father; He continues to love us with tenderness of heart; He continues to take care of us. Thus Saint Catherine of Siena, having had a very bad time during a temptation, complained to the Lord, saying: Where were You when I suffered this temptation?” To which Christ answered: “I was in your heart, helping you to overcome it.” Christ who passes was accompanying her and helping her.
Sometimes the difficulties and uncertainties are very painful. This too has a solution. Let us learn from the little one who, having hurt his knee, ran, crying disconsolately to his mother. She lifted him up affectionately, filled him with kisses and caresses. With this consolation, the child’s evils passed, his tears ceased and his joy returned. In difficulties let us go confidently to God, who loves us more than the most affectionate mother in the world. With this trust, we will find consolation, joy, happiness, new vigor. Once again, then, the same medicine: “Jesus, I trust in You.”
There are dark clouds, but they always have a beautiful border silvered by the sun. To see this positive side helps us a lot. With the affection God has for us, the flight can take off. From the perspective of love, every circumstance of life is a moment of plenitude. Every beat of the heart out of love for God is a fantastic, stupendous, wonderful reality, a golden occasion, a great treasure, a song, a poem, a flower, an explosion of beauty. As Saint Josemaria Escriva de Balaguer said, all earth’s paths have something of the divine.
