One-Minute Jesuit | Reflections in the Midst of COVID-19
March 18, 2020
Fr. Michael Rossmann, S.J., vocation promoter for the Jesuits and creator of One-Minute Jesuit produced the following video reflections to guide the processing of the coronavirus pandemic in light of the Gospel.
Social Distancing: What Would Jesus Do?
The story of Jesus and the Samaritan woman models care for the vulnerable that is akin to our call to practice social distancing in the wake of COVID-19.
Video Transcription
“Greetings from Chicago, where public Masses have been suspended.
If we were at church this Sunday, we would hear the story of Jesus and the Samaritan woman.
Initially, it appears that Jesus does the exact opposite of what we have been told to do in light of the coronavirus. Jesus doesn’t practice social distancing.
Rather, he reaches out to a Samaritan woman — someone a Jewish man would normally stay away from as much as possible.
Jesus had a particular concern for the vulnerable and outcasts, which we see in his tender interaction with the Samaritan woman.
For those of us who aren’t medical professionals, a significant way we can care for the vulnerable right now is to have some physical distance from them and from large gatherings.
It looks different than what Jesus did, but the underlying reason is largely the same. We care about people.
So, let’s pray for each other, interact online, and keep our physical distance.”
Coronavirus: What’s New, What’s Not
While the way we go about our daily lives has been greatly impacted by COVID-19, some things remain the same.
Video Transcription
“Praise. Reverence. Service. This is what we were put on this earth to do before the coronavirus, and it’s just as much our purpose now, even if how we go about these things may differ.
The number of canceled events is growing by the hour. We may find ourselves with more time on our hands. It’s an opportunity to spend time with our God — and we need prayer more than ever.
We can stand in awe at those who are working to prevent the spread of this disease and care for those who suffer. Their selflessness reflects the God in whose image they were created, the God who gave his very self to us.
We are to spend less time with others in the same physical space, but there’s no reason why we can’t reach out to others online and on the phone. Today’s a great day to tell people we love them.
We were created to praise, reverence, and serve. Today, and every day.”
