3rd Sunday C
23rd January 2022
St. Colman’s Cathedral, Cobh
“Your words are spirit, Lord”
My friends,
It’s exactly two years since the city of Wuhan went into lockdown. Wuhan, the city in which the Corona virus originated. Given our recent news that most of the restrictions have been lifted and we are set to return to some kind of “normality” we enter a new phase of our relationship with Covid 19 and its impact on our lives.
Firstly, we know it hasn’t gone away its still in our midst and will be for some time. The likelihood is that many will continue to contract the virus, some will become very sick and sadly some will die. So, uncertainty and the unknown threat is still there.
Secondly, that said we feel a new freedom to live again as we used to and that’s a great feeling to look forward to in the Springtime and look to the prospect of a carefree Summer.
Thirdly, even though it looks like the worst is over the whole experience of Covid 19 will take much longer to unravel. While we have made great strides on many levels there are worrying signs of a deep divide emerging between the rich and poor between those who are in control and a growing underclass who feel powerless and frustrated with their lot in life and society where the powerless and poor have no voice has serious questions to answer.
The inspiration for that vision of the person and how we should value one another with respect come from the Gospel reading for today where Luke the Evangelist quotes the verses from Isaiah that Jesus used to begin his preaching and ministry.
“The Spirit of the Lord has been given to me
for he has anointed me
He has sent me to bring news to the poor
to proclaim liberty to captives
And to the blind new sight
to set the downtrodden free
to proclaim the Lord’s year of favour”.
It’s an awesome vision – we abandon it at our peril.
Covid 19 has stopped the world in its tracks. It would be a pity if our experience of it individually and as a society was not reflected on and learned from in a way that would enable us to see life’s journey as more than my own individual path and desires rather than that my happiness and contentment is intimately bound to our care and concern for any sister or brother in need.
A time of turmoil like ours leads to search for connection and nourishment – like roots reaching yet deeper for moisture. This is especially evident in the arts and music – the experience of Covid and lockdown has prompted new questions about meaning and purpose, essentially spiritual and existential questions. The experience has therefore resulted in new composition of songs, music, poetry and prose. These may well be the creative response of a new generation putting words and music on what has been going on in their minds and hearts over these past two years.
Where all that fits into the world of faith, religion and the Church, its too early to tell.
