Long before COVID-19 reached the borders of the United States, there was a larger virus that had been infecting our country and our people destroying and killing the unity and greatness with which the United States once set as a shining example, a light on the hill. I like to call that virus ditto capitis — more commonly known as ditto head syndrome and it’s more lethal second stage I call quod non puto-itis — or more commonly known as “I-don’t-think for-myself-anymore-I-just-parrot-the-dissension-divisive-fear-mongering-hate-mongering-ideas-of-someone-else-itis”
In this post modern world of quod non puto-itis, Descartes’ cogito ergo sum has been replaced by a lack of effort to think for ourselves, to listen to that inner call, that inner wisdom from the spark of the Divine that exists in each and every one of us. We base our existence, our knowledge that “I am” not on exercising our divinely given capability of thinking, and learning, and applying our knowledge, but on whether or not my social media posts get enough likes, whether or not my political affiliation and the leaders within it have shared their opinion and thus I blindly willingly make their opinion my own without thinking of the consequences, or whether or not my favorite media personality — right or left, fringe right or fringe left, pseudo-Christian or devout follower of Christ setting an example of Christ’s teachings in their actions — has stated their opinion on the matter and thus their opinion becomes my opinion and I parrot and base all of my social media interactions upon it regardless of if it is based on fact, on prejudice, on compassion, on truth, or on wisdom.
We’ve become lazy in the pursuit of knowledge, truth, wisdom, calling and faith and much prefer someone telling me what to believe, what to think, what to understand and know about faith and spirituality without immersing ourselves in the discernment of any of these teachings from others. Our way is no longer our own, rather, it has become following in the path that others break for us, even when we may not always agree with everything the person does on their path.
The rhetoric and blaming and shaming on both sides of the political spectrum has thwarted the response and resolution and healing required to eradicate COVID-19 not only within the United States, but globally as well.
“Thus says the Lord: ‘Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls.“
– Jeremiah 6:16a.
The shelter in place and shutdown of much that we are used to doing day to day, has had and will continue to have far reaching impact on our economy, on each of our lives and on each and every person not able to remotely work or shelter in place without suffering economic loss, each and every person who will contract COVID-19 and each and every person assisting those who contract COVID-19 and have underlying conditions which result in hospital stays and direct medical attention.
Much of the coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic focuses on the economic impact and the preparedness/lack of preparedness of each country, state, county as the outbreak spreads. It’s been mostly described as a “war with an invisible enemy” by both sides — right and left.
One lieutenant governor has even gone so far as to suggest, “Senior citizens should be willing to sacrifice their lives for their grandchildren.”
Ruby Sales, the public theologian, reminds us during this time that “We are not at war, we are facing a humanitarian crisis.”
To make that leap of understanding and responding to the COVID-19 pandemic not from a perspective of war with enemies and calculated losses of lives as collateral damage to understanding and responding to this pandemic from the perspective of it being a humanitarian crisis, one must center in on their heart, guage their heart’s response, listen to their heart and tap into the ancient way of compassion and love.
The prophet Jeremiah said it well when he proclaimed God’s words, “Thus says the Lord: ‘Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls.” – Jeremiah 6:16a.
May we seek the ancient paths known from the heart. The paths of love and compassion during this time and not be so quick to focus on the blame, the division, the slow response of leaders during this pandemic. May we listen to our hearts, not the talking heads of media and in listening to our heart and following the nudges of our heart find rest for our souls and emanate peace, healing, strength and courage to all those at the forefront of fighting this pandemic and all those suffering from COVID-19 that they might find healing and strength and renewal.