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God’s love overwhelms the earth
The early rains in Sai Gon city and Thu Duc district have softened the intense sunlight and heat which fluctuating at about 36- 41°C. In that heat and uncomfortable condition, a large number of labourers who live from hand to mouth are struggling to earn their living and to support the daily basic needs of their families… Where and how can they get the very simple and ordinary things such as rice, vegetable, cooking oil etc. to feed their children during the Coronavirus pandemic?
The Coronavirus outbreak has greatly affecting the world. The situation has also stirred up the hearts of many people. There has been numerous articles reflecting and talking about this pandemic as well as the generous responses from loving hearts to reach out to those in needs. These kind acts are like the gentle rains, bringing some comfort, refreshment and support to the less fortunate, smoothening their hardship, struggles and anxiety.
In the midst of a growing pandemic, Pope Francis with the love of a Shepherd, has constantly expressing his care and solidarity to people. He invites and encourages the faithful to be people who bring the tenderness of Jesus to our loved ones, to close friends and, in a special way, to the most needy brothers and sisters who face illness, abandonment and loneliness, so that they can feel the joy of God’s mercy and closeness in their lives.
In the silence and solitude of the Lenten season, the sisters of Our Lady of the Missions in Thu Duc community, Vietnam were inspired to respond with concrete actions to the Pope’s invitation. During the Lent 2020, the sisters have sacrificed some of their daily expenses to contribute to the fund to help the poor. Every penny was valued and collected day by day. From the collection, sacks of rice, boxes of noodles were bought and distributed. The gifts have been displaced on a table in front of our community with a note: TAKE IF YOU NEED, and CONTRIBUTE IF YOUR HAVE. The poor came quietly, and quietly they went with some gifts packed with love…
“The mountain and forest stretches its arms to the blue sea … Love is like a spreading wave … and touching hearts” (a Vietnamese song). Through the small kind action of sisters in Thu Duc community, God has touched the hearts of many other people. Love and kind acts toward the poor have been multiplied. Silently, gently, and simply, many more sacks of rice, boxes of noodles, and envelopes of money keep coming from kind-hearted people to collaborate with the sisters. Who are they? They are people whose hearts are touched by God, who give but need not to be known. Hopefully, this goodness will continue until the end the Corona pandemic, when everyone can come back to their normal lives, back to their daily routines.
The sisters of the Thu Duc community only wish to live the words of Euphrasie Barbier: “May those intentions not our own ideas but truly those of God, of Jesus Christ and of his Divine Spirit who is present in us … Who speaks through our tongue, looks through our eyes and acts with our hands and feet, at the same time as it has to be Him also who thinks in our minds, and loves in our hearts.” (Mother Euphrasie, 1890).
What will remain after the Corona pandemic? It has been said: “Covid-19 does not know the borders, does not know the faith, does not know the hope and charity”, but we, brothers and sisters in the body of Christ. We firmly believe that our Christ is truly risen, his light shines in the darkness of the world and brings humanity into the love of the Trinity. We pray that through enduring this deathly outbreak, people in the world will love each more deeply, and together we will overcome the Corona pandemic.
