IMPULSE July 2020 – God sustains creation

Fr. John Peter Olum

God, the creator of the universe, sustains creation in love!
GOD IS OMNIPOTENT (ALL POWERFUL); OMNIPRESENT (PRESENT EVERYWHERE) and OMNISCIENT (ALL KNOWING).  There is no power above him, everything is subject to him.
 
The Corona Virus has come into the world and is killing many and scaring everybody like a roaring lion.  The presence of the Corona Virus is well known to most people living around the globe.  Everyone takes the greatest care to avoid attracting the virus by washing their hands, putting on a face mask, maintaining social distance, etc.  This virus has certainly changed the life style of the world.

God’s loving presence and his protection are not felt like this deadly virus; some people believe and trust in God’s love and protection, others are near to despair and yet others think or believe God does not even exist.
 
This is a crucial period for us who are members of the Opus Spiritus Sancti to evangelize the world where we are and through the work of the Holy Spirit to show that God is in charge of the world. We have two issues to tackle;

• To make God’s presence felt
• To make the intervention of God known to stop this virus in the world

We need the gift of the Holy Spirit to equip ourselves and to allow our faith to grow. We can do some practical things like intensive prayer, fasting and almsgiving.
 
Apart from those mentioned above let us regularly recite the litany of the Holy Spirit, receive the sacraments of the holy Eucharist and Reconciliation, and pray the holy rosary.  We also need the gift of the Holy Spirit to make us courageous to speak out for God and encourage change in peoples’ lifestyle.  St. Peter did it on Pentecost Day (see Acts 2:14) and the changed life of the first Christian community was a manifestation of the power of the Holy Spirit (see Acts 2:42). The martyrs also gave witness to the power of the Holy Spirit by shedding their blood for Christ.    
 
It is now our turn to use the gifts of the Holy Spirit we have received in the Sacrament of Confirmation to bring awareness to the people. The contrast between God and Corona virus, or the power of evil, is real.  We have to counteract this evil by all the means Jesus gave us. For those who may have lost their family members during this pandemic we say be strong, even as we express our condolences. We pray for you and for the repose of the souls of your people.
 
This is the time for us to help those who do not know God or who deny God to appreciate God’s words and so to change the lifestyle of the world, as it is said to the faint hearted: seek good not evil that you may live (see Amos 5:14).
 
Let us ask God’s providence for his intervention to stop this virus in the world immediately. Let us make use of all available means of communication to evangelize.
Additionally, it may be beneficial for us who belong to the SIP or to other communities within the Opus Spiritus Sancti to undertake more spiritual exercises together, either as worldwide communities or local groups, for example, like choosing a day to pray for a particular intention or to perform any other pious work.