Sunday, July 26, 2020
We are all in this together.
We are all in this life on earth together.
Proverbs 14:31
Those who oppress the poor insult their Maker, but those who are kind to the needy honour him.
Matthew 25:40
And the king will answer them, “Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.”
Words of Grace For Today
Yesterday was six months since the first Covid 19 case identified in Canada.
More than 15 million people have been infected world wide. More than 640k have died.
In the USA more than 4 million people have been infected. Less than 42 days ago that was only 2 million. It took more than 90 days to reach the first million. More than 140k have died.
Canada reports 113,206 people in Canada have been infected, and 8,881 have died, 80% in long term care homes.
Alberta reported 112 new cases on July 23.
This M.D. where I live, as of 23 July, had 1 active case, and no deaths from Covid 19.
These numbers are those that are reported. Reality may vary markedly.
This is a serious pandemic, not to be taken lightly nor passed over as if one could simply dismiss it and be done with it. A person may indeed get away with being so stupid, but more than likely their stupidity will cause others to get infected and some to die. This is serious stuff.
Many lessons are evident for the learning. If care in long term care homes is sub-human, there will be a cost. It’s only a matter of time. If those caught in poverty and those without housing are not provided care commensurate with basic human dignity, there will be a cost. It’s only a matter of time.
It is less expensive to provide a basic level of humane care for all people (homes, health care, clean water and sufficient food) than it is to pay the costs stemming from not doing so. The costs in an pandemic include death of many people, not just the poor and homeless.
Since the beginning of time, and as a mainstream in Judeo-Christian tradition, the wisdom and rewards of caring for the disadvantaged has been recognized, or at least paid lip service to.
Jesus’ parables repeatedly refer to how blessed it is to provide care for the needy and vulnerable, the sick and the poor, the poor and the outcasts.
So we are blessed to be the ones who bring Jesus’ care and compassion to all in need.
So we are called to be the ones who bring Jesus’ care and hope to all in need.