Images of COVID-19, Images of Hope

Quiet Storm by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II, 07 April 2021

Come April 14 next week, I will complete my 365-day streak on my blog https://lordmychef.wordpress.com/.

It was a Tuesday within the Octave of Easter under our first – and world’s longest – Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) when I started this prayer blog based on the Mass readings as a “spiritual recipe” for tired and weary souls at that time when churches were closed and public Masses were not allowed.

It was pure grace that I was able to keep it daily until now in my new assignment, never running out of inspiration from God for my prayers, poems, essays and reflections, and the usual Sunday homilies I have been sharing via email since 2003.

Some of my inspirations came from unforgettable images of COVID-19 that went viral on Facebook and the news that for me were “images of hope” of the Risen Christ reminding us of his presence during this pandemic.

They are images of hope because they tell us modern Easter stories of holiness and kindness, love and sacrifice among ordinary people willing to share Jesus in their very selves for others in need.

And this photo tops them all!

I got this from the Facebook by a church-beat reporter who personally met the photographer who took that shot and interviewed the banana vendor.

What a beautiful reminder of the poor widow praised by Jesus who gave “two small coins worth a few cents” into the temple collection box, saying: “Amen, I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the other contributors to the treasury. For they have all contributed from their surplus wealth, but she, from her poverty, has contributed all she had, her whole livelihood” (Mk.12:43-44).

My initial reaction upon seeing this image of COVID-19 was how the world never runs out of many good people, who give without expecting anything in return: “may mga tao pa rin palang tunay at dalisay ang pagmamahal at hindi naghihintay ng kapalit.”

I wonder where is that vendor now and what has happened to him. Surely, God must have blessed him abundantly!

---

A week before the lockdown that March 2020, another set of images appeared on Facebook of a beautiful story of miracle in the supermarket.

According to the Facebook post that became viral, people were panic buying following rumors of a lockdown to be imposed due to the pandemic.

A young lady waiting at the long line to the counter noticed a man had only a basket containing a handful of grocery items.

She turned out to be a “fairy godmother” who offered the manong to get more goods for his family assuring him she would pay for them.

Manong was hesitant at first, very shy with the kind offer by the young lady until he acceded, getting a few more canned goods.

According to the post by an eye-witness, the “fairy” asked manong again to get more goods, saying “dagdagan pa po ninyo at babayaran ko.”

That was when miracle happened…

Some of those at the counter were infected with a holy virus by the young lady’s generosity.

One by one, each customer gave manong a can or an item of their purchases so that he had a basket full of goodies to take home for his family!

Indeed, love begets love begets love… it is the kind of good virus I am sure still happening today even without being reported in social media.

What a beautiful modern version of Jesus Christ’s feeding of 5000 in the wilderness when everybody shared their baon with others (Jn.6:1-15) that filled everyone to his/her delight with still plenty of leftovers.

---

I turned 55 on March 22, the first Sunday of the start of last year’s lockdown, the fifth Sunday of Lent. It was also the first time we went online with our Mass that morning when I called on the people to wait outside their homes later at 3PM – while maintaining health protocols – for the “paglibot” (motorized procession) of the Blessed Sacrament in our Parish at Barangay Bagbaguin made up of ten purok.

How my heart was moved at the sight of people, young and old, rich and poor alike, kneeling on the streets with some crying, adoring Jesus Christ in the Blessed Sacrament!

Truly the images of hope that have sustained and blessed our parishioners at Bagbaguin with the lowest incidence of COVID infections and deaths that year in the whole town of Santa Maria, Bulacan!

But the most beautiful image of hope for me that day was the appearance of a rainbow before the end of our “libot” of the Blessed Sacrament.

We were at the last leg of our “libot” when it started to rain with our volunteers asking whether we would still go to the next purok of Gulod or not. From the back of our truck with both my hands holding the big monstrance, my response was adamant: we proceed even if it rains!

I knew we have brought plastic to cover and protect the Blessed Sacrament from the rains and I felt what mattered most then were the people to have a glimpse of Jesus in their most difficult trials in life.

Lo and behold, after a few minutes, the rains stopped and a rainbow appeared at the horizon!

Tears rolled down to my cheeks saturated with perspirations as I held the big monstrance.

I could not contain the joy within my heart as I thanked God for the grace of that moment, of sending us with a rainbow to assure us like during Noah’s time that he would keep his promise never again to destroy earth with floods or with virus, that we would be safe during this pandemic.

It was the best birthday gift I ever had in recent years that made me decide to continue that practice of libot of the Blessed Sacrament every Sunday while public Masses were not allowed during the lockdown.

What are your images of COVID-19 that were images of hope that sustained you in this year-old pandemic?

Join us again this Friday with more images of COVID-19 and this time, images of Christ among us!

*Other photos by Ms. Ria De Vera and Ms. Anne Ramos of our Parish Commission on Social Communications.