Coronavirus disruptions

Giovanni Battista Tiepolo, Saint Thecla Praying
for the Plague-Stricken
talian, c. 1758-1759
New York, Metropolitan Museum of Art

At this uncertain time all of us on this planet are threatened by a new and insidious microbe, the COVID-19 virus.  Here in New York City, almost everything is closed and those of us who have underlying medical conditions are staying home as much as possible.  Some others are blithely ignoring all the warnings and pleas of health officials to stay off the streets while the death toll climbs higher day by day.  It is an edgy time here and elsewhere in the world. 

So long as I am able to keep from getting infected I will continue to update the right margin of the page with links to earlier articles and to continue to research and write additional things.  But there will be tradeoffs.  I was unable to complete an article about the iconography of Moses because of the shut down of the libraries, making it impossible to consult one of the most important books about his iconography, which is only available in full as a hard copy (and expensive) book.  So, that will have to wait till the libraries are open again.

Those of us who are people of faith must support each other and the world with our prayers.  We ask for good health for ourselves and our friends, of course, and for a speedy end to the epidemic.  We ask also for God's loving presence to touch the ill and the dying, in their terrible isolation.  We ask for the comfort of the Holy Spirit to those who are living in self-imposed isolation, especially for those who are fearful or lonely, and consolation to those who mourn.  And we ask for human solidarity, which sadly we have not seen too much of up to now, though things are beginning to look a bit better.  We ask for God's protection for the millions who are living in terrible conditions and in the midst of continuing wars.  With resources already stretched so thin, even in prosperous countries, they have no real friend but him.

Lord, look kindly on your suffering people.  Amen.



© M. Duffy, 2020