AMERICA/HONDURAS - Proposals from the Bishops on how to truly proclaim the presence of God by our side after these months of pain

Wednesday, 23 December 2020 coronavirus   natural catastrophe   social situation   christmas   episcopal conferences  

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Tegucigalpa (Agenzia Fides) - The people of Honduras, like St. Joseph "are in disarray but, as Pope Francis reminds us in his recent Apostolic Letter Patris Corde, Saint Joseph knows that God is good to all and that His tenderness reaches all. This is why he believes against all hope that this goodness of God is realized through our weaknesses and learns to accept his weakness with intense tenderness". It is in these terms that the Episcopal Conference of Honduras addresses the suffering people of the Central American country.
"How is the promise of the Lord fulfilled today? How can we truly proclaim that the Lord is God with us, Emmanuel? After these months of pain caused by the passage of two tropical hurricanes, the increase in the number of infections and the difficulty of rebuilding everything?" ask the Bishops in their message.
This is why we turn our eyes to the example of St. Joseph, highlights the text. "The memory of St. Joseph - the man who goes unnoticed, the man with a daily, discreet and hidden presence, brings to mind, with gratitude, the many people, women and men, who, through their service have made and make visible that in the face of illness and the force of nature, we are not alone, but that their tenderness and their care reflect those of God".
"What we have experienced in these months of pandemic - they continue - has highlighted, once again, the fragility of our health structures, which are far from responding to the project of the God of life and reveal painful and profound inequalities. God with us urges each of us to address these shortcomings so as to remain with Him in the commitment, not only to facilitate the access of all to vaccines but also to promote a profound permanent change in terms of public health".
The Bishops then point out that inequality is also manifested in the educational field, "which not only does not fulfill its function of opening up horizons to all in order to reach and overcome inequalities, but also increases them". The difficulty of guaranteeing face-to-face school teaching, which should continue, "makes even more evident the differences in terms of access to essential resources on the part of teachers and students".
The message ends with some recommendations to the faithful so that they respect the health provisions on the prevention of Covid, so as not to be an occasion for contagion and to responsibly encourage the commitment of each for the good of all. "God is with us in every home and in every family. Let us pray as a family, as we did at Easter. We ask the parish priests to facilitate this participation, with prayer in each family, accompanying and guiding the faithful so that no one feels guilty for not having celebrated Christmas Eve, as every year. Despite his astonishment, Saint Joseph took his wife home. In the midst of our bewilderment, let us each carry Mary in our hearts. Like her, let's say 'that it be done to me according to your Word'." (CE) (Agenzia Fides, 23/12/2020)


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