As Jesus went along, he saw a man who had been blind from birth. His disciples asked him, ‘Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, for him to have been born blind?’ ‘Neither he nor his parents sinned,’ Jesus answered ‘he was born blind so that the works of God might be displayed in him. ‘As long as the day lasts I must carry out the work of the one who sent me; the night will soon be here when no one can work.
As long as I am in the world I am the light of the world.’ Having said this, he spat on the ground, made a paste with the spittle, put this over the eyes of the blind man, and said to him, ‘Go and wash in the Pool of Siloam’ (a name that means ‘sent’). So the blind man went off and washed himself, and came away with his sight restored..’ John 9:1-41
The coronavirus pandemic is testing our faith. From China to South Korea, to Italy, the USA, and more countries, the virus is unrelenting. The world is on lockdown. Is this the start of the 10 plagues we read about in the book of Exodus 7:14–24 in the Bible? As the Locusts invasion is still around us, then the Coronavirus. What next?
I have never seen anything like this.
Coronavirus has changed the way the world operates. We are heading into a global economic recession. Key industries are in freefall– tourism, entertainment, education, aviation, hospitality, global sports, and city life. Already, the Uganda shilling against the dollar is heading the wrong way. Prices for common local foods like posho and beans are raising. Visit the Nakawa market and get the picture. You need Ugx. 5,000 to buy one fresh mango! Can you imagine?
You are advised to stay at home which means you must store food. It is real. I have read about pandemics and so much death during the cold war. Now the reality is scaring. It keeps becoming big and bigger. There are no physical guns. Houses are not burning. It is an attack on the human condition of survival – faith, and hope. You have nowhere to run. The closure of places of worship is the most worrying development of all!
As a Christian, you expect your faith to be tested. You cannot fall for this. Be strong. Use this time to deepen your faith at the family level. This is the lent period, during which Jesus Christ was tested. You must be able to overcome the fear brought about by this global pandemic. Now is the time you must believe. Pray for yourself, your family, your relatives, your friends, your Parish, your country and the world. We shall overcome the virus and humanity thrive again.
A man was created in the image of God and blessed with the wisdom to think about new possibilities and rule over all other creations. And that is how science and discoveries came upon us. Man has continued to improve on past discoveries by fellow men to transform the world. Science has enabled gene editing, new medicines, biochemical and biological weapons and so many discoveries of new planets every other year. But one thing has remained impossible: how to extend human life to beyond 200 years by Science. Ok, if life extension is not the main aim of science, why does man have to pay so dearly for a day on science powered life support?
In times like these, we are all helpless. Why now? We must always be prepared for the unexpected. Unfortunately, this pandemic is a test of our preparedness at the national level. How can we self-sustain without imports?
Now is the time to pray for our country and the world. Remember, prayer starts where science stops. That is how it is. There is not yet a plausible scientific explanation for after death. Keep that in mind.
Be strong during this Lent season. Pray. It is part of your preparation. For an online social forum, join our forum here www.mentor.mustaphamugisa.com. You can share Bibel verses and have your friends join a private group of likeminded people. Bernabas Mustapha Mugisa is Mr Strategy, the architect of #Mindspark.
