But save us by thy hand, and help me, who am alone and have no helper but thee, O Lord (Esther 4:14).
My dad spent the last two months of his life in the hospital. The majority of it was in the Intensive Care Unit. I visited him on most days. In my time there, I noticed a number of patients never seemed to have visitors. When I asked, a doctor confirmed what I had witnessed. He told me that many people spend their final illness with nobody by their side and ultimately die alone.
Of course, we have all heard stories of people who wanted to be alone at the moment of death. My concern is for those who desire somebody at their side. It also extends to those who are seriously ill and have nobody to comfort them or to advocate for them or to explain what is happening. Even more concerning: do they have anybody to pray for them?
While visiting my dad, I spent a lot of time wondering how to help them. I prayed, of course, but wished I could do more.
My dad died seven years ago. In the midst of grief for a long time after his death, I forgot about those who were in the hospital alone. I stopped praying for them and never resumed.
I was reminded of this lately. The heartbreaking stories of people who want to visit their hospitalized loved ones but are unable because of COVID-19 brought it all back. It is a heartbreak for everyone involved; for the person in the hospital who wants the comfort of loved ones and for those who long to be with family in their final hours.
Prayer
Then I read about an Irish priest, Father Philip Kemmy.
Father Kemmy was disturbed when he learned of people suffering and dying alone. He suggested that we pray a Divine Mercy Chaplet each day as we spiritually put ourselves “beside one of the poor unfortunate men and women who are dying alone in hospitals all over the world because of this virus, some of whom are perhaps not well prepared spiritually for their earthly end.”
He adds:
Praying the Chaplet for the dying, we will petition Jesus to enfold them in his Merciful Love in their final hours and grant them a strong experience of his consoling presence before they take their leave of this life. This would be a great act of mercy and love for those who are victims of this virus and who are approaching their end.
I love this idea. It is not only an act of mercy, but it is also a way to keep our eyes where they should be in this crisis and always. It keeps us focused on our Creator. Prayer is a way to continue to grow in closeness to Him.
Following the suggestion of Father Kemmy offers us a way to show kindness to others during a time of isolation.
It reminds me that I also have been blessed by kindness. In a recent example, somebody from a small group of women I belong to on Facebook thought it might be a good idea for us to meet talk through video chat. I now get to see and converse with this special group. We talk about Coronavirus, of course. We also talk about family and other subjects, temporarily taking our minds off of what is happening all around us. I am not sure who first came up with the video chat idea, but I am grateful. It has made a difference to me.
One member of the group sent us gifts. Her thoughtfulness made my day. Another member moved me deeply when I learned she prays for me. Both of them reminded me that it is not enough to care about people; it is important to let them know. As Father Kemmy and my social media friends have shown me, we have a great opportunity to help others during these times of fear, even while we are isolated from each other.
Anxiety and Fear
Some Christians seem surprised that other Christians are experiencing anxiety over COVID-19. They question if fear means a lack of faith. After all, Scripture says this:
Have no anxiety about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus (Phillippians 4:6,7 ).
We should, of course, heed what Scripture says. Pray with thanksgiving and speak to God of our fears. Yet it is natural to fear our own death, especially one that brings with it so much suffering, or the death of a loved one. Many also experience financial anxiety, with its own survival issues.
When we pray we do not always experience peace. Does this mean we are lacking in faith or somehow praying wrong? We can look to Scripture again for the answer.
Queen Esther was afraid. I wrote about her in July, never realizing how relevant she would be less than a year later. Esther 14: 1,2 (RSCVE) says this:
And Esther the queen, seized with deathly anxiety, fled to the Lord; she took off her splendid apparel and put on the garments of distress and mourning, and instead of costly perfumes she covered her head with ashes and dung, and she utterly humbled her body, and every part that she loved to adorn she covered with her tangled hair.
Esther, this courageous queen, experienced “deathly anxiety”. Then she did what we should all do. She “fled to the Lord.” Yet there is nothing to indicate she found peace. She repeatedly asks to be delivered from her fear.
Remember, O Lord; make thyself known in this time of our affliction, and give me courage, O King of the gods and Master of all dominion! (Esther 14:12).
Seven verses later she asks again:
O God, whose might is over all, hear the voice of the despairing and save us from the hands of evildoers. And save me from my fear!
When We Are Afraid
Queen Esther was a remarkable woman. She is a role model for what to do when we are afraid. She shows us that fear does not indicate a lack of faith. When you are afraid, follow her example. Flee to God. Ask Him for courage. Then follow where He leads, no matter how scary it is.
Of course, we have another role model in the New Testament. Luke tells us that as the time of Jesus’ betrayal drew near, He asked the Father to remove the cup. Then an angel came to strengthen Him. Even with that, Luke tells us this:
And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down upon the ground (Luke 22:44).
We all know that Jesus trusted the Father. Despite this trust and an angel by His side, He sweated blood. To be anxious about suffering and death is natural. For Jesus, the kiss of Judas came soon after His agony. Jesus did not resist. He followed the path He was on, the path driven by God’s great love for us.
1 Peter 4:7,8 tells us this:
The end of all things is at hand; therefore keep sane and sober for your prayers. Above all hold unfailing your love for one another, since love covers a multitude of sins.
This advice strikes me as especially important in a time when we cannot even get within six feet of each other. It is what Father Philip Kemmy is advocating when he asks us to pray for those who are suffering alone. It is what my Facebook friends are doing when they spend time together and send gifts and prayers.
Remember the words of Mordecai in Esther 4:14:
For if you keep silence at such a time as this, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another quarter, but you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?
God has plans for you, right now, in the midst of this. How do we prepare?
Father Mike Schmitz has some ideas. In a video, he gives advice on how Catholics should respond to the Coronavirus. He says that people ask if COVID-19 is God’s divine judgment on a faithless people. This is his response:
Whenever something like this would happen in the OT, the people would take it as a sign that they need to repent. So whether this is Divine Judgement or not is not mine to figure out. Whether this is an opportunity to repent and change my life and come back to the Lord, that is what this is.
Do not keep silent; show your love for God and His people. Repent. Turn back to the Lord. Show that God was right to bring you into the world in such a time as this.
