Putting a Gun to Grandma’s Head

Going to visit relatives during the holidays is like putting a gun to Grandma’s head, according to one western state governor. Well, who on earth would want to do that? We love Grandma and want the best for her–and isn’t that the definition of love? Wanting what’s best for the other, forgetting one’s own self for the good of the other person. Our public officials suggest that we’re not doing what’s good for others if we don’t stay locked down. As some of us predicted, Thanksgiving saw lockdowns.  Now, the CDC recently recommended that people stay home for Christmas. If I was a betting type, I’d bet that we’ll be encouraged to stay home during Easter 2021 as well, similar to what we saw earlier in 2020.

Is There a Even a Gun at Grandma’s Head?

If you visit your mother or grandmother, are you literally putting a gun to Grandma’s head? There’s no denying that the virus is real. We know people who have had it. A couple of people we know became very ill. Others we know have been diagnosed with it, but had apparently mild cases of it. Some headlines claim hospitals are overloaded with cases as I write this. Yet, CDC reports from this fall indicated a very low fatality rate associated with the virus. Yes, but now we see such huge surges in cases, so it must be a huge problem, right? It seems logical that the number of identified cases would increase as testing is increased.

That’s part of the issue. Medical experts who would arguably know indicate that there’s another part to consider. The PCR test being used, generating the high number of positive findings, may not be particularly accurate. In fact it may be generating many false positives. In one highly public case, one person reported that he received two positive and two negative results from being tested four times in one day with this technology.

Putting Other Guns to Grandma’s Head

What if you don’t visit Mom or Grandma–what’s the collateral damage? Might you still be putting a gun to Grandma’s head–albeit a gun of a different type? For one thing, we are meant to be with others–we’re social beings. We were not created to be isolated, especially from friends and loved ones. The CDC cites a study showing that adults aged 50 and older can suffer severe outcomes due to isolation and loneliness. They experience higher rates of dementia, heart disease, stroke, depression and suicide. Anecdotally, my wife took Communion to residents of nursing homes up until the virus hit. Even then, before the extreme lockdowns, she’d remark how lonely some of the residents were. Now, any of those who have survived thus far can only be more lonely with virus-driven visitor restrictions in place.

Surely, some parents and grandparents will eschew contact with many, including children and other relatives. This probably is more likely, and prudent, if they have comorbidity factors that put them at even higher risk of serious illness and death from the virus. But, what about those who want to see their kids and grandkids? How will the children and grandchildren feel if they didn’t visit granny this Christmas because of the lockdown, and granny goes to her particular judgment in the meantime? Life is short. We know neither the day nor the hour.

Mortality tables for the US suggest an average life expectancy of about 79 years at this time. We know of at least some who have beat the tables and are looking forward to meeting God. They have no fear of death. As our parochial vicar at our parish reminds us, this life is temporary–it’s short. The life that matters is the eternal one. We may be going for short-term wins in the here and now to the detriment of our long-term futures. As well, are we limiting our communal interaction not only with family, but with others that need us? Why are we afraid?

Who’s Actually Putting the Gun to Our Heads?

Why do we fear, indeed! Let’s consider what’s been going on since March 2020. We’ve had extensive audio, visual and verbal reminders of the danger of the virus and how we need to stay away from each other to avoid it. Contact with family members and with members of our spiritual community–the parish family–is discouraged and/or limited. Disconfirming information regarding the virus, its fatality rate, the testing process and viability of vaccines is prohibited. Social media trolls censor what we can read and see, so we only have ready access to the mainstream media messaging. Through local executive-branch edicts, individual rights to gather, to conduct business, and to just simply live, are taken away. Intimidation is used to suggest that failure to fall in line will lead to terrible consequences. You will get sick and die, or you will cause those you come into contact with to do so.

Come on! Be a good citizen, for crying out loud! And if you don’t behave, they’re watching you from across the street. They’ll report you to the health department. Consider, though, that the same people in government favoring euthanasia, with no virus-related restrictions on abortion mills, now is worried about putting a gun to Grandma’s head. Doesn’t that seem odd? Dr. Margaret Singer, a leading authority on mind control gives us a short summary of tactics people use in coercive psychological systems. Not surprisingly, they match up well with what we’ve experienced during the virus. It seems plausible to more than a few people that some attempt at mind control is in play at this time.  If you doubt this, look at how many good people–reasonable, smart, healthy individuals–are hunkering down at home, avoiding Mass and the Sacraments for fear of the virus.

Being A Good Citizen

We are citizens both of The City of God, and of the City of Man. But we are first and foremost, citizens of The City of God. As such, we have our faith to rely on. And what a deep, rich faith we have. But we must believe in our hearts that God knows the plans He has for us–not plans for our woe, for but our good (cf. Jer 29:11). If you struggle with this belief–if you’re fearful in this time of the virus, pray for grace to overcome this. Recall that fear comes not from God, but from the enemy. The enemy uses that fear to try to divide us. He wants to separate family members from family members; he wants to separate out the sheep from the shepherd. Don’t let him do it! Stay close to your family and your faith community.

Stay in touch with family members and support one another. Visit grandma and grandpa if they want to see you. Go to Confession at least monthly. Attend Mass, and receive Holy Communion as often as possible. Encourage others to do so as well. After all, we need to be living in a state of grace at all times. The Lord wants to use you and me to help give light and life to other souls. We can’t do that hunkering down and hiding. Those who are in hiding really need us, and Christ’s love, now.

“Ask Him…to remind you fear does not come from Him, so don’t allow your life to be controlled by fear.” – Jane Truant Harvey, Ask Him