This beautiful planet we love to call as our mother Earth provides existence for different types of life. Of all of them, as far as our knowledge goes, human life is the noblest and the summit of them all. And yet, this human life which has been endowed with unfathomable wisdom to invent, create, build and develop is struck with a virus called Covid-19 making this life so fragile, weak and vulnerable. Due to the Lockdown since over two months, our life, movement and social interaction have almost been paralyzed to such an extent that we are still in the dark as to how long this situation will last and after this virus is brought under control whether the human life will remain the same or it takes a different turn or shape in its day-today-living.
Whatever the case might be, the faith with which we are baptized, brought up and profess must remain firm and unshakable because our Lord Jesus Christ is the same Yesterday, Today and Forever. I appreciate very much our Catholic families for keeping their faith and prayer life active and vibrant during these days of the Lockdown by the recitation of the Marian and Divine Mercy rosaries, reading and reflection of the Word of God and coming together as family members spending all their time with each other which perhaps did not happen before or so far. I only hope that this life of prayer and time for members of one’s family will find place even after the period of Lockdown is over and we are back to our usual hustle and bustle of life.
The month of June is blessed with several feasts and solemnities: the Most Holy Trinity (on 07), The Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ (Corpus Christi on 14): the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus (on 19), the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary (on 20), the Birth of St John the Baptist (on 24), and Sts Peter and Paul (on 29). We have enough reason to be happy because while the Church invites us to join her in the celebration of these feasts and solemnities with joy and gratefulness, let us be confident that they in turn will bring upon us blessings in abundance by making our human life blessed, worthy and meritorious and our Catholic faith rich, meritorious and firm.
I invoke God’s abundant blessings upon you all.
XGerald Isaac Lobo
Bishop of Udupi