COVID-19 knows no bounds when it comes to differences in race, color, ethnicity, creed, financial status or gender. We must realize that on this planet, regardless of where you come from, on Earth, there is only one race, the human race.
Sometimes we try to hide our prejudices behind other reasons, to justify the positions we take politically, socially, financially, environmentally, religiously, or any other way we human beings use to suppress the voice of others. We are more alike than any difference we profess.
The root cause of prejudice is fear, not hatred. While certain groups may be extremely angry about an issue, the underlying cause of anger is fear. Why are we so afraid of other people, their belief system, their culture, their gender? We can promote what we what we believe, if we choose to do that with our free will, without tearing each other down. Think of how we respond to someone expressing a different viewpoint, or addressing uncomfortable issues such as COVID-19, immigration, homelessness and hungry children in our country and the world.
Fear knows no borders. When it comes to financial fears, for example, many fear that by sending the 20,000 ventilators currently in government storage to the 20,000 most sick from the COVID-19 pandemic in New York, there won’t be enough left for themselves. It is a money problem to some minds. This is a two-fold problem.
First, when we divide states and countries in the world into “us” and “them” categories; the rich and the poor; our side and their side, we have already lost the battle, not only with slowing the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic in our own back yard, but also with the loss of our humanity in society.
This is the second problem, when fear descends upon the minds of our rulers. Bidding wars between states and the government for sending life-saving medical equipment, demonstrates perfectly how we can begin to lose our sense of our humanity. Once we make money, finances and the economy the bottom line, which it is not, we lose our humanity in the decision making process. Yes, money, finances and the economy are important, but it is not as important as the people. At the end of all of our lives, no matter which continent you live on, you will not be able to take your money with you.
Fear promotes radical groups in any of the human categories mentioned. If we are truly serious about fixing our world, before we can build any bridges to repair the damage we have caused, and tear down the cages and the walls which we built due to fear of other human beings, we need to take immediate measures to join together, not tear apart, and eradicate the root cause of fear. It is not just fear of other human beings that is the current social problem; it is the fear that they will take all our money, our reservoirs of wealth, our political power, our land, our titles, etc.
The Theological Virtues of faith, hope and love are the remedy for those of us experiencing fear. The Cardinal Virtues of prudence, justice, fortitude and temperance are the solution to fear by politicians, those in finance, and by everyone else globally. The virtue of generosity is the solution for those blinded by greed. Practice the Golden Rule that Jesus taught, “Do unto others as you would like them to do unto you.”
Greed has become the new addiction in society all over the world. In the ordinary effort to get ahead in this life, to make sure there is enough food for our families, and places to rest our weary heads at the end of the day, and household products to get us through the days and weeks of social distancing, some of us are making the quick slide into greed, fueled by fear. It can happen so quickly that we do not even realize it has happened. In those moments we have lost sight of our humanity.
We have made great progress in this country and in the world. We should celebrate the strides we have made. But there is more to do with integrity, more to pray for, more to resolve, more to share, more to learn, more to understand, more to forgive, more to let go. It is not about being right, or wrong, or making others right or wrong. There is no way to make up for the loss of life through war, violence, bloodshed, or retaliation. Two wrongs do not make a right. We need to build bridges and tear down walls and cages for all people everywhere.
Despite all our unique differences, we all share this one beautiful planet. We are all born in the same way, we all breathe air while we are here, and we all die. We are all having a shared human experience. Our life is in our blood, without which we would cease to be. No one soul is better than any other soul on this planet, no matter what our pride (insane ego) might be telling us.
Let us recognize this place and time that we are all in. We can repair all of this, unless we have totally lost our humanity. Some of us are over the edge and need our assistance to get back to the real time work of caring for and protecting the most vulnerable among us. They need our prayers. Prayer is an extremely powerful tool at our disposal.
There is only one race on this planet.
It’s the human race.
We need to work together, across the globe, to do what is best for the everyone in every country. This effort begins with you and me, in our homes, families, neighborhoods, states, countries on this one planet that we call home. We need to be better people. It is contagious. It matters.
God Bless