We are now in the midst of a global crisis with the COVID-19 pandemic. I have been writing a series of articles on the Church Fathers since November, but I am going to interrupt the series and write something more relevant to our current crisis.
The current pandemic reminds me of another pandemic took place 100 years ago – the 1918 influenza pandemic, also known as the Spanish flu.
Elderly people are more vulnerable to COVID-19 whereas young people were more vulnerable to the Spanish flu. Both St. Francisco (aged 10) and St. Jacinta (9) of Fatima died of the Spanish flu. Feb. 20, 2020, was the 100th anniversary of the death of Jacinta.
In October 1918, Francisco and Jacinta became seriously ill with the Spanish flu. One day, Our Lady appeared to the two of them at their home and told them she would take them to heaven soon.
Jacinta told Lucia: “Our Lady came to see us, and she said that she is coming very soon to take Francisco to heaven. The she asked me if I still wanted to convert more sinners and I said, ‘Yes.’ She said I would go to a hospital and there I would suffer a lot. I should suffer for the conversion of sinners and in reparation for the offenses committed against the Immaculate Heart of Mary and for love of Jesus. I asked her if you could come with me. She said ‘No.’ This is what would hurt me the most. She told me my mother would take me to the hospital and after I would be quite alone.”
Lucia asked Francisco, “Do you suffer much, Francisco?” He answered, “Quite a bit. But it doesn’t matter. I suffer to console our Lord and shortly I shall go to heaven.”
After the death of Francisco, Lucia asked Jacinta if she was suffering too much. Jacinta said, “Yes. But I offer all for sinners and to make reparation for the Immaculate Heart of Mary.”
God can bring great good out of the consequences of an evil. He used the Spanish flu to shape two little saints and to let them participate in the work of saving sinners.
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic many are experiencing loneliness because of quarantine and social-distancing. Jacinta also experienced loneliness because Our Lady told her that she would die alone.
The thought of dying alone caused suffering to Jacinta. One day, Lucia told Jacinta not to think about it. But she said, “Let me think about it. The more I think, the more I suffer, and I want to suffer for love of Our Lord and for sinners. What does it matter after all? Our Lady is coming to take me to heaven.”
During COVID-19 pandemic, many Catholics are thirsting for the Holy Eucharist due to restriction and cancellations of Masses. Jacinta died thirsting for the Holy Eucharist. On Feb. 20, 1920, at around six in the evening, Jacinta said she was not feeling well and wanted to receive the last rites.
A priest heard her confession and promised to bring her Holy Communion in the morning. Jacinta said that she was to die shortly and asked the priest to bring her Communion immediately, but the priest could see no reason for alarm. Jacinta died alone that evening at 10:30 p.m.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, let us intensify our efforts to perform spiritual works for mercy – to comfort the afflicted and to pray for the living and the dead.
During this time of social isolation, a phone call, email or message showing our love and concern and check in on elderly neighbours can be beautiful works of mercy. Every day and night, many people are suffering grievously and are dying due to the pandemic, let us not only spending time reading the news about them, but take the time to reach out to them spiritually through prayer and sacrifice.
In Fatima Our Lady urged us to pray the Rosary for peace of the world and to make sacrifice for sinners. Perhaps due to the many closures and cancellations we have extra time to pray more Rosaries. We can also offer to God our suffering due to COVID-19 as supplication for the conversion of sinners and for the eternal rest of those who have died.
May St. Francisco and St. Jacinta help us from heaven to carry out the message of prayer and sacrifice given by Our Lady of Fatima during this extraordinary time.
天主從疫情中帶出正面訊息
由於新冠肺炎疫症流行，我會從有關教會聖父的文章中抽離，而轉談與目前疫症相關的危機。
現時的流行疫症特別在長者中肆虐，讓我想起百多年前 ── 1918年 ── 俗稱的「西班牙流行性感冒」，使很多年青人染病死亡，包括目睹花蒂瑪聖母顯現的聖方濟（10歲）和聖雅仙達（9歲）。剛過去的2020年2月20日，是紀念聖雅仙達逝世一百週年。
1918年10月，聖方濟和聖雅仙達染上西班牙流行性感冒。一天，聖母給他們顯現，告知他們很快會把他們帶上天堂。
雅仙達告訴表姐路濟亞：「聖母來看我們，並說很快會把方濟帶到天堂上去。她又問我是否願意使更多罪人皈化；我告訴她我願意。聖母說我會被送到醫院，受很多苦。我要為罪人的皈化而受苦，賠補他們冒犯瑪利亞無玷聖心的罪行和為愛耶穌。我問聖母你可否倍伴我去，她說：「不」。這令我最心傷。聖母告訴我的母親會帶我去醫院，之後我會頗孤獨。」
路濟亞問方濟說：「你很辛苦嗎？」方濟答道：「頗辛苦，但不緊要，我受苦是為安慰我主，很快我便會上天堂。」
方濟去世後，路濟亞問雅仙達是否受着太多苦，雅仙達說：「是，但我為了罪人，並為了賠補瑪利亞無玷聖心而獻上一切。」
天主能夠自壞事情中，衍生好的事情來。祂利用西班牙流行性感冒，成就了兩位小聖人，讓他們參與拯救罪人的工作。
因新冠肺炎而作的隔離措施和互相保持距離，會帶來孤獨的感覺。聖雅仙達亦曾經歷孤獨，因為她孤個兒受著病苦煎熬，孤獨地死去。
「孤獨地死去」最令雅仙達感到難過。路濟亞曾勸告雅仙達不要想它，雅仙達卻說：「讓我想吧。多想著會帶給我更多的痛苦，我想要為愛天主和為罪人受更多的苦。這又有何關係呢？聖母要帶我上天堂哩！」
新冠肺炎疫症逼令很多人不能參與彌撒，不能領聖體；雅仙達在死前也渴望聖體。1920年2月20日，雅仙達覺得非常辛苦，要求領臨終聖事。約在下午六時，神父聽了雅仙達的告解，答應次日早上給她送聖體；不過，雅仙達要求立刻領聖體，因為自知命不久矣。神父卻又認為沒這必要。當晚的十時三十分，雅仙達在沒領到聖體、孤孤單單地逝世。
新冠肺炎疫症陰霾下，我們要發揮慈愛的善功，安慰那些受感染的病者，為生者死者祈禱。
受困於社群隔離的限制下，我們仍可以用電話、電郵、短訊表達關懷和友愛，特別關顧年長的鄰居是美麗的善功。早晨晚响，會有人因疫症忍受著悲痛和辭世，讓我們不止追尋疫症流行的消息，亦應該花時間用祈禱和作犠牲來支持我受苦的人。
花地瑪聖母敦促我們為世界和平祈禱、為罪人作犠牲；如今，疫情促使「封閉和取消」不絕於耳，反而給我們帶來意想不到的空閑時間，就讓我們多誦唸玫瑰經、為罪人悔改做奉獻、為亡者安息而祈禱。
在這非常時期，祈願聖方濟和聖雅仙達在天國，幫助我們遵照花蒂瑪聖母的吩咐，勤祈禱和多做奉獻犧牲。