Let it bring out the best in us

In many more countries now, governments are putting restrictions on people’s movements, to try to limit the spread of the coronavirus causing the disease COVID-19. Some are telling all shops to close, other than food shops and pharmacies. Some have closed schools, clubs and meeting places. Many have restricted travel. Large numbers of people are confined to their own homes. Hundreds of millions of people across many parts of the globe now have layers of worry in their lives – uncertain income, the collapse of businesses, plans ruined, and of course health concerns for themselves and their families.

But as human beings, we need to have a set of definite, positive goals to work towards. We can do little to stop the progress of the virus, except by staying away from other people and observing strict hygiene. This is where our community spirit should come to the fore. This community spirit should also prevent people from selfishly or mindlessly stockpiling things beyond their obvious needs. Of course, vulnerable and elderly people will have more need to stock up a certain amount, because they should not be exposed to possible infection by being frequently in shops. There is clearly an opportunity for those less at risk from the effects of COVID-19 to make arrangements for others, offering to obtain and deliver supplies to the vulnerable. Indeed, in many places this is already happening – as in the picture of the young boy above. Participation in such schemes will give the more healthy parts of the population a positive role in this crisis. Perhaps those who find that they have already overstocked for their own needs could donate the surplus to food banks, which are often running short of supplies, or they could offer their surpluses to needy neighbours. In many places there are organised groups to help with shopping, but we can all check that our friends and neighbours have what they need. This means actively keeping in touch by phone or internet with those who have had to isolate themselves, either because they have the coronavirus or because they have been told to do so for their own protection.

In some countries, the gathering of congregations for worship has been temporarily suspended. Bahá’ís in many countries were disappointed not to be able to gather for Naw Ruz (New Year), at the end of the fasting period. However, in the Bahá’í Writings it says: “This is worship: to serve mankind and to minister to the needs of the people. Service is prayer.” So we have plenty to do.

Every action of every government in trying to stop the spread of this new virus is concerned with the prevention of unnecessary suffering and death. This is motivated by the underlying human emotion of love for others. The lives of all the people under their care are being largely re-ordered out of basic human concern for the elderly and the more medically vulnerable. This motive has been spelt out very specifically in the Bahá’í Writings as a conscious thing: “Order your lives in accordance with the first principle of the divine teaching, which is love. Service to humanity is service to God.”

Unfortunately, a certain proportion of people who catch this disease will suffer from severe symptoms. For others it will be relatively mild, like having a cold. The following is a Bahá’í prayer for times such as these:
“O my Lord! Thou knowest that the people are encircled with pain and calamities and are environed with hardships and trouble. Every trial doth attack man and every dire adversity doth assail him like unto the assault of a serpent. There is no shelter and asylum for him except under the wing of Thy protection, preservation, guard and custody.

O Thou the Merciful One! O my Lord! Make Thy protection my armour, Thy preservation my shield, humbleness before the door of Thy oneness my guard, and Thy custody and defence my fortress and my abode. Preserve me from the suggestions of self and desire, and guard me from every sickness, trial, difficulty and ordeal.

Verily, Thou art the Protector, the Guardian, the Preserver, the Sufficer, and verily, Thou art the Merciful of the Most Merciful.”

Service to others, love for our fellow human beings, prayers for humankind. If it is possible for anything of worth to come out of this medical emergency, let it bring out the best in us.

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This posting is the second one on the coronavirus. The first, “We are all in this together”, was published in February, 2020, and talked about the oneness of mankind, the need for a unified world approach in combatting this virus, the need for freedom of information, and the need for world authorities.