What Can Saint Augustine Teach Us About a Pandemic?
COVID19 has ravaged our planet. Millions of cases, hundreds of thousands of deaths worldwide to date. The virus does not discriminate who it infects and no person seems to have been given the opportunity to escape at least some impact from the virus.
The quote “we are in this together” has therefore become a commonplace description of the reality we now all face together. A pandemic of global proportions requires a global community, working together through the many hardships it causes. Community is the heart of the Augustinian way of life and therefore Saint Augustine has a lot to share with us about the situations we find ourselves in today.
The Rule of Saint Augustine was written by Augustine to provide guidelines for how a community can come together, journey together, and work together towards a common goal/purpose in spite of diversity, human weakness, hardships, and external influences. The Rule of Augustine can therefore be used as a guide for all community life (whether it is a religious community, a family, a group of friends, a group of volunteers, or a team within an organization) and can be especially useful in this time for discerning concrete Augustinian responses to the many difficulties and hardships being faced as a result of COVID19.
Click here for a list of ways Augustinians are responding to COVID19 in our ministries (Coming Soon).
See Our Latest Posts Related to COVID19
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Author Unknown May we who are merely inconveniencedremember those whose lives are at stake. May we who have no risk factorsremember those most vulnerable. May we who have the luxury of working from homeremember those who must choose between preserving their health or making their rent. May we who have the flexibility to care for […]
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What is an Augustinian Response to a Pandemic?
by Jeremy Hiers, O.S.A. As humanity journeys through the COVID19 pandemic, we are facing unprecedented circumstances and hardships. As we see on the news every night, nobody seems to have escaped at least some negative impact on their lives as a result of the virus. We are all invited to be part of working through […]
Persistence in Hope
by Jeremy Hiers, O.S.A. A reflection on Luke 18:1-8 When the Son of Man comes …. will He find faith on earth? One of the hardest lessons in the life of a Christian is learning how to have faith when we face difficult situations in life, especially when our prayers seem to go unanswered. Perhaps the illness […]
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