COVID-19: We are one
another’s keeper
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| KENYA : Washing hand (AFP) |
Jesuit Conference of Africa and Madagascar President, Fr
Agbonkhianmeghe Orobator SJ reflects on the implications of the coronavirus
disease outbreak and the necessary preventive measures now in place worldwide.
Fr. Agbonkhianmeghe E. Orobator SJ – Nairobi, Kenya
The coronavirus disease outbreak has spawned or heightened
the significance of social and public health vocabulary about necessary
preventive measures. Public discourse is rife with special registers such as
social distancing, social isolation, self-isolation, lockdown and quarantine.
When one finger touches oil it soon soils the others
These measures are reinforced by public health advice about
personal hygiene in the workplace, school, commercial establishment and home.
By adopting these measures as present circumstances dictate we slow, contain
and curb the spread of the virus. In essence, we lessen the risk of infecting
others. Also, they prioritise the responsibility of everybody to adhere to the
best evidence-based public health advice. It is laudable when we take such
personal responsibility in the time of a global public health crisis.
After all, as Greta Thunberg never tires of reminding us
regarding another serious global crisis, “no one is too small to make a
difference.” To ignore this message is to put others, including loved ones, at
risk. Or, as we say in Africa, “when one finger touches oil it soon soils the
others.”
There is another side to the unfolding drama of this
modern-day pandemic. Although public health advice emphasises personal
responsibility and action, it does not dispense with the bigger picture and
underlying moral considerations. Strict adherence to preventive measures does
not amount to a self-interested strategy of self-preservation. COVID-19 is a
global pandemic; we are all at risk of infection.
We are in this together. Restriction of public mobility and
disruption of routine affect us all.
Self-care and solidarity go hand in hand
As we take personal responsibility we do so not merely out
of compulsion but out of consideration for one another. Our duty of self-care
and personal hygiene draws motivation from the principles and practice of
solidarity, compassion and the common good.
Whether it is voluntary or imposed, confinement to personal
space and reduced social and physical interaction with others can trigger
negative psychological feelings, like boredom, isolation and frustration. As an
antidote to the resultant stress and distress, this global pandemic invites the
practice of solidarity and deeper connection. Pope John Paul once wrote that
solidarity “is not a feeling of vague compassion or shallow distress at the
misfortunes of so many people, both near and far. On the contrary, it is a firm
and persevering determination to commit oneself to the common good; that is to
say to the good of all and of each individual, because we are all really
responsible for all.”
We may refrain from taking part in our usual day-to-day
activities and focus on keeping ourselves safe, but it helps to keep sight of
the care we owe one another, especially the elderly who are most vulnerable to
COVID-19. Solidarity invites us to walk with them and with one another in
compassion and love. Outside of physical contact, social media allows us
multiple ways of connecting meaningfully via the telephone or the Internet.
Self-care and compassion
Also, personal responsibility and self-care do not negate
the imperative of compassion. In its basic practice, compassion is our capacity,
as disciples of Christ, to live the passion as a shared experience. In the
words of Pope Francis, compassion “means to suffer with, to suffer together, to
not remain indifferent to the pain and suffering of others.” As infection and
death rates from COVID-19 soar, our compassion is tested and summoned to the
fore. This is a time for global passion and compassion.
As an African proverb says, “A chicken develops headache
when it sees another chicken in the cooking pot.” Compassion is not a function
of whether or not all is well with me; it is about what is happening to the
world, to others. At times like this, compassion is a call to be affected and
to resist the temptation of indifference.
Making ourselves safe, we also help keep others safe
The twin principle and practice of solidarity and compassion
lend moral weight to a deeper awareness of the common good. Knowing that we are
all in this together and that our actions no matter how private and isolated
can benefit others can mitigate the generalised distress caused by the
coronavirus. In making ourselves safe, we also help to keep others safe, both
near and far.
As another proverb says, “When one hand washes the other,
both hands are clean.” We take preventive measures not only because we are
compelled to, but also because we care about the safety and wellbeing of
others. Curiously, in a strange reversal of biblical logic, perhaps sacrifice
is better than obedience (see 1 Samuel 15:22).
We have moral duty not to spread fake news
A particular area where our responsibility for the common
good becomes crucial is communication and dissemination of information. Social
media is awash with fake news about COVID-19. As we plug into our preferred and
favourite news source, we have a moral duty not to spread false information
about infection routes and cures. Misinformation exacerbates frustration and
confusion, anxiety and fear. We are not at liberty to cause distress. Nor is it
acceptable to stigmatise and vilify others through reckless use of social
media.
Writing to the Christian community at Corinth, Paul the
Apostle reminded them of the simple logic of solidarity and compassion: “And if
one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honoured,
all the members rejoice with it” (1 Corinthians 12:26). There is no better time
to practice this lesson than at this time when the world is reeling from the
ravages of the coronavirus pandemic. Individual responsibility serves the
greater good. Alongside our duty to pray and offer Masses for all those
infected and affected, as well as healthcare personnel, COVID-19 confronts us
with a simple question demanding an honest answer: Where is your sister? Where
is your brother?
(Genesis 4:9). We are one another’s keeper.
(Jesuit Communications, Zimbabwe – Mozambique)
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