BUTTERWORTH — The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary/Sts Chastan and Imbert parish’s August Rosary meet included a meditation on the pandemic desert experience and testimonies from parishioners.
The first by Valentine Dass was on his experience of contracting COVID-19 as well as his recovery and healing. During the very trying and scary time, he shared that God’s assurance and favour never left him and his family. He recalled the day he developed a high fever and was abruptly awakened from his sleep at midnight. He prayed with Scripture and sang hymns of praise for two hours, which led to a great sense of peace. The next day his fever broke. Valentine said that he realised that praying with the Word of God is extremely powerful. “There is a huge difference when you pray with the words of promise that God has given us,” he said. He added that he clung firmly to the words in Jeremiah 29:12-14 throughout his illness.
Jacqueline Lourdes then led the attendees in a reflection on the Israelites’ desert journey. They reflected on the times when God’s presence and providence were questioned and the many hurdles encountered on the way to the Promised Land. Parallels were drawn to our current experience with the pandemic and how we can find great comfort in the words of Scripture that whatever His children face, whether thousands of years ago or today, God is faithful and is with us every step of the way.
Next, Matron Stella Roseline shared her experiences managing a team of nurses at a district hospital and a quarantine centre. It has been a long journey through the desert, and has been especially difficult in recent months with cases remaining high and becoming more severe. She revealed that working continuously for long hours was a mental and physical challenge for the frontliners. She saw serving as a frontliner as God’s call for her. She draws strength and courage from the Eucharist which she continues to be privileged to receive every week. “Receiving the Lord has been most nourishing for me and gets me through the week,” she said.
Celestine Sarah, a working mother, spoke about how she has been juggling work and family life. While she has always worked remotely, doing so during this pandemic has been a different ball game. The workload has increased and there has been no boundary between work and personal time. She found herself constantly responding to customers outside office hours. This left her stressed, tired and unproductive. Her prayer life suffered too. She was also ridden with guilt for not paying enough attention to her children and felt ashamed for failing to set a good example for them. Sarah decided to make some changes. She made it a point to wake up earlier to begin the day with prayer. She noticed that after a week of doing so she felt more refreshed and was able to better control her emotions. “It’s a minor initiative but I feel more positive now,” shared Sarah.
Parish priest Fr Dominic Santhiyagu shared his observations of the generosity of many in these difficult times. He talked about Project Kasih, a parish initiative to provide rations and daily necessities to SSVP beneficiaries and migrant families who have lost employment. As priests, he added, they have been celebrating daily Masses for the intentions of the people and overseeing the parish’s day-to-day operations. A major challenge has been ensuring that the newly renovated parish is ready for the feastday. He has noticed God’s hand at work in moving things favourably in this direction.
The prayer session continued with the recitation of the Rosary, and ended with a blessing from Fr Dom and a hymn.
