Life and Love Will Go On

We need not let a crisis stop God's plans for our lives.

Today, my friends Joe and Alicia are getting married. We attended the same marriage preparation class at our church. They were at my wedding last year before the pandemic hit. They had to postpone their own wedding because of it.

But today, I’ll be sitting in the pew with six feet between me and the other guests, wearing my face mask. Joe and Alicia pushed their wedding date, hoping that COVID would have leveled off by now. But even though there seems to be a new wave of the virus, they decided not to let that stop them.

That’s what people do. That’s what love does, and faith does. It goes on living. 

Every generation has its crises and catastrophes. Wars. Disease. Social unrest. But every generation also has its love stories and marriage ceremonies.

Today we celebrate. Disease and masks and social distancing protocols can’t stop that. 

Saint Josemaria Escriva said: “Remember this and never forget it: even if it should seem at times that everything is collapsing, nothing is collapsing at all, because God doesn’t lose battles.”

We are certainly in a battle right now. But when are we not?

There is no time of perfect peace and security. 

And how do we, with God’s help, win battles? By going on living. By celebrating weddings, even if the reception is restricted to drive-through catering. 

In Luke, chapter 13, Jesus mentions a couple of current events that recently happened at that time. Pontius Pilate slaughtered a group of Galileans who came to the temple to sacrifice. In another instance, a tower fell and killed several people. It was the news of the day. Grim news, just like we see on our TV screens today.

“Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were greater sinners than all other Galileans?” Jesus asked. “By no means! But I tell you, if you do not repent, you will all perish as they did!”

Then he mentioned the collapsing tower tragedy. “Or those eighteen people who were killed when the tower at Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than everyone else who lived in Jerusalem? By no means! But I tell you, if you do not repent, you will all perish as they did!”

One thing Jesus seems to be saying is that no one is exempt from hardship and tragedy. 

Whether you are righteous or sinful, you are subject to bad things sometimes. God “makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust” (Matthew 5:45). 

What matters is that we are living to please God. I believe that love and faith and perseverance please Him. And we show that by going on with life, living and loving. 

Are you going through a trial right now? A divorce or breakup? Financial hardship? An unexpected catastrophe? Take heart knowing that Jesus said it would happen. He didn’t say to fear it or to despair. 

He didn’t even try to give some comforting cosmic explanation for why bad things happen.

He just told us to repent and walk with God.

Towers will fall. But buildings will rise too. Death will happen. But so will life. Pandemics will come. But so will weddings. Today I’m going to try to trust God, walk close to him, and celebrate life.

Then I can say with Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:54-55: “Death is swallowed up in victory. Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?”