Over the past week I have spoken to some people who are very wary about mixing with others because of the risk of picking up the Covid-19 virus, who are uncomfortable with the idea of going into someone else’s house or having someone in their house. I have also spoken to others who feel that the measures that have been and are in place are out of all proportion with the scale of risk. Two very different perspectives. I suspect that those wide differences can be found in many families, groups of friends and neighbourhoods. Our own opinions may partly reflect where we are: our age, health record, or the health record of close family; whether we know people who have had Covid-19, or sadly died from it; how we have been affected by the measures put in place (lockdown, closure of schools, furlough, redundancy). We all carry some kind of mental scar from the last six months, and need to recognise that other people carry them too. How can we help ourselves and other people to address hurts, fears, disappointments, to rediscover some of the hope and joy of living, without putting anyone at risk of physical illness?
Lord, help us to recognise where we are mentally because of Covid-19, and where other people are. Help us to be sensitive to their feelings and needs and respond accordingly
