THIS FORCED RETREAT

By Fr. Bob Dueweke, O.S.A.

The whole world is on a spiritual retreat. This is not an ordinary retreat; it is a “forced” retreat whether we like it or not. The spread of the coronavirus has turned every society inside out. Forced to shelter-in-place, maintain social distancing, and don facemasks is the new normal. Businesses, schools, and places of worship are closed. Some are reopening, yet there are fears of a resurgence. This forced retreat is “spiritual” in the sense we question our “spirits” or our deepest values. We have the opportunity to examine our primary relationships with ourselves, with others, with God, and with the planet Earth. Our spirits are reflecting what matters most in these relationships.

As a people of faith, how do we engage the challenges of altered relationships caused by the present pandemic? How do we read the signs of the times, the indicators of the presence of God breaking into human history? Once we understand those signs, how will we respond and against which criteria? These are tough questions

because we have the freedom to accept or to ignore the challenges.

If we have to endure this crazy pandemic, the first step in any retreat is to have a clear understanding of our situation. What, we ask, are the signs? If time is given to silence and to conversation, then the fog of assumptions and misunderstandings can lift. Illusions of progress and grandeur can be identified and checked. One thing the pandemic has done was to expose the cracks in the economic and political structures. We discover inequality and racism are the real viruses sprouting from unjust economy and political blindness. We are able to see the effects of injustice: • Unemployment, inadequate healthcare • Hunger and Violence • Rise of authoritarianism and populism • Human rights violations • Spread of false information

To complicate matters, we experience the effects of climate disruption. Science is clear about the impact of human activity and the burning of fossil fuels. The Earth is becoming less habitable and too hot for the human species. For the first time, permafrost in Siberia is melting in temperatures over 100 degrees Fahrenheit.

Forests are destroyed at an enormous rate. Wildlife habitat shrinks creating conditions for greater contact with humans. Animal viruses are controlled under normal conditions and ample land and space. Once these lands disappear and wildlife is “squeezed” next to spaces of civilization, these viruses have the potential to “jump” into human biology; this process is called “zoonotic transmission.” COVID-19 is the result of such a transmission from wild bats. The present pandemic is a direct result of human activity. The question is will we change?

"Retreat" continued on page 16