On Scripture: Perhaps now is a good time to reflect and re-evaluate

By Louis A. Gamino | Columnist

In today’s pandemic, health care workers on the front line combatting the coronavirus can become infected. When nurses, doctors or support personnel test positive, they are sent home to isolate. They cannot return to work until they have no fever or symptoms and test negative for the virus. Otherwise, they could infect patients or staff at their hospitals or clinics.
The Gospel reading from Luke (4:38-44) on the first Wednesday in September tells the story of illness sidelining someone — Simon’s mother-in-law. [Luke’s Gospel arranges the cure of Simon’s mother-in-law before the recruiting of Simon, Andrew, James and John whereas Mark and Matthew place her cure after the calling of those first disciples.] Jesus has stirred considerable interest throughout the region of Galilee. After astounding listeners at the Capernaum synagogue, Jesus goes to Simon’s home and finds Simon’s mother-in-law in bed, “afflicted with a severe fever.” Perhaps she is also sick at heart over not being able to properly welcome Simon and his famous friend.
At their request, Jesus “rebuked the fever, and it left her.” Once healed, “she got up immediately and waited on them,” no doubt performing the duties of a gracious host in the Jewish culture. Simon’s mother-in-law sets quite an example. She apparently springs back into action as soon as the dreaded fever lifts. Her actions show deep gratitude toward the one who healed her.
Simon’s mother-in-law reminds me of today’s dedicated health care workers who — if infected with the coronavirus in the line of duty and quarantined — remain eager to return to work. Many have spent several years of their lives conscientiously preparing for a career in health care only to be temporarily sidelined. One nurse I know lamented about contracting the virus and being sent home just when cases were spiking and the need was greatest.
Of course, health care workers are not the only ones who may have to quarantine because of the virus. Millions of workers have lost jobs — some even facing homelessness or economic ruin — because their work is deemed “non-essential.” In addition, family relationships may be disrupted: Parents and their adult children may be separated; grandparents may have to keep a distance from young grandchildren, including newborns — seeing them without being able to hold them; treasured friends may be restricted to video visits. Viewing life from the sidelines is stressful.
Quarantine also can bring regret over lost opportunities. Regret is tricky. While it dismays, it can also bring clarity to our deepest yearnings. Hospice chaplain Kerry Egan in her book “On Living” points out that regret tells us what is missing in our lives as well as reveals our fondest hopes. If we are temporarily sidelined by the coronavirus, we have a chance to reflect on what is most important in our lives.
How do we know what is our most important work to accomplish? The answer lies in both what we do and how we do it. Martin Luther King Jr. reminds us, “No work is insignificant. All labor that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance and should be undertaken with painstaking excellence.”
Think about the work of Simon’s mother-in-law. As soon as she is healed from fever, she waits on her guests. That probably means laying out food and drink, perhaps providing water to wash and seeing to other needs. Two criteria become apparent for judging the nobility of her tasks. First, she uses her God-given talents and endowments, which were, no doubt, developed and refined by years of training and experience. Second, her actions uplifted humanity and thus served the Lord. The singularity of purpose and mission demonstrated by Simon’s mother-in-law in her bounce-back response is admirable.  
Quarantined or not, the coronavirus pandemic gives all of us a chance to re-evaluate our lives, the work we do, how we spend our time, what choices we make. Why not apply the two criteria implicit in the Gospel story to how we approach our own work or role? Are we responsibly using the special talents and abilities we each were given? Does our work uplift humanity and promote the betterment of peoples, not just our own profit or welfare, and thus serve the Lord?

Louis A. Gamino is a clinical psychologist at Baylor Scott White Health and a member of St. Luke Parish in Temple. Find more about him at www.LouisGamino.com.