Although they were not dealing with a world-wide pandemic in today's gospel reading, it is interesting how there is application from it to our current situation. I am not going to speak to the legitimacy of many of the common claims about the Coronavirus outbreak (but there is serious reason to doubt much of the rhetoric), I think that we should all make sure that we are dealing with things in the way that our Lord Jesus wants us to do.
In the gospel today, a Pharisee criticized Jesus. Apparently the disciples had failed to wash their hands before eating (a standard Jewish practice). Whether for ritual or hygienic reasons, it makes no difference; he and other Jews wanted Jesus to have His disciples wash their hands. His response is interesting for our modern context. He does not say that they should not wash their hands (following proper rules for ritual practices is always correct, and good personal hygiene is also good and right). He does, however, say that the Pharisee was "majoring in minors".
Our Lord tells him that he was a "fool" because he was so concerned with a practice of lesser importance that he neglected his spiritual health. Jesus says that the Pharisees might have looked nice and clean on the outside but inside they were full of "wickedness". He is, of course, speaking about priorities. What is your priority? Do you ever ask yourself if there is a conflict between your choices regarding the Coronavirus, and your choices regarding your faith? Which one, really, is more important to you? Your actions will reveal where your heart is at (regardless of what you may say verbally).
I know that I have said this many times before, but it bears saying again, because there are quite a number of people who are imbalanced in this. They live in constant fear of catching a virus (which may or may not be deadly for them), but have very little fear of God (something our faith tells us is necessary). Do you have the same concern for proper reception of the Eucharist as you do for avoiding getting sick?
Our Lord does want us to be physically healthy; no doubt about it. Yet, in the gospel He does not pull any punches. Being more concerned about what is "outside" (our personal health) than what is "inside" (our spiritual health) is a "foolish wickedness". In Scripture, we see many times that we can only control a small bit of our physical situation, but we (by the strength of Christ) can control our spiritual well being by the choices we make in our spiritual disciplines. St. Paul says in one place that bodily health is a good thing, but that spiritual health is what really matters for eternity (1 Timothy 4:8). Do we really believe that?
What are you focusing on right now? Do you have the same amount of concern for your spirit as you do for your body? Or is one more a priority in your life? If so, which is it? We are all going to die someday; nothing can stop that (unless you are one of those alive on the day of the Second Coming of Christ). We can only put off mortality for so long, and the more effort we put into that action the less we will put into our eternal state. This is not an issue of finding a balanced ratio, it is an issue of what really matters when you stand before God. The strongest, healthiest person in the world has no hope on Judgment Day if he did not follow Christ above all else.
