Who would ever thought that we would have witnessed and experienced lockdowns? People staying at home, the economy grinding to a halt, and most of all…fighting a new virus. As if that was not hard enough, just read the news. Racism-related hate crimes in the US and beyond, new disagreements and wars in the Middle East, and continued conspiracy theories on the virus.  Here in the Philippines, people are talking about the Anti-Terrorism bill, how to jumpstart the economy even when virus cases are increasing, and the constant return of the OFWs.

How do we not lose hope in all that is happening? Remember this – there is God who will never abandon us. In fact, he has a plan for all of this and yes, good will always prevail.

What then, is our response?

1. Be the Salt of the Earth. The salt is not only meant to add taste, but more importantly, to preserve. In old times, there was no refrigeration and freezer to speak of, and salt was used to preserve. As salt of the earth we are challenged to preserve God-given values which are going out of style. Families used to grow up with the father perpetually telling his children, “There is nothing wrong living a simple life as long as you get your money in an honest way.” How often do we hear these type of words nowadays? 
   
2. Be the Light of the World. Evil hates the light. Hence it is no surprise that those who speak the truth are always persecuted. Continue to speak the truth no matter how your opponents twist the facts, malign your character, or harass you with fake news and gossip. The truth will always come out. 
   
3. Do Good Deeds. Despite difficult times, there are still so many good people. I can attest to that and Fr. Hans can attest to that. While this is not to be expected when to give, the fact is however, God cannot be outdone in generosity. In fact, it will always come back more than what we gave. 

May we continue to be people of hope because God has us covered. This can be a reality if we are the salt of the earth, light of the world, and continue to do good deeds.