Rev. Yurii Bobko

Today is not an easy time for everyone.

It is the trial period for physical and spiritual health.

It is a time to test our patience, endurance and humanity, as well as our ability to take care not only of our own lives, but also care for others and not endanger the lives of loved ones, relatives, neighbors, acquaintances and ordinary passers-by.

I am sure that we will do our best and go through this journey of temporary trials with dignity, goodness and faith the Lord will help us and all will be well.

In addition to fulfilling the necessary recommendations and restrictions, we show mercy, responsibility and concern daily, hourly, and minute by minute. Throughout human history, prayer was something that helped humanity to overcome difficult times.

Today is the time when we, as never before, need to pray to God from the bottom of our hearts and ask the Lord to forgive us our sins, to stop the calamity, to give health to the sick, and to bless those who care for them.

During the time of the coronavirus, let us pray to the Lord: O Lord Jesus Christ, in Your loving care, You traveled through towns and villages “curing every disease and illness.”

At your command, the sick were made well. Come to our aid now, in the midst of the global spread of the coronavirus, that we may experience Your healing love.

Be with the families of those who are sick or have died. May they regain their strength and health through quality medical care. As they worry and grieve, defend them from illness and despair.

Heal us from our fear, which prevents nations from working together and neighbors from helping one another. Be with the doctors, nurses, researchers, and all medical professionals who seek to heal and help those affected and who put themselves at risk in the process.

Heal us from our pride, which can make us claim invulnerability to a disease that knows no borders. Be with the leaders of all nations.

Give them the foresight to act with charity and true concern for the well-being of the people they are meant to serve. Give them the wisdom to invest in long-term solutions that will help prepare for or prevent future outbreaks.

O Master and Lord, our Saviour, healer of all, stay by our side in this time of uncertainty and sorrow.

For You are a merciful and loving God, and to you we give glory, to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and to the ages of ages. Amen.

The Rev. Yurii Bobko is pastor of SS. Peter and Paul Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Lyndora.