“Just the Flu”

“I may speak with every tongue that men and angels use; yet, if I lack charity, I am no better than echoing bronze, or the clash of cymbals.”

1 Cor 13:1 Knox

There’s a growing number of people who simply don’t care about coronavirus – it’s just the flu, it’s a hoax, don’t lock me up – and I get all that.

But why on earth would you not care about getting the flu?

I had the flu once in my adult life and have taken precautions ever since. I cleaned my apartment immaculately and lay around for three or four days with a high fever praying I wouldn’t die. But if I did die, at least whoever found my body would at least see I had a great, clean apartment, and know I’d had some bright spots in music. I don’t want to get “just the flu” and I don’t want to go through that ever again.

If you don’t care fine, that’s your choice. But don’t complain if I wear a mask and/or gloves to give you Communion, especially if you’re coughing all during Mass. It’s a perfectly valid and legit thing for me to do, backed up by history and Tradition itself. And don’t complain about the many people who don’t want to get “just the flu” from your lack of charity in not caring about anyone else.

Does it affect the blood, which is why it appears to affect certain populations more? Or does it simply affect the lungs? Do you know? Is your will written? Your funeral planned? “Just the flu” kills many each year – especially the elderly though I’ve known younger who’ve died also.

Aside from that, I’m very much looking forward – as are we all – to the gradual reopening happening soon, more and more, all around us.

And on a brighter note – these baby birds flew the coop! They’re out of quarantine too – all grown up and flying around the countryside as birds ought to be.

+

The Rev. Kenneth Allen