Jacinta: o dom de si em tempo de pandemia

Jacinta:
the gift of self in times of pandemic

Ângela de Fátima Coelho, asm
Sister of the Covenant of St. Mary

“Our world is sick. I'm not just referring to the coronavirus pandemic, but to the state of our civilization, which this global phenomenon reveals. In biblical terms, it's a sign of the times”. This was the beginning of an article by Tomás Halík [1] wrote, reflecting on this unique time in which we live. Like any sign of the times requires our patient and laborious work of understanding, of listening with our hearts to the signs of God's Spirit present and at work in history. We are asked to be discerning in order to avoid hasty readings, and we are asked to have a heart of trust in the Lord, knowing that “all things work together for good for those who love God” (Rom 8:28). We are asked to have the humility of someone who, still empty-handed, understands nothing, or almost nothing, about what is going on, but continues to live in peace and serenity, because he knows in whom he has put his trust (cf. 2 Tim 1:12). But why, since this is an article about Jacinta, am I talking about this pandemic? It seems unnecessary to repeat that she also lived through a pandemic similar to ours and that, just a hundred years ago, she experienced the painful circumstances we are living through today. Even though the answers to the questions that anguish our hearts may not be clear, the life of this little girl can be a light to illuminate our steps in the labyrinth of emotions, anguish and fear through which our hearts and minds walk in days of isolation.
And in times of fear, it's not necessary to immediately understand everything, the causes of what's happening, the scientific or theological reasons that explain the situation that causes the anguish and insecurity of this time. Sometimes, like a child in the dark, all it takes is a mother's serene face to make everything safe again. Even if she doesn't understand the scientific mechanisms of darkness!
Jacinta can be this serene face with us today. She knows the helplessness of not being able to visit our sick or being visited by family and friends, she knows the pain of losing a sibling in these circumstances. She knows the shortness of breath, the pain in the chest, the extreme weakness of someone with a fever. Jacinta understands our loneliness and the loneliness of those in hospital waiting for their future to be written, in the uncertainty of the next chapter. And she knows lonely death, only in the presence of the Lady of the Immaculate Heart. Jacinta knows what we're talking about when we talk about the pain of this hour.
What would Jacinta, this little girl who was so discreet about her pain, tell us?
Yes, we know how hard she worked to make sure no one knew how much she was suffering, the sacrifices she made, the renunciation that meant not going to visit Francisco on his sickbed, how much it cost her to go to Lisbon without her Lucia.
I think Jacinta would tell us about Jesus, who was sad and whom she just wanted to console. She would tell us about Mary's Heart, which was covered in thorns and which she wanted so much to repair. She would tell us about the suffering of the Holy Father, whom she wanted to support with her prayers and sacrifices. Finally, she would tell us about the greatest love of her heart, sinners, or rather poor sinners, whom she longed to touch with her self-giving. She would tell us everything she loved, but she wouldn't tell us about her pain. Because she thought little of herself. She had accustomed her heart to compassion. She had educated her heart to “do as our Lord does”. She learned self-giving from him. And not even “tribulation, anguish, persecution, hunger, nakedness, danger...” (Rom 8:35) will make her stop or put limits on this self-giving, because as Christian Bobin would say: “what torments her is nothing compared to what she expects”! [2]
Looking at Jacinta and the way she lived through a situation identical to ours, we see Paul's words written in fire and blood on her body wounded in the direction of the heart, and his happy soul, for suffering for love:
“In everything we are afflicted, but not crushed; confused, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not annihilated. We always carry the death of Jesus in our bodies, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies.” (2 Cor 4:8-10)
Looking at Jacinta, we are invited to take care of others. Even when we feel powerless, even when our slow martyrdom is that we can't do anything for those we love. Because it's always possible care through prayer and self-sacrifice, The hope that is only possible for us, even in times of pandemic, because the Risen Lord is with us. Jacinta knew this and this is what she is telling us at this time in history, which is ours: “That Lady said that her Immaculate Heart will be your refuge and the path that will lead you to God. Don't you love it? I love her Heart so much! It's so good!”

[1] Tomás Halík, The sign of the old days, Milano: Ed. Vita e pensiero, 2020. [free translation].
[2] Christian Bobin, The man who walks

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