Corona , Commodification and Church

Corona , Commodification and Church

Wuhan was the epicentre of the Corona Virus Outbreak at the fag end of 2019. However China tried to annihilate with a 24×7 building 2 hospitals within 10 days.It couldn't cope the pace of the pandemic. While the doctors were on a spree of identifying and treating the citizens of Wuhan who were locked down in their respective places of shelter. An ugly side of human greed and injustice of commodifictaion of the corona was co existing. The toilet paper rolls and masks were sold at unbelievable prices. Some places even washed and resold used masks to mint money by taking advantage of the crisis situation and ripping of as much money one can make out of the situation.

As the CoVid 19 spread so did the greed of exploitation spread over the globe and did take toll on the lives of poor and downtrodden.The focus has been on the rich and affluent. Only countries have taken measures to address the plight of the homeless and the poor. The poor have been the most affected by the pandemic, the life of a poor homeless citizen has already been so bleak with mearge food and shelter. The lockdown and the closure of markets have taken a toll even on the one day meal that they had from leftovers or remains ot alms that they received. The wage of daily wage labourers have also affected. Those who work on daily basis for their livelihood have been pushed into a dire state of poverty.
The rich and aristocrats have their time of leisure and recreation and time of fun and  games with their family.Whereas the poor are already dying out of hunger. However Corona didn't show disparity and differences as humans would do. The Capitalists society has jeopardized the poor with Commodification of Corona.

The universal church and the denominations of church all over the world have been bamboozled with Corona virus. The Church situation is on pendulum with debate of faith over pandemic or Precautions over Pandemic. There have been constant closure of churches in Europe and some churches opening up their premises for prayer. Pope Francis went to churches and prayed for protection over the pandemic in Rome .While a priest in Milan pinned the photos of his members in the pews and conducted the worship.
The church has been brought to loggerhead situation to cope with. While the church does want to instill faith of God being a healer of any plague. The Government and measures of awareness has imbibed fear. The spread of hoaxes in Social Media has also spiked up the threat of Xenophobia over Asians.

In the purview of Jesus' ethics and in the words of the catholic priest Gustavo Gutierrez.God's preferential option has always been on the poor. And in the light of Matthew 25 :40.

Matthew 25:40
And the king will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.’

As the churches have been pushed to cancel the services world over , its the churches bounden duty to heed to bleak, feeble voices of the poor and homeless. Remember more than liturgical service, the need of the hour is service to the poor and needy.

Rev Raj Kumar Johnwesley

CSI Madras Diocese