“…it is easy to forget the sober truth of God’s eternal love and care for us. But history shows we humans have faced epidemics and pandemics before. Each time panic has only worsened the situation. History also shows that we Christians were never ones to lose our peace during times like these. The spread of Christianity in the Roman Empire was partially due to how Christians ministered to the poor and dying during disease outbreaks in the Empire. We Christians were seen taking care of the sick, not running away in fear. And that witness of faith in God and love for our neighbors eventually led to the Roman Empire embracing the Faith once for all delivered to the saints.” (Father Barnabas Powell)
“I’m seeing doctors (including multiple epidemiologists) effectively saying, “The time for radical measures is now” and “There is no need to panic” and “Don’t panic, but we need to do radical things” and “Don’t panic, radical measures are not required, just common sense.” Whom should I believe?...We tend to go with what confirms our biases and tendencies, because those messages seem most reasonable to us, most plausible. Yet if there’s anything that we ought to learn as we grow up and mature, it’s that what seems reasonable to us may really not be true. Ancient, Medieval and Renaissance man saw himself as continually threatened by a hostile world that he could never fully understand nor defend against. Civilization could not conquer the wilderness, and sometimes what was wild would invade and destroy civilization. And while there are many dangers our ancestors faced which are not really a big deal for us, we are still threatened by earthquake, storm and virus. Yet we somehow believe that civilization can conquer the wilderness. But when the wildness comes to us, we do not seem able to conquer the wilderness of our own thoughts.” (Father Andrew Stephen Damick)
“Anxiety and panic are always composed of a string of negative thoughts and expectations. Many times, they become increasingly irrational.” (Father Stephen Freeman)
“Faith is rejecting panic when things seem out of control. Faith is confidence in God’s faithfulness in an uncertain world, on an uncharted course, toward an unknown future. Walking with the Lord may not always be an easy road, but it is a “safe” one. We can never be taken from Christ, our “safe place.” (Greek Orthodox Archdiocese)
“When facing fears, don't panic; when hearing negative feedback, don't lose a sense of God's love; when feeling a desire to pull back from God and avoid quiet prayer, be tough, stay with it in patience, perseverance, and with an open heart.” (Robert J. Wicks)