The Narratives of COVID-19 (Part 4): Prayers and Vaccines

My good friend reacted to my previous blog, asking my thoughts about thanking the Lord for the vaccines.

It deserves more than just an entry in this blog. It can be the subject of the whole book!

The revised Oratio Imperata issued by the CBCP included a verse stating, “we thank you for the vaccines developed made possible by your guiding hands. Bless our efforts to use these vaccines to end the pandemic in our country.”

This part of the prayer is very interesting and can be interpreted in more ways than one.

For instance, it can be understood as an endorsement for the use of vaccines.

It can also be interpreted as psychological acclimatization to combat vaccine hesitancy.

The implied reasoning is that since these vaccines were developed with the Lord’s guiding hands, nothing wrong or evil can happen from having these vaccines.

Indeed, it can also be interpreted that vaccines are part of God’s plan to end the pandemic.

Whether we agree or deny the idea that God has guided the vaccines' development, more questions inevitably arise.

The following are just some of the possible corollary questions that may arise either as affirmation or negation of such a proposal.

1. If the COVID 19 vaccine was developed by the Lord’s guiding hands, whose hands created the COVID 19 virus in the first place?

Is it or not from God?

If yes, then are we saying that God created the COVID-19 virus so that he will also guide the formulation of the anti-COVID-19 vaccines?

If not, then did Satan guided the hands of those who made the virus?

If so, then God waited for almost two years to act in order to have the vaccine against COVID-19.

2. If the COVID- 19 virus was not created in the laboratory and was just naturally occurring, whose power did this virus come into being?

Under whose control and power does nature belonged to?

3. Suppose God’s guiding hands developed the vaccines. How about those medicines and treatments that were available (and used before the vaccines were available) that protected or alleviated the symptoms of COVID- 19?

Why is it that only the vaccines were stated in the prayer as being developed by God’s guiding hands?

Is this particular part of the prayer an evaluation of the vaccines?

Is this a favorable assessment of the vaccines regardless of the consequent unknown effects?

Is this verse in the Oratio Imperata a tacit endorsement in favor of the vaccines?

And many other questions which only time can truthfully answer…

So, what is my perspective on the question of my dear good friend?

I think I would frame it in the realm of subjective personal belief.

Affirming that vaccines are God’s gift to humanity is a matter of personal belief.

If there are people who believed that the vaccines were developed with the help of God’s guiding hands, then let it be.

All that is good can have its origin in God. We should thank the Lord for all the good things in this world.

For those numerous people who were helped by the vaccines, indeed, it is God’s gift.

However, the claim that the vaccines were developed by God’s guidance does not bind the faithful to accept it because it is not magisterial teaching.

Thus, the faithful can believe or reject such a proposal.

Let me know about your questions and reactions... comment below or text me.