April 03, 2020
Catholic Yokohama Diocese Sueyoshicho Church
Parish Priest Joseph Akihisa Hamada
To all the faithful of the Sueyoshicho Church
A Letter on the Church Closure (Until May 9th)
“Indeed, Christ is our Peace.”
- Ephesians 2:14a
+ Peace of Christ!
The spread of the new coronavirus is continuing to spread around the world, and Japan is required to take even greater efforts to prevent the spread of infection. The Catholic Church is no exception.
In response to the growing urgency in the spread of infections at Tokyo metropolitan area, especially in Tokyo and Kanagawa Prefecture, the decision to close Sueyoshicho Church until May 9th (Saturday) has been decided through an online deliberation of the members of the Standing Committee of the Parish Council. However, the Parish Priest will definitely celebrate the “Missa pro populo” (Mass for the people), dedicated for the spiritual goodness of all Catholics in the parish, even without the physical participation of the congregation. The faithful of the Sueyoshicho Church are strongly encouraged to stay at home and walk on the path of the Passion of the Lord with all their hearts. Thank you for your prayers until the day when all of us can gather and celebrate the masses during the resurrection day. I hope that everyone will take wise actions to protect the lives of their precious family and keep their health top priority.
The Apostle St. Paul wrote to the members of the church in Ephesus:
2.14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15 by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, 16 and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. 17 He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit. 19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.
When thinking about the current situation of the world and the ever-changing situation in Japan, I think that few people have no anxiety or fear in their hearts. We, Catholics, can’t help but feel anxiety and fear in our hearts. That’s why by approaching God, the Almighty Father, through the Lord Jesus Christ, by receiving in your heart the gospel of peace that Christ has proclaimed, through our prayers, it is our mission to bring peace and hope for the future; to our precious family and friends, everyone involved in the community, workplace, school, and the world.
Bishop St. Cyril of Alexandria writes in A Commentary on the Romans: “The goodness from above has spread to all, and the whole world has been saved.”
“Although we are many, we are united to form one body, and each is a part of each other”, Christ has joined us in a bond of love, as it is written in Romans. “Indeed, Christ is our peace. Combine the two, tear down the barrier of hostility in His flesh, rules and prescriptive laws have been abandoned.” Therefore, we must all have the same feelings: If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.
“So, just as Christ has accepted you for the glory of God, you should accept each other,” says Paul. If we share the burden of each other, and if we continue to share the same thoughts, while being “bound by the bond of peace and keeping unity by the spirit,” we will accept each other. God has accepted us in Christ in this way. It is true that he said, “God loved the world as much as he gave his only son.” He has been given the price of all our lives, and His death has replaced our death, and has redeemed us from death and sin. Paul continues, saying, “Christ has become a servant of the circumcised to manifest the truth of God,” indicating the purpose of salvation.
Bishop St. Cyril emphasizes the solidarity of suffering. We sympathize with the suffering of all the people of the world who are infected with the new coronavirus and live a sick life, and we take care of patients who share their suffering together in prayer and who sincerely hope for recovery. We reassured our journey in this world in a way that we all sympathized with the suffering of all the healthcare professionals who went there in prayer, when we shared that suffering, and with remorse, when we share the suffering of the souls of all the dead, our prayers are elevating exactly to bring God’s salvation to all.
Until the day we get together at Sueyoshicho Church and we can offer the Holy Mass together again, we continue dedicating the “Prayer for a World Suffering from the New Coronavirus Infection”, approved by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Japan on April 3, 2020. I sincerely ask you to continue to pray. Thank you very much.
Almighty ever-living God, / remember the world/ that is now in great difficulty with the spread of the new coronavirus.
May the people suffering from the disease / be provided with the necessary medical care,/ and all those working towards ending the infection, the health care professionals, and those who are close to the sick. May our departed brothers and sisters/ be welcomed into your eternal kingdom and filled with infinite peace. / Give help to anyone / who is facing anxiety and confusion. God, the source of hope, / spare no sacrifice to prevent the spread of disease, / help each other in the world, / guide us to overcome this crisis. / Through our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
Holy Mary, the source of hope and comfort, / Pray for us in sufferings.
-End –