A Crown and a Prayer
There are no coincidences, only “Godcidences” or “Godwinks”, as I like to say. And recently there have been two profound such Godwinks related to the name and meaning of virus that’s turning life as we know it or knew it, upside down. Last week, I was interviewing Fr. Chris Alar, MIC from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy, on my radio program. He told me something very compelling concerning the original name of the Divine Mercy prayer, and he also shared this with his followers in a YouTube video. In the video, he asks viewers to look closely at a prayer card from 1944 sent to the center recently.
“Notice that it says the chaplet, or “Corona” of Mercy. Now in Latin, Corona means crown, so I think our Lord is trying to show us that He, Jesus, is the only one who is King. He wears the crown and nothing else.”
If that doesn’t make you want to grab your Rosary, then maybe learning about a little-known saint; a saint that shares the same name as the virus will motivate you. Not only does the saint have the same name, Corona, but she also happens to be considered by many as the patroness of epidemics. But wait, there’s even more to this amazing story.
Italians in northern Italy, where the saints remains are located along with St. Vittore (in the Basilica of the town of Anzu, Italy), have been asking for Corona’s intercession for relief from their suffering. Northern Italy also just happens, as we have seen in countless news reports, to be the epicenter of the virus and one of the hardest hit areas of the world.
St. Corona was a martyr for the faith and was often called upon by Christians throughout the centuries in times of trouble and suffering. We can ask for her intercession today in our fight against the Coronavirus. I wanted to share the link for a beautiful prayer card being offered by our friends at Sophia Institute Press. This would make a comforting gift for yourself as well as family and friends, as we enter this unique Holy Week. St. Corona pray for us.
Available at Sophia Institute Press in packs of 10 or 50 to give to your friends and relatives during this difficult time.
