Acts 4:32-37 / John 3:7-15
It is such a time as this that brings out the best in people, as well as the worse.
Certainly in such anxious and uncertain times, that people will show their ugly sides like hoarding food, keeping to themselves, not being charitable or kind, flout the rules and the laws, and create problems for others.
But it is also in such times that there will be people who will show what their true character is.
There will be people who will face the risks and serve those in need and be signs of encouragement in an otherwise despondent and depressive situation.
In the early church, there was one such person that we read about in the 1st reading, His name was Joseph, but the apostles gave him the name Barnabas (which means "son of encouragement), and for a good reason.
It was he who took the risk and took the newly converted Paul under his charge and Paul went on to become a great missionary of the Good News of Jesus Christ.
Indeed, Barnabas was a sign of encouragement for the early church as well as for the church of today as we face the trials of the current situation.
As Jesus reminds us in the gospel that we are born from above and so we have the God-given ability to be signs of encouragement for others.
So even though we may be stuck in the difficulties of this earth, let us look at the God above and keep being the "sons of encouragement" that He wants us to be.