The COVID-19 pandemic and racial strife are distractions that the Gospel helps wash away, Corpus Christi Catholic Church Pastor Jose Luis Menendez told parishioners.

Throughout the week, it is easy to fall victim to the worries in the world, but we need to stay focused on the importance of faith and the way we react to life’s challenges, the Rev. Menendez said in the church bulletin.

He stressed nothing should separate us from the love of God and with it, we have nothing to fear. It is far more important in how we respond to that fear, how we react to those who would harm us.

“That is why faith is so important,” the Rev. Menendez said in the church bulletin. “For those of us who have faith, even the worst situations are illuminated by hope and by the love of God.”

To demonstrate God’s love, the Rev. Menendez offered a familial tie to God’s son Jesus in the bulletin. As God is Father, it shows the depth of God’s love. It was a fitting message on Father’s Day as Menendez congratulated all parents, offering the prayer that God allows them to be a faithful reflection of God’s love.