Dr. Eric W. Gritsch

Since the pandemic, our lives have been turned upside down as we and the people of the entire world have been confronted by the effects of this tragedy.  The members of the Board of the Eric W. Gritsch Memorial Fund express our concern for all of you during this stressful time and pray that God may stretch His healing hand across this weary world as we struggle with the critical issues on many fronts.

During this time, many of us recall the words of Eric Gritsch as he often reminded us that we are living in the “meantime” and that sometimes that meantime is a “mean meantime!”  It is probable that we all agree.  But, we must also remember that Dr. Gritsch encouraged us to remember that we are “people of hope”  --  let us hang on to those words!!!

Various scholars have been combing the writings of the reformer Martin Luther searching for his advice in the time of plague.  You may  recall that he, too, experienced such stressful times, as evidenced by his writing.    We in the twenty-first century can hear his confident pastoral advice to his parishioners.  Luther looked to the example of our Lord and remembered His words.  As the reformer spoke to his own parishioners, Luther followed his own advice by staying in the town of Wittenberg during the time of plague caring for the ill and offering consolation to the grieving.

As Christians we are called to that same loving concern for our neighbor.  As always, the way of love is needed today.

Perhaps you will be interested in connecting to the provided link to consider some of Luther ‘s thoughts.

martin-luther-on-those-who-do-not-take-precautions-during-a-plague

“They are responsible before God for their neighbors death and a murderer many times over.”

"God has created medicines and provided us with intelligence to guard and take good care of the body so that we can live in good health."