Pope Appeals to the Vax Hesitant: Get the Shot as an “Act of Love”
Love thy neighbor and all that
As the Biden administration prepares to call for COVID-19 booster shots for the fully vaccinated, Pope Francis has a message for all the lost souls out there: Getting vaccinated against COVID is “an act of love,” as is “contributing to ensure the majority of people are vaccinated.”
The pontiff delivered this wisdom in a new Spanish-language pro-vax public service announcement — featuring both himself and other church officials from the United States and Latin America — said to be aimed in particular at the Americas.
Well, Father, I have some bad news for you. This kind of message, this “Getting vaccinated is a simple yet profound way to care for one another, especially the most vulnerable” sort of thing? That sentiment has not traditionally resonated with the U.S. American public, as can be evidenced by, um, more or less everything that has unfolded during this last miserable year and a half.
Still, let us hold onto hope, for, according to a certain book, love is patient. “I pray to God that each one of us can make his or her own small gesture of love,” Pope Francis concludes in the video. No offense, but keep praying!
