We are so very grateful for the work of our federal, provincial and local leaders, our medical community and our front-line health care workers for all they are doing to support and protect the health and safety of all of us. We thank our custodians, who spent all last week ‘deep cleaning’ our buildings for our safe return. . . whenever that may be.
We are reminded of the absolute critical role we each have in slowing the spread of COVID-19 by practicing physical distancing and avoiding non-essential gatherings. Further, for those who have travelled the importance of self-isolating for 14 days upon return.
As we begin this 4th week of Lent, I share the following by Effie Caldarola, Catholic News Service. Her reflection leads us to ask ourselves: “What will be the history of our response to COVID-19?”
“ . . . meanwhile, we’re in the middle of the penitential season of Lent, and I think it’s important to draw the two — the pandemic, our faith — together. We have, after all, a history of our own response to write.
This is one of those moments . . . that people will be talking about for the rest of their lives. Will any of us ever forget where we were mid-March, and the events we saw unfold?
So we try to adapt Lent to this new reality. I pray to understand how I am being called to respond. I can feel OK about this hunkering down, until that moment of panic when I wonder just how long I will be asked to hunker.
The best advice I saw was on Twitter: Use this time to flex your contemplative muscles. Odd terms to use in relation to contemplation, perhaps, yet we need discipline and strength to turn our minds to God in these moments.
Contact friends daily. Laugh and cultivate that sense of humor. Touch base with those who live alone. Read. Ration news and social media. Keep a journal of these days for posterity. Take long walks. Make Lent sacrificial — resist lapsing into bad habits under stress.
And pray for those who are suffering from this disease worldwide, across all borders. Pray for the first responders and medical personnel who are putting their lives on the line in this fight.
Like all our lives, this too will pass. So let’s make this a Lent for the history books.”
Stay safe as we pray and look out for each other . . . from a distance (of course)!