Difficult but Faithful Times

Like most of you, I'm spending a lot more time at home, although my isolation began a bit earlier. For about three weeks I had a nasty cold (no fever or other weird symptoms), so I went to my doctor, got a prescription, followed the advice of his P.A. to stay home, and got well. Then the Coronavirus ramped up, continuing my home confinement.

Dear Diane is temporarily unable to drive because of her recent shoulder replacement surgery and ongoing rehabilitation, making me the family's designated driver. And so, I do get out occasionally, mainly to do the shopping, go to the post office, and join Diane and our Thursday team at the Wildwood Soup Kitchen. 

But the biggest changes in my life relate to my ministry as a deacon. I'm looking forward to next Monday, when Diane and I are assigned as a chaplain team at The Villages Hospital. We visit patients of all faiths and remain on call for 24 hours. As you might expect, all the protocols for visiting patients have been changed to address the virus, ao it will be interesting to see how this will all play out. 

Sadly, I had to shut down my weekly Bible Study programs. To accommodate a growing number of participants, now approaching 100, we had scheduled three different sessions each week. All have now been canceled, along with all the other faith formation programs in our largely adult parish. In effect all meetings and gatherings or any type have been canceled or postponed.

More concerning, however, are the changes affecting the parish's sacramental life. Confirmations and First Communions have been postponed. Baptisms will continue but be conducted outside of Mass with only family in attendance. Eucharistic Adoration is also on hold until further notice. Our priests, of course, will continue to visit those in need of the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick. But perhaps the greatest disappointment for our parishioners is their inability to take part in daily or Sunday Mass. Indeed, the churches of the diocese are now closed. I understand the need from a medical/social perspective, but it is still hard for so many to accept. Fortunately, technology enables us to celebrate Mass and upload a video of the Mass to the parish website. Each day, then, parishioners can watch Mass online as a family and participate in spiritual communion. (Click on this link for a good description of the Theology of Spiritual Communion.) 

We can be sure that making these decisions has not been easy for our bishop. In some respects, during this time of crisis, the bishops of the country are not unlike the governors of states. While paying attention to the guidelines and demands of our medical professionals, each governor or bishop must decide the best way to handle the crisis within his own state or diocese. Bishops, of course, have an additional concern: the spiritual well-being of their people. But how they address all those concerns will vary. I'm certain, for example, the Archdiocese of New York and the Diocese of Orlando each must face a different set of problems using very different resources, so the response of each will also be different. 

As citizens and parishioners our response should be one of prayer. Pray especially for our bishops, and for our priests and deacons. Pray, too, for our medical professionals, the doctors, nurses, researchers and others who are spending long, hard hours working for the well-being of all of us. They have had to make some difficult decisions and we should support them, knowing that the sooner we isolate this virus, the sooner life, including our spiritual life, will return to normal. 

President Trump and Members of Congress are working hard to address key aspects of this crisis: medical, economic, and social. Use your additional free time to pray for them, that their decisions will be just, moral, and address the needs of the people.

We live in an imperfect world and our response to its imperfections must be driven by faith and prudence, but not by fear. Fear not, brothers and sisters, for God is with us. He is Emmanuel. He is the Good Shepherd who cares for His sheep.
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A deacon of our parish, Deacon Dan Pallo, sent me and others the following prayer. I suggest we all include it in our daily prayers:

Prayer in a Pandemic
(Author unknown)

May we who are merely inconvenienced...remember those whose lives are at stake.

May we who have no risk factors...remember those most vulnerable.

May we who have the luxury of working from home...remember those who must choose between preserving their health or making their rent.

May we who have the flexibility to care for our children when their schools close...remember those who have no options.

May we who have to cancel our trips...remember those that have no safe place to go.

May we who are losing our margin money in the tumult of the economic market...remember those who have no margin at all.

May we who settle in for a quarantine at home...remember those who have no home.

As fear grips our country, let us choose love.

During this time when we cannot physically wrap our arms around each other, let us yet find ways to be the loving embrace of God to our neighbors.

Amen

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Dan then suggested that we all make some phone calls; reach out to others especially those who have no one to chat with.  I'm sure they would be thrilled to hear your voice. Not a bad idea.