We are in the Holy Week. On Palm Sunday, the most beautiful, graceful and sacred season of Lent ended! But I feel it has made a profound change not only in my life but the world at large. Every year when we enter into this blessed season, we promise ourselves to renew us through various kinds of penances and fervent prayers. But this year when we entered into the Lenten season we had not thought in our wildest dreams that the world would take such a traumatic turn that even our places of worship would be in lockdown.
When we had promised ourselves to be faithfully regular for all the retreats, way of the cross and daily Eucharist, it did not occur to us that we would have to start participating in the Eucharist, online – from the confines of our homes. It has been a different experience altogether – I feel we should have all kinds of experiences in our life – spiritually, it has been just the same except that we are unable to partake our Lord sacramentally.
After the total lockdown, the first live streaming of the Holy Eucharist on 21st March touched me the most as all the seven priests of our parish, along with the deacon and a guest priest, came together to celebrate it. But what must have been their feelings to see all the pews empty – the absence of the congregation!
Later in the day, when I was reflecting on the day’s First Reading (HOSEA 6:1-6), a new understanding of the Scriptures struck me. "Come, let us return to the LORD; for he has torn, that he may heal us; he has stricken, and he will bind us up. After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will raise us up, that we may live before him. Let us know, let us press on to know the LORD; his going forth is sure as the dawn; he will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth." What shall I do with you, O Ephraim? What shall I do with you, O Judah? Your love is like a morning cloud, like the dew that goes early away. Therefore I have hewn them by the prophets, I have slain them by the words of my mouth, and my judgment goes forth as the light. For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God, rather than burnt offerings.”
While reflecting on these verses, I realized that this pandemic has been happening for the greater glory of the Lord. I started recalling all the Old Testament passages and realized that whenever mankind had forgotten God, God found ways to humble mankind and bring the entire race back to Him. Here I fully understood what must have happened during the confusion at the Tower of Babel – a chapter we had studied in our catechism class a few weeks before closing for the academic year 2019-20. God had created confusion among the humankind and divided them because they wanted to make a name for themselves!!! Nowadays same things are happening – human beings are running behind name, fame and fortune for themselves instead of glorifying God’s name.
The closing down of our churches throughout the world made me realize that during this Lenten season we need to offer up our hearts as our Lenten offerings and sacrifices just like the Jews expressed their deepest feelings during the Exile when the king, the land and the temple was taken away from them. All the catechism that I taught in Sunday school till then had now to be practised in my life. It was time to practice what I preached!
While teaching about the Exile I had learnt that the Exile had actually brought the Israelites closer to the Lord – they had got a different understanding of life. Though the period of the Exile, a milestone in the history of the chosen people, was extremely traumatic, they still trusted and hoped in the Lord.
The miracle of the Exile was that the Israelites didn’t forget their God and abandon their faith in Yahweh during the sixty years in Babylonian exile. With the help of the prophets like Ezekiel and the priests of the law, the Jews began to read their traditions with greater devotion. They discovered a new way of living out their faith without resort to temple pilgrimages and sacrifices. They met together on Sabbath to worship God and meditate on his word which by now was written in documents. In the absence of a human king, they now relied totally on Yahweh as their sole king. In other words, their relationship with God was purified and their faith focussed more on living out that relationship in their day to day lives.
The same has been happening with us as well. With our communitarian churches in a lockdown state, we are finding the real presence of God in our domestic churches – our families! The families have come closer to each other; we are valuing each other’s presence in our lives and most importantly, praying together devoutly. As a true Carmelite, I have made my heart an oratory and praying from its confines. My home is my monastery – secluded, social distancing from everyone!
As the Exile marks a very important milestone in the history of Israel, much the same way this pandemic marks a very important milestone in the history of Christianity. I am sure that while we are going through this lockdown, this exile of our life, its teaching us the lesson of unity acknowledging Jesus Christ alone as the God who made the covenant with his people by sacrificing his life for us. I am sure this pandemic has led us to deepen our reflections on the purpose of life and given us a new approach during this Lenten season.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, I am convinced that you are allowing this pandemic to teach us a big lesson – we all wandered far away from you, it's your way of bringing us back to your loving mercy during this Lenten season. Without you we are nothing and so Lord, let our faith be firm! This Corona virus fear is spreading faster than the virus itself and people are panicking and forgetting that you exist! They have forgotten that there cannot be any fear where you are there! Lord, we don't want to be scared of the situation because we know you are always protecting us! You are our protective shield! Amen!!!
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