Scripture readings for the 5th Friday in Lent can be found at http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/040320.cfm
Because of what's happening here in this country and around the world, we've been experiencing great fear and concern because of the coronavirus. For myself, I've asked God a question that I'm sure crossed many of our minds: "Dear God, WHEN WILL THIS END AND WE RECEIVE HEALING? I want to get back to living my life and am tired of living in fear!" I feel like shaking my fist towards heaven as I pray this to God. At times I wonder where God is in all of this.
Then something in scripture comes to me to give me comfort and helps me to realize that God is present, even in times like this. The psalm for today's mass contains a phrase that helped me put everything in perspective and helped me realize that even during this most difficult time, I need to turn to God for help and know that he's there: "In my distress I called out: LORD! I cried out to my God. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry to him reached his ears." Psalm 18:7
We don't know when the coronavirus will leave us. We should do what the medical professionals suggest by staying home as much as possible, practice social distancing, wash our hands often (something my mother always told me!), etc. In time this this virus will be behind us. Let us realize that God will be there with us to lift us up out of our fears and give us comfort, healing and hope when the coronavirus is behind us. God hears our voices crying out to Him, and He will grant us healing and peace.
Heavenly Father, we ask you to bring healing upon us in our fears. Be with us as we struggle to feel your presence in this crisis. Send your guidance upon all in the medical field as they look for a cure for this disease, and be with all the doctors and nurses as they minister to your people in their illness. Amen.
Amen. Yes, the LORD is with us & He hears us. For His mysterious purposes He has allowed this virus & the necessary steps we have to take to try to prevent it from spreading. I never would have expected that in this day & age the churches would have to close & we would be prevented from celebrating liturgy & the Eucharist together. In my mind I would have considered it to be an unusual sacrifice for Lent & that now would be an appropriate end so that we could commemorate Holy Week & celebrate Easter together. I am OK with being home most of the time but find it heartbreaking that I can't be singing in the choir for Holy Thursday, Good Friday & Easter Vigil, the highlight of the Church's liturgical year. I thank God that we are blessed with TV & the internet so we can participate at Mass.
ReplyDeleteThe Church calendar is, for better or worse, "set in stone", but I wish that while we are still living in the Lent of isolation the Church could extend Liturgical Lent & defer Easter until we could all celebrate a beautiful Easter Vigil service & Mass together the way it should be celebrated. But that won't happen. Maybe somehow we could have some special Liturgical celebration when this crisis is over & we can come back together again! Hopefully we will still be in the Easter season when this is over. Before Pentecost.
God is with us. God hears us. God is working even when we cannot understand what, where, when, why & how. We are in our individual COCOONS & hopefully God will transform us into butterflies. My "go to" Scripture verse is Romans 8:28: "God works all things to good for those who love Him & are called according to His purposes. This coronavirus is evil, but God is using it for good, especially if we cooperate with Him. Hopefully we will discover the good He is doing & learn what He is teaching us while we are still in this life, sooner rather than later. Or maybe we won't fully understand until after we die & are hopefully in heaven.
In the meantime we know that the LORD is with us, whether or not we can feel His Presence, we can cry out to Him in our distress & He both hears & understands.