For quite awhile I've been considering very much the trouble people are having--Christians, but mostly Catholic Christians due to the Sacraments and the Mass. For within most dioceses in many states, countries, regions where COVID-19 is rampant or on the rise, the churches are not open for people to come and gather to worship (Mass) nor to enter for prayer, nor to come for Sacraments such as baptisms and reconciliation (confession), nor even funeral gatherings.
I've received information that I suspect is not an isolated case. A parish priest or even a bishop, decides to leave churches open for people to come in to adoration chapels or into the churches, leaving their doors unlocked and encouraging prayer on site. One bishop evidently stated that as long as grocery stores are allowed to be open, the churches will remain open.
Of course, we realize that these two "places" are not equivalent--not spiritually, but more so, not in practical aspects. People are allowed to go into a grocery store, doors automatically opening. The person uses a cart that they can wipe down themselves with wipes at entrance, stay a distance, not necessarily know people they know so not tempted to stop and talk, procure their groceries, use the self-check-out or go through a checker, but again not the interaction risk of communicating nor remaining in one spot but moving on through and out.
When a person goes into an adoration chapel or church, one opens using the door handle. Even if no holy water remaining--most parishes hopefully have removed holy water from fonts quite awhile ago--the person then enters, perhaps touches the plate or handle for the door into the apse of the church after passing through the narthex. If an adoration chapel, then the person enters into a relatively small space, a room of varying sizes, often with no windows that open or if so would mean more touching to open a window to air out the space. The person touches the pew or chair to sit, or the kneeler to kneel. The person sits, and there may be others there.
(In at least one such parish church remaining unlocked, the priest asks people to sit in the two or so handicap-designated pews (to limit the amount of cleaning, once a day. But it also keeps those who do indeed come in, to sit even closer in proximity. On social media states he is in there himself, with Jesus alone in Tabernacle, waiting for people to come and pray. Sweetly pious-sounding, but not prudent in logistics at this time of pandemic.)
Such behaviors, no matter who or where, encourages persons to not take seriously the "lockdown" that state and many states and communities now have ordered for staying in, sheltering in place. These orders are for all those other than for "necessary" jobs or places: medical professionals, law enforcement, medics, grocery, pharmacy, and a few other deemed necessary for the functioning of human's requisite tangible needs.
There is no one monitoring people gathering in church spaces, small or large, reminding to keep distance from one another. But the problem is the touching of surfaces and then taking potential virus out and into the community on their way to their homes, where there are others often enough, who can then become infected if the person has picked up virus on clothing, shoes, hands.
In the particular situation of which I became aware--another locale--the priest has stated that the door handles are wiped daily and the pews wiped twice a week, but with keeping people to couple of pews, once a day. Seems unaware of how fabric-padded seat cushions cannot be simply wiped off to disinfect, nor aware of how long coronavirus stays on solid surfaces, fabrics, paper prayer cards, cardboard (paperback worship booklets in pews, hymnals, etc.), carpet, doorhandles, wood pew or chairs, or the up to three hours it can stay in the air, particularly in enclosed spaces without much air movement.
You can imagine the uproar that occurred when a person shared the facts and realities of COVID-19 on a parish social media site. There were those who attacked the one who mentioned the inadvisability of going into the church and/or adoration chapel, giving reasons as well as tried to explain Jesus is within us wherever we are. Why not just follow the lockdown order for the two or three weeks, and pray at home? But others became irate on the social media discussion site.
The person's comments were blocked, but not before they were told that they had no Authority to suggest such a thing: that people consider not going in, not gathering, but to pray at home for the time being. I've since been informed that someone of that parish social media site has taken on the position of censoring and determining what comments allowed and what not. A shameful thing, it seems, to exclude, to ban, a fellow parishioner's input which included factual helps and encouragement.
It remains to be seen if such as offering the internet link to Cardinal Dolan's (NYC) national and international interview will be posted on that parish site. Will the person who has taken it upon him- or herself to censor Parish FaceBook site discussion considers the Cardinal a good enough "Authority"? He spoke exactly to what these Catholic parishioners had attacked coming from one of their own.
Thus ended that wise and prudent attempt of one wee person in a parish elsewhere, to help others stay safe, keep others protected from potential contagion, be obedient to the law of the land, to exercise free speech. The group refused to recognize and embrace a magnificent opportunity to increase in their FAITH. We must keep a sense of compassion and also humor in the foible-ridden plague of human nature.
To the persons who had attacked, some mentioned they "feel safe in the church." I recall a priest who had been at that very parish for 35 years and made quite an imprint in various ways. He used to remind people, "Faith is not feelings." However, we no doubt can recognize in others and ourselves not simply thinking through the severity of this pandemic but running on and fanning the fumes of feelings. Do we not believe in these very words spoken in Mass, regarding consecration of the Host--His Real Presence: through Him, with Him, IN HIM? Christ is IN US.
Jesus has said, "The Kingdom of God is within!" On the Solemnity of the Annunciation a couple of days ago, Isaiah wrote of the virgin bearing a son, and He would be the savior of the world, and He would be Emmanuel: God with us! Just today in an interview, Cardinal Dolan of New York City spoke eloquently and passionately to remind people that Jesus is with us, we are never alone, and what a good time for us to lower our pride, to accept we do not have the answers and do not know nor can control what is happening, but in humility and in faith, God is with us and will bring us through.
The Gospel of John shares this message as well, in yet a different way and perspective. In chapter 5 we read these lines that ought to consider carefully where is our faith--at what level, at what depth or breadth. I will write out the lines that struck me most of these words of Jesus Christ, and His trying to get through to us, that while there are many means for knowing Jesus.
There are persons holy and intermediary who enrich our faith, provide the sacraments, guide us in spiritual life. We have the Scriptures containing His Living Word and great writings of holy persons that help us in knowing Jesus. But always, we can simply and truly come to Jesus any time, any place--in our bodies, minds, hearts, and souls! Jesus abides in us, and we abide in Him!
"'[Jesus said]...Moreover, the Father who sent me has testified on my behalf. But you have never heard his voice nor seen his form, and you do not have his word remaining in you, because you do not believe in the one whom he has sent. You search the scriptures, because you think you have eternal life through them; even they testify on my behalf.
"But you do not want to come to me to have life. I do not accept human praise; moreover, I know that you do not have the love of God in you. I came in the name of my Father, but you do not accept me; yet if another comes in his own name, you will accept him."
Think on these of Jesus' own words. We are so tempted to accept others more than we do Jesus Himself! We rely on Scriptures when we have Jesus within us always. (And this is not to say that we ought not search the scriptures--but search them to know Jesus all the more.) But we can forget that it is not the scriptures that will give us eternal life; Jesus gives us eternal life. Why not simply, truly, come to Jesus to have life?
Jesus does not accept human praise! But do we know anyone who does? That is a point for discernment, especially of those who strive to be such as any of us followers of Christ, or even of those ordained to be as alter Christus, or in the person of Jesus. Do any of us or do we know of those who accept human praise or take pride in position and lose a sense of humility in doing what is prudent and wise?
Truly, this section of Jesus' very words have made a tremendous impact on me, a nothing consecrated Catholic hermit. I have gone through a period of discerning myself, discerning situations and persons in ways that the Lord has desired me to granularly discern. And the Lord, also, has been working with me in the sickness and solitude of my own 25 days now of still recovering from being very ill with not COVID-19, but with an awful, upper respiratory infection.
The thoughts are too much to share right now and perhaps not ever; what the Lord has helped me discern still being absorbed. I'm mulling what it all means, what will evolve, what direction and what He wills with me. But my faith is growing in a way I'd not anticipated, and in the major solitude in ways indescribable I remain His alone. While I am very much enrapt in the Body of Christ, I am all the more through, with, in: Solus Deus! God alone!
I come to Jesus. Here I am, Lord. I have come to do--to be Thy will.
God bless His Real Presence in us!'
People, please stay home. Stop the spread of COVID-19. Can we not spend a little while with Jesus in our dwellings, stay with Him Who is in us?
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