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iwillrisenowinfaith
Guest
When the social distancing mandates started coming down, I was both grateful and a bit terrified. So much of what we took for granted - the simple act of going to Mass, being able to sit in a coffee shop and speak intimately with a friend, enjoying casual social activities in our free time without fear of disease - was swept away overnight. And now this: we cannot come within six feet of each other because the very real risk is loss of each others’ lives.
I will admit I reacted poorly to the measures at first. While I followed them, even I as a strong introvert felt that they were draconian, that they striped away our humanity even more than what we’d already experienced. Walks outside and trips to the grocery store felt like a game of bumper cars or musical chairs, especially when encountering the elderly. I found myself jumping back, freezing…and forgetting that I was encountering another human being.
This morning, I woke up with a simple thought on my heart: What if we thought of that six feet as the divinity of the other person? And, by acknowledging that distance, we are acknowledging the divinity in them? Think about it: we are taught to do as much and now we have a very real physical manifestation of respectable space between human beings. So a soft stepping away replaces the jumping back. A little prayer replaces the thoughts of fear and guilt, the "what if"s.
I tried it this morning on my walk and already found myself once again exchanging smiles and nods with my neighbors.
Just wanted to share this tiny seed of light in an otherwise very dark time with other Catholics out there. I can’t say I’m praying a lot in the Catholic ways these days - I feel shell shocked and a bit abandoned by the Catholic Church at the moment (though I understand and absolutely agree with the dioceses’ approach of shutting public contact down early, to protect both priests and religious and the most vulnerable in the public) - but when I do start again, you will all be in my prayers.
Stay safe and God Bless.
I will admit I reacted poorly to the measures at first. While I followed them, even I as a strong introvert felt that they were draconian, that they striped away our humanity even more than what we’d already experienced. Walks outside and trips to the grocery store felt like a game of bumper cars or musical chairs, especially when encountering the elderly. I found myself jumping back, freezing…and forgetting that I was encountering another human being.
This morning, I woke up with a simple thought on my heart: What if we thought of that six feet as the divinity of the other person? And, by acknowledging that distance, we are acknowledging the divinity in them? Think about it: we are taught to do as much and now we have a very real physical manifestation of respectable space between human beings. So a soft stepping away replaces the jumping back. A little prayer replaces the thoughts of fear and guilt, the "what if"s.
I tried it this morning on my walk and already found myself once again exchanging smiles and nods with my neighbors.
Just wanted to share this tiny seed of light in an otherwise very dark time with other Catholics out there. I can’t say I’m praying a lot in the Catholic ways these days - I feel shell shocked and a bit abandoned by the Catholic Church at the moment (though I understand and absolutely agree with the dioceses’ approach of shutting public contact down early, to protect both priests and religious and the most vulnerable in the public) - but when I do start again, you will all be in my prayers.
Stay safe and God Bless.
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