We, as a Church, have been scattered. Not through persecution or hate. Not in fear of dying because of our faith. But we have been scattered nonetheless. Because of this health crisis, we have been scattered from one another. Scattered from assembling, from worshiping as a community, and from receiving the Sacraments.
We are scattered. But in many ways, we have never been more together. Through technology, amazing technology, we can work remotely, shop remotely, do everything remotely. We can attend and participate in livestreamed Mass and evening prayers and 4 o’clock rosaries.
The national and global prayer is amazing, and while nothing can replace being together as a Church community and feeling and touching and receiving the Sacraments, how this Church, and perhaps how our individual faith has grown cannot be neglected.
It is truly powerful, and I think it is truly one good of many that we will see come out of this crisis – this modernization of our ancient faith, while ensuring it’s the tradition and sacredness. We can reach people in ways globally that was never possible before. Perhaps it will spark a renewal in our Church, perhaps it will spark a renewal in the faith of others. Perhaps it will spark a renewal in our own faith.
Because, no matter where we are, Christ is there. No matter where we are, we can preach and live out His Word, His Truth, His Message. Even though we are fasting from His Presence right now, and abstaining from one another – even in this time of Easter celebration – Jesus is here in the midst, through everything, His Spirit within us and between us, linking us.
We have a responsibility to be His messengers in all the ways we possibly can during this time, bringing hope, love, and encouragement to those around us, to our families, our remote co-workers, our social media contacts, and so on. We have a responsibility to be Him to others in this crisis who might be suffering from the darkness, be it physically or mentally or spiritually.
This is Who He is, and this is who we need to be, now more than ever, because there is so much darkness and uncertainty out there. The streets, both physical and virtual, are littered with the trash of fear and panic and darkness. It is up to us, to bring a little light and hope to the situation.
And maybe the first one we need to look to light up and encourage is ourselves. Have you lost hope? Have you given into fear and panic? Have you forgotten your faith? Have your forgotten to trust in Him no matter what? Have you forgotten to take it one day at a time, leaving tomorrow to tomorrow and instead worried incessantly about the future?
I can definitely answer yes to at least a couple of these. Jesus can bring us out and show us the light. He will speak to us through someone else, who will say the words we need to hear, exactly when we need to hear them. He will show us His Love and Truth, and when he comes knocking at our door, we need to invite Him in.
We are scattered now, but through Christ, we are still together. We may feel scattered mentally and spiritually as well. But Jesus can bring each one of us out of this, He will bring us together again – perhaps hungrier, yearning for Him more than ever before. We’ll be stronger, we’ll be humbled, but we’ll be ready. Ready for Him. Ready for each other.
