As I was on a brisk walk this morning to stave off the jitters of this Pandemic, I was having a little talk with God about this Coronavirus thing. I have to humbly admit, this Pandemic has brought me a little closer to my faith. Confused by the unknowns, I was asking God for insight and guidance when, curiously, I saw a young Dad and his little boy about 4 years old, super engaged with one another. They were obviously talking about the toys on the table in front of them, but there was a very strong and deep connection between the two of them. I've passed this old porch many times before and have never seen the father and son outside together. As I watched the Beautiful Connection between them, I was moved to chills and tears. The tension and anxiety within me dissipated. Maybe there was much to learn from this old little porch.
I haven’t been able to get this picture out of my head and as I reflect on it now, I am filled with a different kind of hope. Perhaps this Corona Pandemic thing, while taking life, is also giving life to important/necessary things forgotten. Forced to stay home from work, parents are spending time with children. Forced to maintain social distancing, Social Media platforms are providing ways for families to stay connected more than ever before. So, I am working on how to translate this very holy moment of grace into words that provide comfort and hope to my clients and my people. Not everyone cares to delve into the complex manuals for human living i.e. the Bible, the Torah, the Koran, or whatever text it might be. Sometimes humans have to learn the hard way. I pray for simple language, stories, and strategies to communicate to my people it’s going to be OK….. I need more porches.
This Lenten Season seems to parallel this Global Pandemic. We are reminded of our physical vulnerabilities and the limits we all have in controlling when we will return to Dust. Maybe there is something to the Catholic Lenten Season that we should really modernize for the world. Because, Lent for the world this year is non-negotiable and does not discriminate based on location, color, race, religion, or political beliefs. Call it Lent or call it Corona Pandemic, we are all participating in making huge sacrifices and facing our potential mortality daily.
The only advice I have so far is to try and pay attention to the porches in your life, whether they show up literally and you find yourselves sitting on one outside of your house. Or, whether social isolation takes you deeper into yourselves and you find yourself praying for the first time in a long time. There are little teaching angels all around us and they are presenting themselves in mysterious little ways.
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