It continues to tighten its grip Covid19 The abbot came and saw me today alerting me that after talking to our family doctor, and consulting with a few other professionals, we are going to close our church to the public. He was told that having the back of our church open as this crisis develops could endanger those who come out to the Monastery grounds. So this Holy Week is going to be much different than we have ever experienced as a community for the last 60 years. It is double-sided this advance. Once side saddens me, for I am learning how much the community loves those who come out here, especially our friends who worship with us daily. I miss having the retreat house full of people who are seeking God, many of whom I have come to love and care deeply for. This goes for many in the community, our connection with our friends, and those who come here, even once, is profound. On the other hand, this strict enclosure we are living is drawing each of us into deeper communion with God, as well as seeing that other brothers need help with their jobs. This is bringing some healing for some of us. For like most people, we can get forgetful, unthankful, and careless. This is a time of pruning, where our Father is using this pandemic to help us let go of what is not important and to think more deeply about life, whey we are here, and the importance of our faith. Someone told me that there is a priest who from his car carried the Eucharist and blessed the people of his parish. I was told that people lined up along the road to receive this blessing. Before this event, I doubt that few would have done this. Not as a judgment, but again, taking for granted what we have, and being thankful is not always at the forefront of our minds…that is until we put into a positing of loss and fear. I do know that when we have Mass, and during Holy Week, when we receive the Eucharist, we have in mind all of our loved ones, and well, all of God’s children, each a beloved child of our Father in heaven. This is not a time to be ashamed of our faith, which can seem ‘too good to be true”, yet isn’t. Our hearts thirst for love, we seek love, and often in places that only wound us more deeply. There is no healing from the pain that sin brings to us At this time, this wounding is universal, allow grace to do its work, and pray, pray, for those who have lost loved ones, who are alone, leaving no one out. We all live in God, surrounded by light which totally enwraps us, let us all open up our hearts to this reality, no matter what your scriptural path is. Seek and you shall find.—Br.MD
Pruning is just what it is. I was trying to think of the right word for how this feels and if course prunng is the very word. When our fruit trees get pruned it looks as though are being completely shorn. How could fruit ever be produced again. But in God's wonderful way of ordering things in both the natural and spiritual worlds great fruit appears in due season. We are going nowhere and seeing nobody but my prayers are more peaceful and more Christ centered I find. Even my husband who is in normal times a bundle of restless energy finds himself enjoying the solitude. I think it surprises him. I have concluded that in this extremity we are all enduring our Eternal Father has drawn very close. It is like retreating to the desert. Or being on a ship on a long voyage.
True, kicking and screaming ;-), here we are, suffering, at times perhaps fearful, yet the Lord draws close. peace Mark
