Lent Enters In

It is an unprecedented time. I haven’t been able to stop and reflect. It changes daily. Everything feels normal and abnormal all at once.

The virus is here. I won’t post the latest numbers, because they are bound to double within days, and they are bound to be inaccurate because of lack of testing. The numbers don’t mean anything yet. They will when the number is ICU beds needed.

The schools are closed. Events are canceled. Workers are furloughed or quarantined. Most disappointingly, public Masses have been suspended. But also, here, the stores are still open. Offices are still operating. People are still out and about, though at a distance. It feels as if we’re ignoring the signs in other places, waiting for it to hit hard here before we make changes. But then it’ll be too late.

The virus is here, but the pandemic is coming. And so we wait. We wait for it to pass. We wait for it to come before we hide. We wait for the next announcement, the latest update. It’s odd, anxious, boring, aggravating, and calm all at once.

I didn’t plan much for this Lent. And that’s ok. We’re all being dealt more than agreed to. We’re in uncharted desert, and we don’t know if we’ll be out in 40 days. It feels appropriate for this to be taking place in Lent. It is a test of patience, of obedience, of devotion, of compassion, of prayer. Can we rise to the challenge? Can we survive in the desert and return transformed? Will we learn anything from this, or just move on to the next season?

It’s not the Lent anyone imagined or wanted. But it’s the one that will change us. May Easter come soon.