This morning I prayed the Stations of the Cross with the monks at Portsmouth Abbey on the coast of Rhode Island.
The men were outside in what sounded like a gale-force wind. You could hear the cries of the seagulls.
Straining to hear, my ear practically laid against my laptop out here in California, it came to me that we have been straining to hear all this Holy Week, and in fact since the quarantine began.
Straining to hear through spotty wifi, endlessly buffering vimeos, broken links, bilingual liturgies, staticky zoom gatherings, live-streaming Masses with people blabbing on the sidebar, a litany of the Sacred Heart led this morning by LA’s own Archbishop Gomez that I simply could not watch because of the distracting stream of virtual hearts someone had launched and that were floating up from the bottom to ruin the screen.
Still–the hunger, the tears of gratitude, the desperation to be close to Christ as today he walks the Via Dolorosa, is scourged, crowned with thorns, nailed to a cross, and gives up his spirit.
Consummatum est–“It is finished”–and even in this pale, seemingly pathetic imitation of solidarity and communion, let me be there with Him.
Sneaking a snack, looking at my phone, sweeping up around my desk, I won’t even be a repentant thief–just, as usual, a thief. Who he died for.
Whispering my name.
EWTN has beautiful programming that is a consolation to me.
Viewed the beautiful and simple Vénération de la Sainte Couronne from the Cathedral of Notre-Dame this morning, live.
Breathtaking and emotional sharing within the walls of this damaged spiritual fortress – a time of reflection, I was able to share in these Holy Moments as I never would have been able, would it not be for our present circumstance.
Thank you Lord for giving me this light in the midst of the darkness.
I have to admit I love the virtual hearts and the sidebar. I love knowing there are others watching with me
Ha, that is priceless! What’s annoying to me is meat and hope for another, which reminds me for the millionth time to mind my own business. Plus I can go to full screen and escape the sidebar, anyway. I’m so glad you’ve been able to participate and feel the communion. Blessed Easter to you–
I agree, Julie–I never would have believed the emotion that’s been generated by the online participation in prayer, liturgy, Stations..and “damaged spiritual fortress” is genius. A friend sent me the Vatican Media link so I did get to see some of our beloved Pope in the darkened and eerily empty St. Peter’s Square, and to hear some of the music. He, my friend, said the reflections were stellar and is going to send them to me later. Bless us all in this light that shines perpetually in darkness…
Beautiful, Yvette, my next-door neighbor Gaby has texted me some of the EWTN offerings, and she is now urging an Andrea Bocelli concert upon me that’s to take place tomorrow morning at 10 am–the topic is hope…Anyway, I’m so glad you, too, have been receiving solace and consolation. Thank God for all the lovely tech people who are working behind the scenes to bring the Masses, prayers, etc to us…