Opportunity and Reason for Hope

When I heard the news on March 13th that Catholic churches around Chicago would not be holding Mass for the masses for the foreseeable future, I'm sure I was one of many who thought that we'd be back in the pews by Easter. Online Mass didn't seem like such a bad idea, and it certainly was more convenient (and less of a time commitment on Sundays). On the flip side, it turned out to have a lot more opportunities for distraction, as I could gaze around my apartment or out the window or even switch tabs on my computer. And the whole not receiving Jesus thing... I found myself asking, was this even attending Mass?

Don't get me wrong - we are blessed to be living at a time when technology allows for recording/broadcasting and live-streaming services. Can you imagine what we would have done 30 years ago? Sure, EWTN has been showing Sunday Masses on TV for many years, but it certainly feels more intimate and meaningful when you still have a sense of your own parish or priest celebrating on the screen. So, yes, in a sense I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to log into Facebook each Sunday and watch Faith Hub, or the ACE Mass, or my own parish Mass.

But still...

Lost.
Scared. Terrified.
Confused.

These feelings have definitely been present in both my own spiritual life as well as my role as a Catholic school leader. Without the true ritual of the Mass, I found myself making excuses for spending less time with God in prayer and centering my work less on God and more on what our human efforts could produce. And I know our human efforts are worth something, but they're not everything and we certainly can't do anything without God's help and presence.

Our world is a scary place with COVID, racism, and the upcoming election, to name a few. Thinking about going back to school in August and everything that has to be in place before then is scary too.

But now there's increasing opportunity to go to Mass again. And that honestly gives me so much hope. It's not to say that automatically this washes away all fears and worries - that would be impossible - but it makes me remember that we are a community of faith that is gathered together, physically when able but also in spirit.

Yet, there is realization that a lot of parishes lack the volunteers they need to reopen their doors, maybe because their population is mostly elderly or they are small in number. So, if you're reading this and you are able/willing (within your comfort zone), I encourage you to reach out to your parish staff or pastor and see where the greatest need is so that people can start coming back together to worship, whether that be greeters, Eucharistic ministers, lectors, sanitizers, sacristans, or other positions.

Let us work together so that our worldwide Church comes back strong and is a beacon of hope for all who are struggling in our present moment and world.