Shelter in Place? Sounds Familiar...

As of early this afternoon, 36 states have issued “Shelter in Place” orders in some counties, and in some cases statewide.  Utah’s Summit County is among them, and according to stories that ran on the local news on Tuesday, Governor Herbert hasn’t ruled out a statewide order.  As a former teacher who was in the classroom in this post-Columbine era of school shootings, Shelter in Place sounds very familiar to me.  It’s what we called a soft lockdown.  Continue with activities in the classroom, just don’t let anyone leave or go outside.

These statewide orders are similar.  It comes down to staying home unless it is absolutely necessary for you to go out.  What would this mean for us as Catholics?  Public celebrations of the Mass are already suspended.  It would mean, if enforced, that we might not be able to go to our churches, even individually, for private prayer, as is the case in Summit County.

It means that our Domestic Church – our churches in our own homes consisting of us, the people of God – would need to be stronger than ever.  One can engage in private prayer anywhere at any time.  Don’t be discouraged.  Take heart, and pray for God to be our shelter during this time of uncertainty.

Laetare? and Alternatives to "Happy Birthday Twice"

The Fourth Sunday of Lent is almost here.  This Sunday is known as Laetare Sunday.  It is the middle of Lent, and we’re halfway through our journey toward the commemoration of Jesus’ resurrection at Easter.  Rejoice!

Wait, what?  Rejoice?  How can we rejoice these days?  We can’t go to Mass on Sunday with the rest of our parish.  We have to practice social distancing, and in some cases self-isolation and quarantine.  AND we just had an earthquake yesterday!  What is there to be joyful about?

Rejoice in the fact that this, too, shall pass.  Rejoice in the fact that God loves you.  Rejoice in the fact that you can still pray, even if it is in isolation.  Rejoice in the fact that so many of our priests continue to pray daily for us, and they seek ways to keep us connected to our faith and our parish communities.

If you are struggling to think of things to be thankful for at this time, try to come up with at least three things.  They can be small things.  Thank God for the rain.  Thank God for the medical professionals who are working to help those who are sick.  Thank God for this time to grow closer to Him through silence and contemplation.  He is waiting for you, always.  Go to Him in prayer.

(Last week’s blog never got posted due to the situation being in a state of flux.  Please find it below.)

In the current situation of hyper-vigilance due to the coronavirus, the CDC is reminding all of us to wash our hands.  Having worked in a daycare previously, I became well-versed in the CDC guidelines for proper handwashing.  Part of the guidelines indicates to scrub hands for 20 seconds – “about as long as it takes to sing Happy Birthday twice”.  Alternatives include “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” or the ABCs (once).  All of these is great to use with your younger kids, but what about for us as adults?

I’ve seen several posts floating around on Facebook with alternatives to “Happy Birthday twice”.  Some suggest excerpts from musicals, others bits of popular songs.  I even saw a Youtube video posted by our Episcopalian brothers and sisters suggesting “Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow” – what they call the doxology.

I have a suggestion for us Catholics, which is especially relevant right now during Lent.  Try singing either of the settings of the Kyrie we use at St. Ambrose.  Both are about twenty seconds in length if you repeat each phrase (i.e., Kyrie twice, Christe twice, Kyrie twice).

Above all, remember:  Keep Calm and Wash Your Hands

Struggling with Lenten Resolutions

It is a typical Catholic practice to give something up for Lent.  I try to make a commitment to add something as well as giving something up.  This year, I haven’t struggled as much with what I have decided to give up as I have with what I have decided to add, and it is because “life” insists on getting in the way.

Of course, I have to tell myself, that it is a matter of priorities.  Health and sleep are higher priorities than adding something to my routine each day, but am I letting my obsessive-compulsive tendencies get the better of me?  Am I trying to do too much?  Do I need to scale it back?  I have to be honest with myself when trying to answer these questions and make a decision one way or the other.  And I’m not sure what my answer is yet.

Struggling with Lenten resolutions is a good thing, I think.  It helps us realize that we aren’t superhuman.  We are prone to failure, but we can always keep trying.