March 27, 2020
To my brothers and sisters in Christ, Typically, when you walk into our Catholic church, there is a font for holy water, water that has been blessed. It’s what’s known as a sacramental, a sacred sign meant to remind us of our baptism. In these unforeseen times, we have been asked to keep at a distance from fully participating in our holy sacraments. What do we make of these uncertain times?
We must trust in our Lord’s faithfulness and Divine Mercy, by continuing to pray on a daily basis for our faith community, to help us continue our journey with Him and to keep us strong in our personal devotions. Reciting our daily prayers, saying the rosary, following daily mass via the web or television, these are all moments where we turn our daily focus onto our Risen Lord during this holy season of Lent.
It seems that we are experiencing that time in the desert where our Lord also experienced times of loneliness and uncertainty. Let us be instruments of faith and love for our Lord so that he can continue to guide us and help strengthen our faith journey.
Although our church doors may be locked, I continue to say Mass for you and for your intentions. The Holy Eucharist is celebrated daily and continues to work for you even at a distance.
To send a message of hope to as many people as possible during the fight against the pandemic, Catholic churches in the dioceses of Montreal and Quebec will ring their bells for 10 minutes, starting at 12 noon, beginning Sunday, March 29 through every Sunday until Easter. Hear the bells and take heart!
Here’s a quote from Pope Emeritus Benedict: “The one who has hope lives differently; the one who hopes has been granted the gift of a new life.” What precedes that passage is this: “The Gospel is not merely a communication of things that can be known — it is one that makes things happen and is life-changing”.
May we continue to pray for each other in these challenging times and ask God to help us live through our somewhat slower pace and self-isolation. Be assured of my continued prayers for you and may the Lord bless you all in His Divine Mercy,
Blessings in Christ,
Fr. Stephen Diraviam
