Photo was taken at Altamount, Millstreet, Co.Cork (Irl)

This cat ‘Patch’ takes time for reflection as we start Holy Week today

Thought on Sunday – April – 05/04/2020

‘The underlying narrative that once gave us meaning and hope, can lie before us with little more power and energy than that of a spent battery.’ ~ Fr. Alan Hilliard

We are living in incredibly difficult and challenging times during this coronavirus pandemic. We keep hearing the word ‘unprecedented’ being used each day. We have lost our sense of normality and everything in our world seems to be upside down. Every day we are hit with some new twist, some new development, some new figure and statistic and an endless drip feed of negative stories. Thankfully we hear of some happy stories too and how many are reaching out in local communities to make sure that everyone is looked after. Everyone is doing their best to keep safe, to keep their distance and to stay at home.

All that is happening does have an impact on us. No person can say they are untouched by this. We need to mind each other and we need to mind ourselves. It is important that we reach out and talk to someone. It is important that we don’t bottle everything up. Maybe we feel like the rundown battery. What gave us meaning and hope before may now have dried up. We may feel empty, alone, afraid, unsure, worried and even frightened.

This is our starting point as we begin our journey through Holy Week. For Christians, the journey through Lent of 2020 could be our most important. Yes it will be radically different with no church attendance at all. But some ceremonies will take place behind closed doors and will be streamed live. This is important and good. Holy Week will be different but it’s definitely not cancelled. Our journey through this week will touch in on every human experience. It will touch in on everything we are experiencing through this crisis.

I firmly believe this week gives us a strong platform, to begin to recharge the battery again, to not allow ourselves to get swamped in the midst of so much negativity, to put the spotlight on good news and hope. This is the message of Holy Week and especially the message of Easter. We journey together during this special week and we pray for each other during these difficult times.

The following website is most useful if you want to view a church service online particularly during Holy Week. www.churchservices.tv/timetable/ It gives the different times throughout the day and where the live streaming is from.