Lenten Disciplines in a Time of a Pandemic

I am sobered by how our social landscape has changed in just a few weeks.  A few weeks ago, my church had made no changes in the face of a new virus.  We passed the peace with hugs and handshakes.  We anointed with oil.  We didn't use gloves when we touched food.  We had more hand sanitizer than your average church, but that's because we have more than our share of elderly and immunocompromised parishioners.

At the end of last week, my church released new guidelines:  we would pass the peace without shaking hands or hugging.  We would use gloves to prepare for coffee hour.

At the end of this week, another set of new guidelines:  no passing of the peace at all.  We will still gather to worship, but all other gatherings are canceled--and it won't surprise me if we cancel worship soon.  I have pastor friends across the southeast, and many of them are announcing complete church shutdowns, although many have plans for online assembly and/or support.

We had planned to have a Wednesday night Lenten Prayer, with a different prayer practice each week--that event is canceled.  We had one session on Wednesday night, and it was me and another woman, so not many people will feel sadness at that cancellation.  As the person in charge of Lenten Prayer, I felt both sadness and relief at the announcement of that closure.

This morning, I thought about the Lenten practices across the nation that might need to be changed or abandoned at this midpoint of the liturgical season.  But maybe we can use this time to adopt a new practice.

Maybe we want to embrace this time of social distancing.  Maybe we want to explore solitude in this time of a new illness.  Maybe we want to be alone with God.  Centering prayer seems like a good practice in a time of pandemic.

Or maybe we want to step up our efforts to care for the poor and dispossessed.  As we buy extra supplies for our households, we could buy a bag of food for the local food pantry.  We can send cards to those who need to self-isolate or make phone calls.  We can check on those who need to practice more severe self-isolation, and if appropriate, help them get the supplies they need.

We can always return to one of the most ancient disciplines:  prayer for those in charge, prayer for those affected.

And maybe some of this enforced down time will give us the space we've been craving to try other disciplines.  We could keep a journal.  We could sketch or paint.  We might finally have time to read the great theologians we've always meant to discover.  This list could go on and on.

We live in a time period that has seen the exponential increase in distractions, along with an exponential increase in new virus cases and exposures.  Let us resolve to take up our Lenten disciplines and stay focused.