Palm Sunday in CoronaTide - Rector's rambling for April 5, 2020

Our time of social distancing continues, and as we enter the holiest week of the year we do so knowing that the public liturgies of the Church have been cancelled.  Rest assured, all the proper liturgies for the important days coming up will be prayed, and many livestreamed.  But it will not be the same without the Body of Christ gathered together here in our wonderful church and chapel to worship, pray, wait, watch, mourn, and rejoice TOGETHER.

I have a favorite place in my house where I read and pray.  It is in our living room, where a pile of books sit on a table between two chairs.  During this time of Staying Home to slow down the spread of the virus, I have set up an oratory chapel in my house in order to say The Holy Communion Service, also known as The Mass.  Although Sunday Services were pre-recorded in the church, the daily Masses are being livestreamed from this new temporary location.  Here I stand before the altar of God to say the prayers of the Church on behalf of all the people of St. John’s, and Christ becomes present in the Sacrament, which I wish I could administer to you.  This is really hard for me to not be able to do so.

And even though I can see on the YouTube and Facebook counters that hundreds of people are “tuning in” during the service, it is not the same as having you there with me to celebrate these Holy Mysteries.

Although not physically present at these Masses you can still make what is known as a Spiritual Communion, praying “In union, O dear Lord, with the faithful at every Altar of Thy Church, where Thy Blessed Body and Blood are being offered to the Father, I desire to offer Thee praise and thanksgiving.  I present to Thee my soul and body, with the earnest wish that I may be always united to Thee.  And since I cannot now receive Thee sacramentally, I beseech Thee to come spiritually into my heart.  I unite myself to Thee, and embrace Thee with all the affections of my soul.  O let nothing ever separate me from Thee.  Let me live and die in Thy love.  Amen.”