(Part of an ongoing account
started on March 13, 2020 of how the spread of COVID-19 in our country and our
government’s response has affected our lives.)
It
took some convincing but late yesterday afternoon, hubby said yes.
We are
not doing the Way of the Cross virtually. We are going to do it much like we
have done years past but we will forego the seven churches. Instead, we will
pray before 14 stations I have set up inside and outside the house.
“Really?
Daddy said yes?” daughter asks, watching me closely. She always tells me I am a
bad liar.
She
sighs when I confirm it. She is a teenager. She much prefers sitting down and
praying in front of a monitor.
It takes some effort, I must admit. But we’ve practically been glued to news
outlets every day or Netflix or whatever keeps us busy. I wanted us
out of that mode. The days might flow one into the other
during this lockdown, but I wanted to jolt us out of it and into prayer because after all, IT IS LENT.
For as
long as I can remember, we’ve always done the Visita Iglesia. When I was growing up
in Cebu, we prayed two stations per church so we visited seven churches. To a child, it was, in parts, fun, but I remember that it was more an obligation, even
drudgery. I couldn’t count quickly enough to seven.
I
don’t remember exactly when I changed. I do know that through the
years, God became less this Being I was obliged to visit every Sunday in Church, and more my personal savior. I found myself talking to Him more and more, and
being thankful.
I am
also blessed to have married a man who shares my faith and observes the Lenten
tradition. So now, we are doing the Way
of the Cross as closely to the real experience as
possible.
What's nice is that we don't have to deal with traffic inside and outside the Church or parking problems. We’re just going to hop from station to station printed on paper, which I've stuck on the walls in various parts of the house until we come full circle to our small
altar.
And we
will pray. Most importantly, we will pray.
Grant healing and speedy recovery
for those who are sick, protection and strength for our frontliners,
enlightenment for those who are searching for the cure, and the safety and
peace of your people. We ask these prayers with trust and humility. Amen.1
DoH
update: As of 4 p.m. of April 9, 2020, the Philippines has reported 4,076
confirmed corona virus cases, including 124 recoveries and 203 deaths.
