I have been living and working from my office since the community quarantine started seven weeks ago. Yes, it might sound like the worst place to stay right now, however, personally, it just proves how God moves in mysterious ways.
Sometimes staying in one place can be so difficult! We can feel like we’re going crazy. But this quarantine has given me a lot of time to pray and reflect, and to listen to the Lord speaking to me.
I have been reflecting upon the beautiful Easter messages that have helped me increase my faith despite the current unfortunate realities, and I am happy to share them with you.
"Remain in me as I remain in you." - John 15:4
As the community quarantine drags on longer than expected, it has never been harder to remain at home, even if we understand that it is truly the most charitable decision, given the circumstances.
During these times, we can be tempted to feel alone. But this is not the case. Christ is in me, and I in Him - that relationship is sometimes not an experience. The Christian is always in the Lord and vice versa. We may not feel it. But Christ promised us that it is true! That is always a reason for joy! Even if it is difficult to rejoice during these circumstances, if we pass through difficulties we can rejoice always, because we are convinced that Jesus never leaves us. What does that entail?
Trust.
It leads us to the second passage we can reflect on:
"Jesus, I trust in you."
This Divine Mercy message strengthens us. Our faith is strong because we trust in His loving, selfless mercy. In turn, this trust gives us hope. As we know, there would never have been an Easter without a Good Friday. Jesus' resurrection gives us hope that this all will pass. We wait patiently for God to come. Actually, it is the other way around. He patiently waits for us to come back to Him, as a good Father waiting for His children to return.
Lastly, I want to go back to the hardship of remaining in a specific place - not just physically but spiritually. During this time, staying at home is the most visible sign of freedom, no matter how ironic it sounds. Choosing to remain home is literally saving the lives of people we will never meet. It is a huge act of love! There is always freedom in love. When we decide to love, we can never be more free. Even if we feel trapped, if we make this time of quarantine an offering of love, then we will be truly free. At the end of this journey, we will not regret it. Let us use this time of quarantine to grow in love! There can never be a more beautiful sunshine than after being stuck in darkness for so long.
Now, I will leave you with a quote for you to ponder on during the rest of the quarantine period.
"Being JOYFUL amidst suffering is possible, and it is a GIFT." - Pope Francis
Written by Mary Louie Dejaño, Pure Heart server