With many churches closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the joy of Laetare Sunday seems somehow out of reach, but we Catholics will continue our home devotions and enhance them. Many Catholics will likely decorate home prayer spaces more devotedly than usual. Some of us have gardens. Others do not, but even in locked-down areas, grocery shopping is still permitted and most supermarkets have floral sections. Those relying on home delivery of groceries might be able to obtain flowers as part of their grocery delivery too.
Frequent readers of this site will know that I have been encouraging everyone to visit Gemma's new blog Introibo- with flowers where she shares photos and stories of her volunteer church flower arrangements for the Traditional Latin Mass. Weeks ago, Gemma posted images of her very lovely flowers for last year's Gaudete Sunday, the Advent equivalent of Laetare. Viewing them may inspire us to do what we can to make Laetare Sunday 2020 as joyful as possible in our homes even if we are unable to "go into the house of the Lord" (Ps. 121:1, 7).
We can reflect too that those of us who are temporarily unable to attend Mass due to this pestilence are now in deeper communion with the many persecuted Catholics around the world who are never able to come together publicly without grave risk.
2 comments:
This is a beautiful reflection- especially that of uniting ourselves with the persecuted Church present and past. Father's rose vestments have been on back order in Rome. I suppose he will wear the Roman red this Sunday. I will make some arrangement for the home altar and post it.
Thank you for the kind words, Gemma. I will look forward to seeing your home altar arrangement.
Post a Comment