Redeeming the time.
“Look carefully how you walk, not as unwise men but wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.” — St. Paul to the Ephesians.The familiar adage says ‘we learn from our mistakes.’ No, we don’t. We learn from correcting our mistakes. Looking at how we have handled this pandemic, it is evident that many mistakes have been made and, no doubt, will continue being made. Mistakes were inevitable simply because of our lack of knowledge regarding the nature of the Wuhan corona virus. That is now in good measure being corrected as we learn more about the virus and its effects, and as we work to find a cure. We now know that most people who contract the virus do not get seriously ill, and many have no symptoms at all. Children, thankfully, are the least affected. The elderly, however, and those with other health conditions are particularly vulnerable. When we emerge from the lockdown we will need to evaluate our response to this pandemic, and prepare for the next ‘big one.’ We will also have to reconsider our economic dependence on China, given the nature of their regime.
Meanwhile, as we ‘shelter in place’ waiting for the all-clear to sound, we can still ‘redeem the time.’ It is metaphysically impossible to extract good from evil, but evil can be an occasion for doing good. As St. John of the Cross said: “Where there is no love, put in love, and you will draw out love.” For most of us that means working on the virtues of family life as we spend more time together in the home, and not forgetting to reach out to those who are dealing with isolation and loneliness.
In my own case, the greatest trial has been the need to celebrate Mass without a congregation, that is, without a ‘visible’ congregation, because every Mass is celebrated in the presence of the Angels and Saints. The Sacraments are the ‘ordinary’ means through which God pours his grace into our souls, and they are vitally important for our spiritual well-being; but God’s action is not limited to the Sacraments. When the ordinary means are not available, God does not withhold his grace. Christ enters through locked doors.
In my own case, the greatest trial has been the need to celebrate Mass without a congregation, that is, without a ‘visible’ congregation, because every Mass is celebrated in the presence of the Angels and Saints. The Sacraments are the ‘ordinary’ means through which God pours his grace into our souls, and they are vitally important for our spiritual well-being; but God’s action is not limited to the Sacraments. When the ordinary means are not available, God does not withhold his grace. Christ enters through locked doors.
The lockdown has been an opportunity for me to do some ‘home-school.’ When I was in Seminary I took a class in New Testament Greek, but the saying is true: ‘use it or lose it.’ So I have been doing an at-home refresher course, and thoroughly enjoying it. For the most part our English translations of the Bible are good, but they cannot capture the important nuances of the original text, nor preserve the distinctive voices of the various writers. St. Paul, especially, has a style which can occasionally be brusque and sardonic, but which is always full of energy. His words, although written to Christians two thousand years ago, are also for us today. Let us take his advice: the days are evil, so let us walk carefully and be wise. Let us ‘redeem the time.’
