"Now everything is shut here, and the Passion will be more powerful because the veil of the temple is drawn, and only a cry from the Cross can tear it open. The holy apostles thought themselves bereft of the One they had hoped might be the Messiah. On the Mount of Olives, three of them slept a depressed slumber haunted by anxious confusion. In every generation, varying circumstances have given us the impression of being abandoned by the One who had promised to be with us always. "

"It can, however, transform that fear and love into a gift for others. Filled with hope for the life to come, we can walk with Jesus through this Holy Week to Calvary, taking with us all our fear, all our anxiety, all our pain or anger or confusion, and, as we walk, joining it all to Jesus’ own pain, offering it to God for the salvation of souls."

This is not a moment of paralysis. This is a moment of action. Our Lord has entrusted us with this particular time, and we must be both worthy and brave in facing this hour. What will you do with your time?

The coronavirus and other catastrophes are but dramatic examples of a general truth about the nature of things, a truth that we all know in our bones but that we choose, typically, to cover up or overlook.

"If we cooperate with that grace rather than “kick against the goads” (Acts 26:14), it can enable us to transform quarantine, lockdown, and the interruption of normal life into an extended retreat, a time to deepen our appreciation of the riches of Catholic faith. Dioceses, Catholic centers, and parishes are offering many online opportunities for prayer, thereby maintaining the public worship of the Church. Here are other resources that can help redeem the rest of Lent and the upcoming Easter season."