A Brighter Dawn: A Reflection during the Lockdown

Almost three weeks have passed since the beginning of the quarantine lockdown here in Italy, over a month has passed since the beginning of the Coronavirus outbreak in Europe. Albeit the situation in Italy is improving, having reached its peak as of March 31st with over 150,700 cases and over 12,500 fatalities, the North of the country is still seeing a considerable amount of casualties day by day - life in Rome is pretty much the same, we only go out for groceries, everyone is very respectful and civilized. Silence reigns supreme, only sometimes the noise of public transport breaks that eerie sense of calm and for a moment it seems as if normality has come back, but really it has not. 

About two weeks ago, Italy seemed to be at the center of the epidemic, and it still is. Although, as of now, the virus has spread all over the world, in some countries, such as the US, the UK, Spain, France, and Germany - its growth is faster than it had been here - they were weeks behind us - now they are a day or two behind. Similar quarantine precautions have been adopted by all these countries, and many others throughout all the continents of the world. Here we are lucky with our healthcare system, the second best one in the world. What is going to happen to our friends and relatives in these countries? We are all worried and we hope everyone will respect the rules and stay safe.

Now that we are all facing the crisis - we know we have to respect the rules to keep the weak, vulnerable and elderly safe. I hope that this time may become a time of reflection - even Lent is coming to an end, when usually our penitence and fasting end. This time they will not. All those things we took for granted and which gave us comfort are not anymore - going out, seeing friends, even having a walk. What does this mean? Perhaps this could mean that we may get to experience the struggle that many in our society experience throughout their lives. So many people are irremediably ill or too elderly to go out, what must it be like for them? Let us reflect on that - thinking that this abnormality for us is their normality. Even prisoners and captives. Let us reflect on our fortunes in this Lenten desolation and let us spend some time thinking about the least fortunate. Let us for once identify with the struggles of the perpetually quarantined ones. We all miss our social lives, being surrounded by people, but that will have to wait. 

This crisis will go beyond that very feast which represents all that our Christian faith is about; Easter, the hope of the Resurrection and the start of a new, brighter dawn. As the beautiful Anglican hymn goes: a brighter dawn is breaking, and earth with praise is waking; for thou, O King most highest, the power of death defiest. This is that message of love that broke the tomb and bursted out of it - Easter is going to be cancelled, but is it really? Easter is never cancelled and its message must keep us strong in order to get over this time of trouble and tribulation, a time that we can use for moments of private prayer and reflection, and that will likely conclude with the other great feast of the Christian year together with the Incarnation and the Resurrection, that is to be the Pentecost. On Whitsunday, Christians celebrate the foundation of the Church of God by Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit - it will be a symbolic moment for all of us to gather together once again, when we will finally receive the most holy sacrament of Holy Communion - which we are longing for so much. That message of Resurrection power will keep us going through this time and to the ends of time, as one Church, in one faith and one baptism.

In the past few “church-less" weeks, I have been able to develop my own way of singing the praises of God, with my Church, which is our family. We have the beautiful and ancient gift of the Daily Office, the pattern of Morning and Evening Prayer as found in the Book of Common Prayer which can give structure to our prayer life - especially during such hard times. On a Sunday, it indeed feels like an act of spiritual communion to be able, no matter what, to keep that unceasing prayer going. During Lent my Sundays begin with Mattins, Litany and an Ante-Communion service, with the Sunday readings - and it ends with Evensong. Everyone can do this at home with their own families. We must also keep healthy, this time of prayer and reflection, must also be a time for us to reconnect with our lives; a good book or film - let us not despair! 

In the past few “church-less” weeks, I have also been touched by the many recordings and webcasts of church services from around the world. I have been following the church services of our two Anglican churches in Rome, All Saints’ and St. Paul’s - as well as the beautiful services from the great churches of Anglicanism and their beautiful soothing music, especially Mattins at Grace Church in New York or Holy Communion at Saint Thomas Fifth Avenue in New York and the Chapel Royal at Hampton Court. What really touched me about these was seeing these priests offering their praises up to God on behalf of us all, alone in the sanctuary - and there I saw their pain and anguish, but also a strength which I believe in my heart was coming directly from God. I did see that Easter power and hope at work, and it travelled through the screen in the form of the Holy Spirit. Let us pray for them too in this difficult moment at a time when so many of them are not even allowed to have access to their churches to celebrate Holy Communion or to say the Daily Office - they always remember us. We expect them to support us, but who supports them? Let us pray that the Lord may bestow on them the strength that they need.

My city of Rome has a long history of dealing with plague and sickness - perhaps the most powerful testimony of this is to be found in the history of one of our city’s most beloved monuments. The Castle Sant’Angelo, across the road from the Vatican, has been many things - the Mausoleum of Hadrian, a Papal Fortress but perhaps not everyone knows why it is dedicated to an angel, and what angel… It was during the plague of 590 that the Archangel Michael appeared on top of the Mausoleum to smite the plague and eventually the site became a castle dedicated to him, the protector of Rome. Saint Michael is known to be our defender - the leader of that great celestial army who smote evil under God’s feet. Perhaps, now is a good moment to increase our devotion to him. In the words of a wonderful Michaelmas hymn: send Thy archangel, Michael, to our succor; peacemaker blessèd, may he banish from us, striving and hatred, so that for the peaceful, all things may prosper. That we may entrust ourselves to the power of Saint Michael and the loving care of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Our Lady of Mercy, holding humankind under her cloak. Then, we shall sing in our hearts: the Strife is o’er, the battle done; the victory of life is won; the song of triumph has begun. Alleluia!

Some of us may think that praying for the end of a viral outbreak sounds outdated - it is not, we are praying for the medical staff and researchers, and for all those that help the patients as well as for those who are working to find a cure - that is a realistic approach. The Book of Common Prayer has a beautiful collect for these occasions: O Almighty God, who in thy wrath did send a plague upon thine own people in the wilderness, for their obstinate rebellion against Moses and Aaron; and also, in the time of king David, didst slay with the plague of Pestilence threescore and ten thousand, and yet remembering thy mercy didst save the rest; Have pity upon us miserable sinners, who now are visited with great sickness and mortality; that like as thou didst then accept of an atonement, and didst command the destroying Angel to cease from punishing, so it may now please thee to withdraw from us this plague and grievous sickness; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Let us use this time to enhance our prayer life, alone and with our families - let us use this time to reflect and think about those whose lockdowns never end, but let us also diligently follow the rules. We pray and hope in a speedy sunset to this situation, and the hasty coming of a brighter dawn.