by Alex Sanchez-Vivar

In almost any conversation these days, it is hard to avoid mentioning how the coronavirus pandemic is impacting society in countless ways. As Christians, our hearts and prayers go to those most at risk. ‘We find ourselves afraid and lost’, Pope Francis said during the extraordinary and unforgettable prayer celebrated in March, in the eerie emptiness of St Peter’s Square. ‘We were caught off-guard by an unexpected, turbulent storm. We have realised that we are on the same boat, all of us fragile and disoriented, [...] all of us called to row together, each of us in need of comforting the other’.

We have moved away from the apocalyptic view in which the pandemic (or any other storm) might be seen like God’s punishment for sins. That image, so well depictured in Albert Camus’ The Plague, has been replaced in the current situation by conspiracy theories, an irritating blame culture, or simply by gloomy notions of human existence. None of them are our call, as Christians.

‘Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?’ (Mk 4:38). Most of us have felt like shouting that very same SOS signal. Perhaps we have shouted it next to those who suffer and on their behalf. Like that evening on the boat, Christ responds: ‘Why are you so afraid?’ (Mk 4:40). He invites us to engage with him and become one in him (Jn 17:21) and embrace the ‘saving logic’ of the gospel. We are transformed and then we care; we learn to listen, give company and give ourselves ‘to the end’ (Jn 13:1).

With our churches open for services to a limited number of the faithful, the invitation that Pope Francis makes ‘to pound the streets, so we enter every corner of society’1 , may seem a paradox. It is not. As baptised Christians and missionary disciples, the current change in rhythm is also an opportunity to ponder, to rethink our habits as Christians and as lay members of the Church.

How can we ‘pound the streets and reach the outskirts of our cities’ while (partially or fully) confined to our homes? The Church is contributing to countless initiatives of charity in communities. But in other sectors of pastoral work, it is time to reflect, to discern, to innovate, and get involved – particularly the laity.

This year, the annual Autumn retreat organised by the Adult Formation Team from the Mission and Evangelisation Office of Motherwell Diocese was cancelled. We also had to withdraw other events pencilled in our calendar. Our commitment to serve and support the building up of God’s Kingdom in the diocese and to foster communion and co-operation among parishes, however, has not ceased. We continue seeking channels to bear witness to God’s love.

Two years ago, the Adult Formation Team entered the digital world by opening accounts in Facebook (Adult Formation, Contemplative Theology) and Twitter (@LectioMotherw1). Although initially designed as a means to foster a sense of community amongst our parishes and announce our activities and events, we soon realised their full potential to contribute to strengthening the Church’s mission of evangelisation and formation. During these times of half-open ‘physical doors’, we realised that our presence in social media has become a link with our parishes and fellow parishioners.

In our weekly tweet we recreate the treasure we find when practicing Lectio Divina. In these home-made vignettes, we assemble, every weekend, three elements that aim to inspire our prayer: a short sentence from the Sunday Gospel; a picture that relates to the Gospel’s teaching; and a brief exhortation that explores a little bit further our encounter with the passage of the Gospel.

Thousands of initiatives like ours rely on the conviction that we can – and should – become new vines in the midst of this new era. There are new ways, new paths, new roles for us as lay people, and we should be seeking to explore them. By using new technologies, we aim to cultivate a climate  of constant listening to the word of God, and in contemplation, to create within us a truly wise and discerning vision of reality. May the Lord inspire us to create newer and more effective ways to work together and comfort each other and those in most need.

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