Interesting times, no?
While the People of God have no direct access to the liturgies of the Church, we are reminded they are still our public expression of our Faith, even when they are seemingly done in "private". The Communion of Saints still shine in all its glory, even when this veil has been placed over them. (Which begs the question--do all these wonderful attempts around the world to use media old and new to bring the Mass and the Liturgy of the Hours/Divine Office to screens on various devices a form of "active" or "actual" participation?)
So while we are for a time deprived of the horizontal aspect of our worship, it would be interesting to see how much of an increase there has been in private devotions. The Rosary has always been an excellent fallback. Chaplets (including and especially the Divine Mercy Chaplet) could find a bit of a renaissance. Perhaps the eight officially approved Litanies of the Church are finding their way into your prayer life. And then devotional reading, whether the Bible or other pieces of literature, are another tried and true method.
In that regard, I once again step into the breach. Allow me once again to offer my meditations on the "Seven Last Words" of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the sentences He uttered while hanging on the Cross. A traditional service of this 'blog since its inception, I hope they will provide a point of departure to find other deeper insights into what became Jesus' last "sermon" before His Resurrection.
In a time when comfort is needed more than ever, what could be better than the consoling words of the Suffering Servant.
"Come to me, all you who are weary...."
"I will not leave you orphans...."
"And know that I am with you always...."
Re-acquaint yourself with what He said.
They appear for the next seven days "at the hour of His death."
