By Father Brian Collins
Thursday 14 May was a day where all our world religions were uniting in prayer for healing of our world from the coronavirus.
I’m Brian Collins, writing on behalf of the Christian and Catholic voices in our district.
Fr Martin Jeramias and myself work in team ministry at Resurrection Keysborough and St Anthony’s Noble Park.
Our multicultural community is very strong in its practice and lived faith.
Our parish staff and parishioners have really struggled at not being able to attend Mass, visit our churches and gather with our communities.
Nothing prepared us, that we wouldn’t be able to celebrate the most important season in our Christian calendar, the Easter Triduum, the holiest of our days.
Holy Thursday where Jesus taught us about the importance of service and the giving of himself in the Eucharist.
Good Friday where we hold the crucifixion and death of Jesus and all those who suffer today in carrying their cross, which this year was most of our world as a result of the virus.
Easter Sunday is our day of celebrating the resurrection of Jesus, death is defeated and we return home to God, to the fullness of life.
Our parish staff and leaders have been phoning our parishioners.
People have been very appreciative of the contact, most families are doing really well, but all are missing their community.
Those who are struggling the most, are those living on their own.
Watching the world news is terrifying and has been taking some of our people to dark and scary places.
Over these weeks we have been recording Mass where many people have found great comfort in seeing their local community reaching out to them.
These Masses can be found on our parish websites.
We have all needed to be responsible in our self-hygiene and care of one another.
For many this has been isolating themselves from those we love, our elderly or vulnerable. Mother’s Day, we were unable to visit those we were celebrating and honouring.
Birthdays and anniversaries have been very low key.
As a faith community in the Easter season, we were called to live in the moment, but we are also reminded that in faith, God walks with us and calls out of darkness into God’s wonderful light that fills us with hope, joy and love.
May the promise of Easter remind us of God’s unconditional love for all humanity and God’s creation.
Blessings to all.
