By Deacon Roger Carr-Jones
Marriage and Family Life Coordinator
For the past few months, I have been living in a different home while my own home has been restored. Part of living in this different space has meant learning to live in a different way, because all the things that are familiar have been packed up in a box and put away somewhere else. Instead we must rely on the few things that we brought in order to live. It is quite a freeing if challenging experience.
Occupying what we term a liminal space means letting go of our usual way of living, which is both fraught and exciting. All of us at are now living in a liminal space, which is called self-isolation. It doesn’t matter whether this is our home as the way in which we use that space is being changed. So, whether we live alone, with friends or with immediate family we are learning to live in a different way.
How does it feel to be learning to live in a different way? It might be difficult, challenging, or surprising? All the things that were familiar to us must now be put to one side for the greater good.
Yet, if we think about the analogy of living somewhere else for a period of time, we become more aware of what is most important in our lives, what is vital and what we most need. In our moment of loss there are also rich fruits to find.
If we look at the Book of Exodus, we will see a people who left behind what was known but not life-giving to return to their real home. It was to be a journey of twists and turns. In today’s reading we hear of the trouble that the Jewish nation got into after running after false images and false gods. So perhaps during this time of self-isolation we might take the opportunity to think what are the false images and gods in our lives.
A time will come when things will return to a usual pattern. However, we might like to reflect on what that pattern will be. Lent is traditionally a time of change, a time of turning once again to the Lord. It is actually a time for growth and new opportunities. So, as the world now shares this Lenten journey, we might like to fix our gaze on reaching the Promised Land.
Make best use of this time of isolation to reflect on which aspects of our lives and way of living we would like to let go of. When normality returns what things might we prefer not to leave in the wilderness?
Reviewing our lives is actually quite a healthy activity and allows us to see the ways in which God’s grace has already been working in our lives. Make use of this unwanted opportunity to grow into the person God always intended us to be.
