“The Irish are calling it cocooning,” a friend posted on his Facebook page. He and his wife were stocking up on necessities to stay at home while COVID-19 made its way into Ireland. Up until that point, I hadn’t heard of social distancing painted in such a light. Cocooning not only implies a time apart, it implies a time of transformation. Our main reasons for social distancing are caring for the sick and slowing the spread of the disease. But what if I approached this time of forced distancing like the Irish? Change is inevitable after entering a cocoon. What type of changes will our separation bring?
After a month of social distancing, the rhythm of life seems to mimic the image of a cocoon. Hints of transformation are revealed from time to time. Work for us, in all of its forms, has been an unexpected comfort. My family has embraced our home with a new verve through cleaning, sorting and organizing. Extra sleep has been well received and exercise and prayer remain our lifelines. With the busyness of life stripped away, we live in the present. Respecting the boundaries of the cocoon and working within its confines, has forced us to redefine new ways of “being” with others.
On Good Friday, I felt the need to make a spiritual connection and mark the day in some special way. I drove by my church and to my surprise, there was only one other car in the parking lot. The far-right door of the church was propped open. Feeling satisfied that I could spend some time relaxed in prayer, as opposed to engaging in germ warfare, I grabbed my journal and went inside. I was greeted by my own echoing footsteps and statues of saints wrapped in purple cloth, covered for the observance of Holy Week. The tabernacle, which sits behind the altar, was dark and empty. Its door was left wide open and its candle extinguished. The scene, typical of Good Friday, felt even more appropriate given all that our world is experiencing.
As I settled into a pew, I felt a sense of relief and sadness and connection all at once. Separation has made me realize how much I love community. Thomas Merton believed solitude was necessary in order to fully understand unity. Humans seek unity because we are all made in the image of One God. He wrote, “There is actually no more dangerous solitude than that of a man who is lost in a crowd…who does not function in a community” (Merton, 54). Merton explained that simply living in the midst of others does not bring us into communion with them. True communion is through dialogue, sharing and service.
That church building is a second home to my family. It is a place of solace, friendship and love. But if you take away the walls of the church, the church still lives. The Mystical Body of Christ takes on a new meaning for me this Easter. If you are experiencing darkness from loneliness, loss or fear, my prayer for you is that the darkness becomes a catalyst for true unity, love and peace. Jesus emerged from the cave on Easter morning, defeating death and bringing us hope in the resurrection. During this time apart, may we find reassurance as part of our communities. When it is finally time to emerge from our cocoons, may the transformations we’ve experienced bring us into fuller communion with God and with one another. Have a blessed Easter.
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Merton, Thomas. New Seeds of Contemplation. New York: New Directions Books, 1961.
Photo by Suzanne D. Williams on Unsplash
