Maybe you were a student in school on the brink of graduation. Maybe you were a parent who suddenly found their secure livelihood in jeopardy when you were forced to stay home. Or maybe you are just yet another individual who feels limited by the lack of choice brought on by the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Whatever your situation may be, it is safe to say that mandatory quarantine has most likely affected your life in more ways than one. As a stay-at-home order that began as a few months now extends indefinitely into the future with no end in sight, hope for a return to normalcy may seem like a hollow dream. However, while many of us have had to press pause on in-person activities (dining out, attending religious services, graduations to name a few), this dynamic, ever-changing situation also presents us with a unique challenge we may never have been faced with before.

Like most of us, I watched online mass and attended adoration from the confines of my living room for the past few months. Initially, it felt strange and isolating to follow along with the rituals of the Sunday mass without the voices of the church community behind me and the proximity to the Eucharist. As youth member Merlin Joyce put it, “getting used to virtual mass was a real challenge.” While I tried to emulate the feeling of being in the physical presence of God, it was difficult to not let my mind wander or resist the urge to sit down during a longer portion of the mass. However, despite the struggles that came with the situation, the experience was truly eye-opening.This limitation in my full and meaningful participation in mass became more apparent at home, where it was easier to become distracted or careless.

"Getting used to virtual mass

was a real challenge."

I realized that I had fallen into a rut of mindlessly going through the motions of the mass, without stopping to consider the meaning of the rituals. Now that there were no excuses of a lack of time or accessibility, I could easily see that prayer had always been a matter of priority. The difference between making time for God and setting aside time for God is important. If we consciously dedicate portions of our day to learning and growing with God, we will naturally become more attentive and present during mass.

Quarantine happened up a wealth of opportunities that were not possible earlier, including the ability to view masses and prayers from anywhere in the world. I used my time to learn more about different Catholic rites around the globe, like Australia, Britain, and Cape Town. It was fascinating to see the variations that make each service unique, while finding a common bond in the Eucharistic tradition that unites us all together. Jilu Chengat, national Jesus Youth coordinator and speaker for the Summer Syro Series, described online mass as an indicator of “the power of spiritual communion with God and the wider Church, showing us that we remain with him even when we cannot be in His physical presence.” The pressure to force myself to stay engaged with the mass was slowly replaced by an increasing excitement to explore the true meanings behind the actions. While we may never have imagined ourselves in this situation, the knowledge we can gain from these experiences brings us closer to understanding our relationship with God.

Finally, the power of starting off with a simple routine that you stick to, is immeasurable. Many young adults may feel overwhelmed by the sudden disruption to their daily lives or may not have a home environment that supports their prayer needs. Even with these difficulties, we can adhere to a few daily goals-- perhaps praying the rosary every night or attending a virtual retreat-- that can make the task of finding ourselves in faith slightly less daunting. Make efforts to remain active members of our church community.