An Easter People, Now More Than Ever

At the beginning of Holy Week one year ago, we watched in horror as the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris seemed to be going up in smoke right before our eyes. Though the damage didn’t end up being as catastrophic as we feared, what I wrote at the time, while the church was still lit up with flames, is a poignant reminder as we face an entirely different sort of tragedy this Easter:

Watching this holy place slowly collapse at the start of Holy Week — which will culminate in the commemoration of Jesus’s passion, death, and resurrection — is of undeniable significance. Notre Dame has fallen, the way everything in the earthly city must. She will not rise from these ashes as she was.

As I reread these words this week, and as we prepare for a Triduum without public Masses or our typical celebrations, they take on new significance. For Catholics, this Lent has asked far more of us than we’re accustomed to. Giving up the snooze button or a morning cup of coffee pales in comparison to losing access to everything our churches offer, especially at a time of year when we commemorate the centrality of the sacraments in a particular way.

Though many priests and parishes have developed clever ways of hearing confessions, continuing to host Adoration, or livestreaming daily Masses, there’s not much that can compensate for the fact that most U.S. Catholics will celebrate Easter, the most important holy day of our faith, without the Eucharist. For many, experiencing this time of year without extended family or a parish community might be a particular type of hardship.

That we are living through this crisis during Lent and Easter not only helps us better understand the trials facing our country but also brings new light to the truth of what these liturgical seasons mean.