Quarantine 11, Lepers

We are all considered lepers till proven otherwise.

It is very hard to be in quarantine, especially for those who are single and live alone. No touch, no shoulder to lean on, nobody to cook for or talk to. Solitary confinement is supposed to be a very cruel and harsh punishment. But that is what has happened. People flock to churches when there is a crisis like this. At least, they used to. Being a member of a church one would suppose the church would provide comfort in the midst of all this uncertainty. However, also the churches leave their flock to struggle alone.  We have to find our own way, our own personal relationship with God. We are often told that without a family, a church family, one can’t experience one’s faith, or one’s faith cannot grow. Faith is partly a relationship with God through our fellow beings. We are in it together. Isn’t it strange then that in a crisis like this we are left in the cold and even churches close their doors? Our government (this of course depends on the country one lives in) has left us some possibilities. 30 people are allowed to attend a church service, with restrictions of distance, hygienic measures, no touching etc. That can be done. Why then do most churches prefer to close their doors? It may be the only contact – not physically of course – and comfort some of us can have during these isolating times.