Quarantine Covidtime Diaries: Ash Wednesday Edition
“No act of virtue can be great if it is not followed by advantage for others. So, no matter how much time you spend fasting, no matter how much you sleep on a hard floor and eat ashes and sigh continually, if you do no good to others, you do nothing great.”
― St. John Chrysostom
"John Chrysostom (c. 347–407, Greek: Ἰωάννης ὁ Χρυσόστομος), Archbishop of Constantinople, was an important Early Church Father. He is known for his eloquence in preaching and public speaking, his denunciation of abuse of authority by both ecclesiastical and political leaders, the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, and his ascetic sensibilities. After his death in 407 (or, according to some sources, during his life) he was given the Greek epithet chrysostomos, meaning "golden mouthed", in English and Anglicized to Chrysostom." (Source: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4589154.John_Chrysostom)
I was raised Catholic, however throughout the years my faith has changed many different times and in many different ways. What I have found that works for me is my faith in being a good, kind, and compassionate servant to people. If there's a G-d, she'd want us to do all the things to make the world a better place. Even through all the BS. A lot of the Bible stories I like are one's that are about being different. Even in the face of adversity if you feel that what you are doing is right, even if people disapprove of it, and it's not harming anyone, keep doing it. In the end you're the one that has to live with yourself and your decisions. Good, bad, or whatever.
My ex, who's a Pastor of two churches would tell me, "You create your own Heaven and Hell. You don't have to wait for the afterlife to experience it. We are experiencing it every single day." I might be paraphrasing, but that's the jest of it. Being someone who manages my mental health, I've lived in a Hell I've created in my mind. Many of us do.
Lent allows me to reboot. To let go of something that no longer serves me, and allow space for good things to replace the bad. With some folx in Rochester we started a Mutual Aid Network. For the next 40 days of Lent I'll share with y'all people & groups in the community we can support. Neighbors helping neighbors. And that's a good thing.
We are made of gold stardust and we will return to gold stardust.
Be well. Stay safe. Take care.
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