When the Mass resumes and when we come to church, we might be in for a little surprise.
Coming to church before the suspension of Mass and coming to church when Mass resumes is going to be different.
As we approach the entrance of the church, there are posters on health advisory, asking us to check the status of our health, especially on whether we have a fever, cough and sore throat.
As we go further, there will be hand sanitizers for us to cleanse our hands. Where once we dip our fingers into Holy Water to bless ourselves, we now cleanse our hands with sanitizers.
Then we go along the Q-lines in the direction of the thermal scanners under the watchful eyes of the church wardens before going into the church.
And just as we sit down at the pew and thought that the hassle is over, hospitality ministers will approach us to ask us to take out our mobile phones to scan the QR code to register our particulars.
Indeed we might wonder if the church has become some kind of high security building. Oh yes, things have changed.
Yet the change is necessary, and some changes are here to stay. Given the uncertain and complex changes in the COVID-19 virus contagion, these precautionary health measures and contact-tracing are necessary.
And with the contagion spreading fast and wide in some countries, a shroud of darkness and uncertainty is covering the whole world.
Under this shroud of darkness and uncertainty, we may wonder what God wants to tell us and what is He saying to us in this situation.
In the gospel, as Jesus took His three disciples up the high mountain, He was also feeling a shroud of darkness and uncertainty approaching Him.
There was rising opposition against him from those in religious authority. He was viewed as a rebel to the establishment. He was getting famous but also seen as dangerous.
His disciples could also be wondering if they should keep following Him or not. There were questions but no certain answers.
But with the darkness and uncertainty looming over Him, on that high mountain, Jesus was transfigured in the presence of His three disciples.
His face shone like the sun and His clothes became white as the light. And Moses and Elijah appeared with Him.
It was a wonderful revelation of who Jesus truly is, that He is the fulfillment of the law and the prophecies, and confirmed by the Voice from heaven which said, “This is my Son the Beloved, listen to Him.”
As for us, we too experience a shroud of darkness and uncertainty covering us in this present situation. And we wonder what God is saying to us.
But as the church undergoes changes in this situation we are also going through changes. The church is being transfigured. And so are we.
And in this shroud of darkness and uncertainty, the voice of Jesus scatters the darkness and He says to us, “Stand up, do not be afraid.”
But it is not just in this present shroud of darkness and uncertainty that Jesus wants to stand up and do not be afraid.
There are shrouds of darkness and uncertainty in our lives that reduce us into fear and worry.
There is the shroud of darkness and uncertainty over our financial security and job security.
There is the shroud of darkness and uncertainty in our difficult relationships and we wonder what the future holds for us.
But may this present darkness and uncertainty not drag us down into fear and worry.
Let us turn to Jesus and cry out to Him, “Lord, save us.”
And just as Jesus saved Peter from sinking into the water, He will save us from falling into fear and worry.