Lent and quarantine have three important things in common.
First, the root word for both comes from the Latin quadragesima (translated into modern English as ‘forty’).
For Lent, this signifies the forty days before Easter. In the case of a quarantine, quadragesima (or quarantino in Italian) represented the forty days passengers were kept in isolation at Mediterranean ports during the era of the bubonic plague. Historically, we consider this to be the first period of quarantine. Though isolation time now varies, the name remains the same.
Second, they are activities completed with a degree of loneliness.
Quarantine requires a certain measure of solitude. Despite the boom in online communication, the entertainment value in a Zoom party just isn’t the same. Ask all those poor, Tinder millennials forced to take their blind dates to FaceTime.
Lent obliges an essential status of loneliness as well. By definition, Lenten sacrifices are not group activities. In fact, some consider the hardship of loneliness to be an important part of the whole exercise. Which brings me to my last point.
Third, both of full of suffering.
Ahem. Have I mentioned I’ve given up caffeine this year? I love caffeine. You know when I especially love caffeine? When I am in state-imposed exile, languishing in my home office (AKA my bed). Ahem. Have I mentioned that I love drinking coffee in bed?
You get the idea. I’m suffering.
But other people are suffering on a much greater scale. I’m healthy. I have a comfortable home and food to eat. I don’t have a business hemorrhaging money or a career forced to languish.
Why to continue Lent during Coronavirus quarantine
I’ve had several people inquire why I’m still participating in Lent. The conversation usually goes like this:
“Blah, Lent. No one’s still doing that. The situation changed. Try it again next year.”
I agree with all these thoughts. I definitely considered giving up the whole ‘no caffeine’ promise for the season. Because, as I mentioned above, it sucks.
But here’s the thing:
When I make a difficult commitment during Lent, I pretty much think about giving it up every single day, no matter what the circumstances around me are.
Instead, I’m going to keep going. Because when I think about a sacrifice I’m making, my mind eventually comes around to consider all the good things I have in my life. And I think that’s sort of the point.
Happy photo of the days before lent during quarantine–when I was both drinking coffee and allowed outside–to celebrate.
Banner Photo Credit: freestocks on Unsplash
Love reading this article 🙂
Thank you for reading!
An enjoyable read, Ms. Schley. As an ex-Catholic, I have memories of the importance of Lent. One year, my mother laughed when I informed her I was giving up reading comic books for Lent. Seems funny in hindsight; I often tried to demonstrate that such reading materials were worthwhile by collecting Classics Illustrated (!). I too have given up caffeine at intervals, so yes, I know you’re suffering. I admire your commitment. I wanted to ask: what drew you to Madrid?
Thanks for sharing your observations and aspirations. I’m also enjoying your Medium posts.
Hi Stephen! Thanks for reading and sharing your Lenten stories. It’s nice to connect with others who have survived total caffeine withdrawal : )
As for my move, I love the culture of Spain and I’ve been so happy in Madrid-I highly recommend it!
So happy to connect. All the best.
I enjoyed this very much, Caroline. Your ability to keep up the ‘no coffee’ commitment was especially admirable this year! I usually give up chocolate, but we were caught by the lockdown in Italy and I decided that the situation was bad enough (although it was fantastic to see the sights in Rome without all the tourists), so I didn’t go on with it. It was an unusually moving Easter, I thought, because the services from Sydney were excellent and one really did feel the loneliness associated with Lent.
Hi Lisa! Thank you so much for reading. I agree, something about Easter this year felt especially poignant. I hope you are enjoying the extra freedom out of lockdown, whether you are still in Italy or otherwise! : )