What I Miss About Church During Social Distancing

Has social distancing been a challenge for you spiritually? In this article “What I Miss About Church During Social Distancing, I’ll discuss the top things that I miss about going to mass. It’s been a hard adjustment for us all, but I’m grateful that services can be offered outside instead of canceling all church service again. 

Churches were closed because they were viewed as “non-essential,” but if you’re like countless other people around the world of different religions and me can attest that practice, their spirituality is essential to their well-being. The small sacrifice of having church service times shortened and having mass in the cold or hot sun is nothing compared to the sadness and longing to go to church again. 

I’m sure some of the things that I miss during social distancing might seem silly, but somethings that annoyed me before I kind of miss.

Wearing A Mask

This may seem obvious, but I miss walking around without a mask and seeing another person smile or the expression on their face when you tell a joke. I still find myself walking into a store and smiling at the cashier and realizing that they can’t see me smiling. It takes a little extra effort to express your feelings through your words and body language.

Church Service Outdoors

Well, we tried having church service inside for a few weeks during COVID, and right when we thought things were getting back to some type of normalcy, then indoor services were immediately outlawed. Thankfully churches were allowed to have services outside. In some ways, outdoor services are lovely! Looking up at the sky and hearing the birds singing as you worship, the Lord is a beautiful experience. However, outdoor church services have its downside—the constant sound of traffic, bugs flying in your hair, and police sirens. I didn’t even mention sitting in the sun in the middle of summer.

Community

Okay, I’ll admit that I’m not a social person by nature, but I do love seeing my church friends, priests, and other parishioners each week, and it becomes like a family. Sunday is like a family coming together for dinner and gathering around the table of God. I’m not complaining about keeping six feet because I hate people being on top of me, but I do miss interacting with people.

Scouting Out Eligible Bachelors

Okay, this one is for the single church girls who haven’t given up hope that a high-quality man still exists. You keep the slight hope that your prayers will be answered, and your knight in shining armor will sweep you off your feet. You might not have the same type of dream scenario, but your heart is open to meeting a great man at your church.

Being single right now sucks! Many social events are canceled, and most dates are happening virtual or behind a mask. This is not the way to date! I want to know who is the man behind the mask! If I like a guy, how am I going to have to stay six feet away from a guy until it’s safe for a kiss? Dating in the year of COVID sucks!

Music

What I miss most is music! Listening to the beautiful organ play and the choir sing the introit hymn is one of my favorite parts about the church. I’m sure some churches have music outside, but our church is an old school, so we only have an organ and a choir. Music is another form of prayer, so it feels like a significant part of the service is missing. I can’t wait to hear the organ play again.

Incense

The beautiful smell of incense feels our church with a mystical haze every Sunday until Coronavirus hits. With mass stripped down to its simplest form, incense isn’t used at all. I love going home smelling like incense because it reminds me of God’s Holy Presence being with us even though we may not feel it, we see it.

Silence

My favorite part about going to mass is how to revert our parish is. I love walking into a church full of people, and it’s silent. Silence is a natural way to enter into a meditative state, and sometimes people don’t like that our church is quiet because they think that we are antisocial. Silence allows us to get into a revert state to prepare to enter into the ultimate conversation with God.

Adoration

Adoration is one of my favorite forms of prayer as a Catholic. To have an opportunity to kneel before God in the Blessed Sacrament. I love the silence and that face to face meeting between God and His child. 

This is another powerful form of prayer that moves people to tears and can change your life. It’s another moment when you can walk into a Catholic Church filled with people and hear a pin drop. I use to go to adoration twice a week as a way for me to meditate, reflect, and pray. Check out this article from Life Teen A Beginner’s Guide To Adoration.

Screaming Children

My weekly comic relief is hearing a child acting up during church service and their parent trying to get them to stop. They try to whisper to them to be quiet, but it never seems to work. Eventually, the child starts crying, and the parents have to pick them up and take them outside. 

I remember one time a child kept telling his parents no over and over again until she started screaming at them in the middle of mass! That kid screamed out of the church and into the parking lot. My priest always has a way of having a perfectly timed prayer or comment during his homily to acknowledge those “restless angels.”

What are some of the things that you miss about church pre-COVID-19? Leave a comment below and let us know how you’re coping with all the changes to church services. If you enjoyed this article, check out 4 Ways That God Saved My Life