---

As I write, communities around the world are in quarantine, over a million are sick, and tens of thousands have died. The COVID–19 pandemic has thrown the world into a time of physical, emotional, economic, and spiritual distress. Our assumed rhythms—good and bad, societal and personal—have been thrown into disarray. Whether we like it or not, we are each faced with the daunting task of finding new habits for a lonely and unsettled time.

This series brings together 12 younger Christian authors from a range of vocations to share their insights about how to live well in the midst of this pandemic. Each essay is an exercise of contemplation-in-action, a reflection on one of the many areas of challenge that we face in this crisis and concrete advice for how to structure our habits in response.

The first three essays are structured around Holy Week (the Practice of Embodiment for Maundy Thursday, of Lament for Good Friday, and of Surprise for Easter morning), with subsequent reflections for the next nine weeks.

This week’s liturgies remind us powerfully that Christianity is neither sentimental about death nor surprised by it. We have a history of profound lament, but also of profound creativity in times of difficulty. In this spirit, this series seeks to reimagine foundational Christian habits for this new time.

Sincerely,

Michael Di Fuccia, PhD
Series Editor