Archbishop emeritus Virbalas was touched by the desire of Lithuanians to help in hospitals: this is one of the most beautiful news in recent times.

– First of all, it is often customary for a Lithuanian to start Christmas by going to Church with the participation of S. At Mass. This time we will have different holidays. How do you think it is best to meet on Christmas morning this year?

– Every holiday, both on Christmas Eve and on Christmas morning, we are used to everything going as if: what, when, what to do, where we go. And suddenly those external and settled things were gone. So the leaves are very strange. Who is here, what is happening? You know, those external things help a lot to celebrate, but it seems to me that only this year will make you think: what does that celebration mean? Christmas, Christmas, how do I celebrate it, why do I celebrate it?

For me, as a believer, it just deepens my understanding and helps me think: this is the mystery that I celebrate. It is a mystery of the closeness and love of God, and it is always valid: and when I can celebrate with others as usual, but also when I am alone. It is a gaze designed to see meaning, in its deepest form, even when I cannot normally celebrate outwardly.

Of course, people will have many options: St. Mass television broadcasts, both from Lithuania and Rome, Vatican. Most parishes, in cities at least, will broadcast from their churches. Also YouTube channel or Facebook account. I would invite you to participate here and to do so consciously. Not just between other jobs, mixing dough or something else, but participating as if going to churches.

It also creates for yourself an atmosphere, a certain mood, maybe even an outfit. The ritual is always important. I remember living in Austria for a while, the community of newly arrived Jesuits was small and we usually spent every day in that community, but on Sundays it was always the case that we had to come dressed for parties. It does not matter in the same house, the same people around, but Sunday is a celebration. That external sign helps to celebrate.

– So, can we preserve the rituals, although different, because the circumstances are different?

– Yes. The circumstances are not up to us. But there are many things that depend on us, and for our part we can think less “what would it have been like here, what am I missing, what am I missing, what more do I need” while still crying. It is better to say yes, this situation is and is temporary. It will pass, but I experience it in the most meaningful way possible, the best that I can, creating an environment for me that will also help, create a festive atmosphere.

– What message would you convey to people who, for one reason or another, will physically fulfill the holidays this year and in their mind can equate that physical loneliness with loneliness in general? What would you say to those who do not have the opportunity to sit at a common table with anyone?

– I would like to be at least honest with those people. We have developed such individuality and it is very good. Each one is individual, with their own personality and with all the wealth of the person. On the other hand, we have impoverished our other side: the connection with others. Or we were simply forgotten. Now it is clear how we need other people, how important fellowship is, how good it is to be together. This has always been the case, but this situation has highlighted it even more.

I wish these people did not make this moment absolute. Yes, even if I stay alone now or one, the connections that I had, further or closer, remain, remain. Relatives, acquaintances, perhaps family relatives. Those connections may not be ideal, imperfect, but they are. There are people who matter to me and people who care about me. So, those people must be remembered. We are through St. We always pray Mass for all the living and also for all those who have left. It is a reminder to anyone, alone or with others, that someone remembers them. Maybe it doesn’t feel, maybe I don’t know, but there are people like that.

However, whoever has the opportunity, of course, can look not only at himself and his sadness or loneliness, but think, maybe I can help someone, do something. For example, I have one of the most beautiful news lately: when the Santara clinic announced that it was looking for volunteers and responded to five hundred people. Which means that they see the point of helping others.

Also, perhaps less was said, but others, such as the Home of Sisters for the Poor of Marijampolė, asked for help and responded to the nuns from other monasteries, and one of the Jesuits from my community came and volunteered. Clearly, now you have to isolate yourself and be completely separate for ten days or two weeks. Separately, he closed the room – it looks very sad, difficult, but those people saw the meaning of help. Then you can overcome that difficulty when you see the meaning, when there is a reason you do.

Diverse help is important: who can be a volunteer is very good, but it is also possible to remember what can make another or the same lonely person happy: call, convince, say hello, remember. Nothing is better and happier than making someone else happy.

– So that we can make this seemingly sad situation meaningful by helping another and remembering that you are never alone?

– Yes, even when you feel alone, not alone, you are necessary, important. This is a certain message, a message of faith. First of all, a person is thought to be necessary when he can do something, work, create, do something. But the value of a person remains, even if he is in bed, he cannot do anything and he needs help. He, as a human being, remains the same: with his inner spirit, spirit, humanity, he is like other people. We are all equal in our humanity.

– After Christmas, we will have at least a month of similar circumstances of physical separation. Sometimes people seem tired of being afraid, even tired of protecting themselves and others. This is difficult, but necessary. Perhaps you have words that would give you hope, listen, that would help you keep this period separate?

– One should not think that this time we have to move away, push, jump somehow, as if “Somehow he will pass, and then I will live.” No, I live now, this moment. I never know how many I have in those days. This day is part of my life and no one will change it. Today it makes sense. Therefore, it is important not to eliminate this moment from your life, but to make it as meaningful as possible so that we can become rich. Not stolen, not impoverished, but enriched by his experience and his spiritual life, realizing more.

This moment is difficult probably because the man is building against himself. It is difficult and we are not used to it. There is usually a lot of activity, a lot of activity, a lot of outside noise. Sometimes it is even surprising that when a person returns home, they necessarily turn on something trunky, famous for being like a background. Sometimes we can no longer be completely silent. Well, this time it forcibly silences us, brings us back, and edifies us to see ourselves. Each person has an ocean, an abyss and perhaps Everest at the same time, you just have to learn and dare to see it.

I think what you really need is not to downplay the details. For example, at home, in the family, many people start to get upset, but is it something very important, a matter of life and death? Let’s name ourselves and see that these are mostly trivialities that are not worth paying attention to, ruining a relationship. It can be one way or another and nothing will change, the world will not collapse. When you see that these tensions are not the most significant, you can forgive another, remain silent, accept, come to terms. Together you can see many small and perhaps big things that make you happy: a holiday, a message someone has sent, a good and beautiful stay together.

We always say that there is no time and suddenly there is too much time. Let’s sit down with the family and write the dates on the photos, the places that are in those photos. Fifty years later, the children and grandchildren will be infinitely happy and happy about it. Or you can write memories, tell your children how young they were, what they expected, how happy their first steps were, their first words. With so many things that can be done now, they would delight and cheer others.

– You say that this time can be taken as a finally received opportunity to know yourself and appreciate what used to be a trifle and is now turning into a dream, like a coffee with a friend in the city?

– Those small and ordinary things seem obvious, but they are not. So accept everything as a gift. My father suffered an injury at the end of his life and could not move for a year and a half, he needed help, to turn over in bed, to eat. Now, very often when I go to bed I say: God thank you, I can lie down, roll over, get up, eat, go for a walk. I can breathe freely. Now it is a gift and a joy. Sometimes you can only evaluate by comparing it to who doesn’t.