Just a few minutes ago, I was speaking to a very good friend about the affect the virus is having on various kinds of human interactions, as well as lack of interactions. This presented a point that it is important for Orthodox people to consider and that point is the total dependence of Orthodox people on the priests for everything having to do with the life of piety. Surely, the priests are important for the part they serve in the Divine Liturgy and other blessings that they make possible. On the other hand, the Orthodox people, are also responsible for the understanding, living and preservation of the Orthodox Faith and passing it on to future generations. How can this be done? First of all, we need to live the Orthodox life every day.It is important to have proper icons (not just for home decor) and a place dedicated to quiet and prayer. We need to understand the Orthodox prayers and the spiritual teaching these prayers give to us. How many people have a prayerbook or a Chasoslov (Book of Hours) or Psalter? Again, how many people read these books and understand what they are saying? With the extra time that the virus gives us, we could begin to read, study and understand these holy books. As well, we can read and study the words of the Divine Liturgy and gain great benefit both in understanding and taking part. If we understand these holy books, we can then pray with understanding so that our Orthodox Faith is something that lives and breathes with us. When we attend the Divine Liturgy, our prayers will strengthen those of the priest in the altar. In the meantime, while it is not possible to attend services, we can live a life of piety by studying our prayerbook, reading the prayers with understanding and respect, and making the choice to learn more about our Orthodox Faith and piety.