LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

In January, we were ready to tackle the big questions of life in a Claritas issue centered around the theme of Human. What does it mean to be human, to have a body and soul, to be alive? Our humble admission: there is no single answer to such questions, but we explored our answers by musing on Kanye, fear, Little Women, the practice of Sabbath, and beyond. What we didn’t know, of course, was how the story of the world would unfold in the following months, revealing up close how human we really are.

Jarringly, this coronavirus era has made us all closer to death. It’s not that we are closer to dying, but rather that we are confronted with the harrowing truth that we are mortal. As college students, we can dodge such unpleasant truths for a while—but seeing the tolls rise have made this reality impossible to ignore. 

Being human on this earth means being finite.

Not only am I closer to death, but also closer to tears. However, these tears are not always from the sad and frustrating parts of quarantine. Rather, it's more likely from the video clips of people singing in Italian streets or banging pots at 7 pm in New York City to honor frontline workers—that beauty of togetherness moves me.

Oddly, I’ve seen that, though farther apart, some of us are closer than before. Such statements have already become cliché from use in commercials, but I want to emphasize its truth. Thanks to the pause, many have a renewed perspective on the importance of being in community. It has forced us to intentionally care for each other. And, it has brought Claritas together online, through our own Zoom calls, coronavirus blog reflections, and this Human issue. We’re still behind the mission that we started in January, and the times we’re living through has given this issue an increased importance.

Most importantly, we see this time as an opportunity to draw closer to God. He is the one we turn to even when the causes and effects of the present moment are unknown. He is the one we put our trust in, the one who gives us hope, and the one to hold onto when our futures are uncertain. He is the God who became human like us, mourning with those who weep, who loved us enough to choose to become human for our immortality.

What does it mean to be human? It means living with the knowledge of death, and pain, and sorrow. It means loving each other. And we want to show that being human means living in a knowing hope of Christ, through which we have a life without end.

Sincerely, Abby Bezrutczyk Editor-in-Chief