If you have, or currently have these questions in your mind and heart, where life right now feels quite overwhelming and nothing makes sense, please know that your questioning is valid and even has a name. Dear reader, you have been lamenting. Lamentation is also a form of prayer, often referred to as a prayer for help that comes from a place of deep suffering and pain.
We must recognize that no matter how many virtual conferences or Instagram lives or Mass live-streams we attend, it will never be enough. But my friends. Do not grow complacent. Do not mistake this for the norm. We were made for more!
Now, I don’t know if you’ve tried turning away from sin and being faithful to the gospel, but let me tell you, it doesn’t happen instantly. No one achieves Mother-Teresa-level-holiness overnight. It’s a journey – but so is Lent!
In life, we will come across many “losses,” and we have to know what to do and how to react to certain situations. When life hands us “wins” it’s pretty easy to praise God and fall on our knees quickly to give thanks.
I think if Muslims and Christians learn more about the common threads in their faith traditions - in particular by getting to know each other in person, with open minds and without judgement, they can improve their relationships.
Pretty often, my friends and I will ask for each others prayers over specific situations in our lives, asking for certain virtues or strengths that we need. And it’s wonderful for friends to pray for each other. But, today, I present the idea of taking a step further.
No one saw it coming how addictive these little machines would be (except the people that designed them like slot machines). They SHOULD have seen it coming but didn’t. Now there’s really nothing left to do but to figure out how to get ourselves out of this hole.
It’s no coincidence for us as Catholics that this trying time comes during our season of Lent. We gave God our hearts on Ash Wednesday, asking Him to purify us of our worldly desires. We gave up cookies, or maybe social media, gossip, or TV. Did we intend to give up everything else COVID has thrown on there? ...probably not. But it’s here. And it’s out of our control. So what do we do about it?
As a Catholic, how should I respond? How can I help see good in this? How can I help be good in this?
