Greetings Parents!
I am not ashamed to say we have not yet fully adapted. Commentators and Pinterest gurus are promoting activities to fill the "long" days. As a parent, even of teens, I'm not finding a lot of free time having everyone home! We're blessed that they 're completing online schooling well on their own. My prayers are with all of those parents filling in as school teachers for children in multiple grades through all of their lessons - while still getting done all that they usually did in a day. May God bless you with an abundance of aid from the angels and just as much patience too!
Then there are those who aren't working, not by choice, and perhaps this time is full of stress, but maybe being parent-teacher is a blessing in both filling hours, presenting a new purpose, and building relationships with your children. The ideas for other activities could be a boon!
Regardless of the circumstance, we are all now helpless in a situation not experienced for many generations. We were in uncertainty for a time after 9/11, but most of us could continue our jobs. The primary affected areas then were supported by those not impacted as much. Today though, the whole world needs help! It's hard to help even the people in our own community. It is - as many are saying - unprecedented.
How do we respond? The first answer is always turn to God - but it is most definitely an answer for today! In crisis we turn to Him in prayer and at Mass - but we cannot now attend Mass! What is this? To the secular world, it is a pandemic, and they happen. To those with eyes of faith, we ask of God, "What do you want me to know from this?" Even more so, "What do you want me to do?" There is no question that between income insecurity, illnesses, deaths, and uncertainty of how things will move forward, prayer is an absolute necessity! If we haven't been praying, we MUST begin - no matter how short. We must open the conversation. If we've been casual, we need to get serious!
There is no question now that while we have tamed much of the world, we are not its masters - that belongs to God. With so much uncertainty, it can be frightening to children (and to us). They need to know that God is in charge, that He has a Plan, and that the Plan is glorious - if only we will cooperate. Suffering happens only because people sin, but growing closer to God in prayer gives purpose and hope. We, and our children, should never yield to despair, because we know that God has got this AND that he loves us beyond comprehension. But for them to fully grow into this awareness, we need to live that reality for them and help them learn to live it themselves.
Hug your children tight and remind them of God's love, power and justice - He is always active for their greatest good and he always cares and comforts his faithful. May God bless you and your families abundantly!
-- Linda Bader, Coordinator of Religious Education
P.S. Did you know... Angels can inspire us through our imagination, planting ideas to help lead us to God. Pay attention to those promptings! The demons can plant impure thoughts, but the holy angels can lead our thoughts to stop us from acting on the evil thoughts. Talk to your guardian angel often so you can better hear when they have life-saving advice!