I saw a parishioner in the grocery this past week, and as we talked I could see that she really missed coming to church and that some of her days have been quite hard on her. She was able to hold back her tears but only barely. When I explained that she could come to pray any day (from 8am-10pm) she seemed relieved and I think she was resolving to make a stop sometime soon. Even just that little bit meant a lot to her, and I hope that knowing that God is still here becomes a comfort for her.
Emotionally, this has been a difficult time for all of us, but some more than others. Loss is never easy, and we have lost a lot. With the past month, we have all had to throw away so much of our expectations and routines for how we live day to day. People have said farewell to hobbies, fun events, special ceremonies like weddings and funerals, graduations and sports leagues, friends and for some people, even their work. It is a huge sacrifice, and God sees every bit of it. I believe He will reward our offerings when we bear them gracefully, alongside Christ Jesus.
And yet, in the midst of the storm brewing in our souls, God's still small voice is present. It can be hard to hear it if we don't quiet our hearts. But yes, Jesus is still in our boat, and he cares for us. He will take care of us.
Perhaps soon, if our state government continues its course, things will start to transition out of our current way of life. As we look up from the bottom of this valley toward the next mountain the Lord is leading us towards, we must continue forward peacefully and above all, patiently.
I would like to recommend to you a great book about peace (and thus also patience). Jacques Philippe is a contemporary writer and a priest from France. He has written so many useful, brief, approachable, insightful, down-to-earth and yet uplifting books. I would recommend any of them, but perhaps above all I would direct you to the first one I ever read: Searching for and Maintaining Peace: A Small Treaties of Peace of Heart. This book was very important to me in my time of seminary, when my family grieved the tragic and sudden loss of my uncle James Coonan. I don't know what those days would have looked like if I hadn't been reading that book at the time. I am grateful to God for His providence that was such a help for me then. I have given away many copies of this book at my own expense, finding it to be a great resource for people in difficult periods of life. Perhaps this is one of those times for you.
When Jesus appeared to the disciples, His first words were "Peace be with you." The peace that is the surest of all is the peace founded on the solid rock of the Lord's Resurrection and his infinite love. May the Lord God give you His Peace this Easter season.
"How few hearts surrender themselves without reserve to the infinite tenderness of His Love. Happy are we who are privileged to understand the inmost secrets of Our Divine Spouse.” May these words of Saint Thérèse, the little flower, strengthen our peace.