Fr. Chuck on taking time and slowing down
By: Fr. Chuck Wrobel
By the time you read this, New Year’s Day has come and gone and another couple of weeks will be history. However, it is still a new year and, I believe, still time for some reflecting (especially on such a year as we have had).
A lot has happened in this past year (not unlike most years of the past) much, if not most, of it unprecedented (again, not unlike most years of the past) and, I believe, we owe it to ourselves to take a moment to remember it.
Some memories we would rather forget; some memories we want to hold forever. Some events cause us great angst (maybe because they happened or because they did not happen or because they had to be so very different that they were unrecognizable from tradition or years past). Some events brought joy.
No matter how you experienced the year from moment to moment, there were things we could have learned (something I encourage us all to do from the beginning of our experience with “the” CoVid):
“Stop and smell the roses.” I hope we have a greater appreciation for people, things, and events. We often just walked through so much in life and took for granted things like fresh air, time with people, touch, easy access, a simple night out, and even the Eucharist.
Growth in our spiritual life and prayer life. We have been given an opportunity to find different ways to connect with God – online Masses and video refections, reading books, walking outside, new types of prayer or renewing “old” ones. I recently heard from a man who has developed a daily habit of streaming a rosary and then Mass every morning to begin his day. He has not been comfortable physically attending Mass, but this new avenue has given him a spiritual boost every day and, when he returns, a greater appreciation for receiving the Eucharist and being in community.
Breathe. Both physically and metaphorically. Taking that breath before reacting breeds patience (something we all get to “practice” at a greater level); helps with tension, anxiety, and tolerance; and allows us to take in the moment to learn.
“LOVE ONE ANOTHER AS I HAVE LOVED YOU.” A greater appreciation for what it means to love one another as God loves us with appreciation for the difference between discomfort/suffering and sacrifice – laying down our own need (life) for that of another.
There is so much that we could have been learned from ALL the experiences (good and bad) of last year. It would be a shame if all that we went through last year (and continue to go through now) would go by without some good – a lesson learned.
God Bless you ALLways, Fr chuck