Falling on His Grace

As we are forced to step back from our lives due to Coronavirus and social distancing, other problems may arise or surface, or difficulties that we had had before may be complicated, causing us uneasiness or anxiety or forcing us to deal with feelings and situations we'd prefer not to deal with. Whether the Coronavirus or another problem, any time we're thrust into a difficult situation or have a trial put in our hands, we may wonder why or wish for it to just go away and for life to return to normal. In turning to God, we may ask that of Him: "Lord, please fix this. Please take it away." There are times, however, that a trial is necessary or beneficial. We read in this last Sunday's Gospel a story about a grown man who had been blind since birth, sitting and begging for money and food. We don't know how old this man was nor how long he had been begging. We don't know how often He had wished he could see, wished that this blindness would be taken away ...

My husband told me the song "It's the End of the World as We Know It" is back on the charts. It seems appropriate as the world is changing, and there could be more changes ahead of us. At this time, there are both the familiar - in the seasons and outdoors, in the family we have gathered around us, and in the conveniences we have in our home - and the unfamiliar - restaurants, theaters, and some stores being closed, children home from school, keeping our distance from friends. And there's the unknown; there's navigating the unknown waters and new ill-understood and ill-defined social norms. Do I let my kids play with friends, limiting it to two or three total? Do we go to stores to buy essentials? Am I putting my family's and my life in danger by doing seemingly innocuous, everyday things? A friend made the comment that she feels as if the world is hanging on by a thread. This time we are in can certainly give that impression. For some, including her, this q...