A Summer of Hope
Pray
God Wants to hear your most honest prayers
by Sophia Swinford, Life Teen
My relationship with God really started with me yelling at Him. I was raised in a Catholic family so I had been taught to pray since before I can remember, but I always had this idea that God didn’t love me so much as He loved the good things I did or the things that I got right.
It wasn’t until my freshman year of high school that I started to learn what it really meant that God loved me. It was on a retreat during adoration. Everyone around me was crying and seemed to be having some sort of great emotional encounter with God. I was kneeling in the front, trying so hard to concentrate, trying so hard to say the right things to Him, that I started to cry out of frustration. And then, finally, I just snapped. Internally, I yelled at God that I felt like He was ignoring me. Couldn’t He see how hard I tried? So why was prayer so difficult? Why wasn’t He acknowledging me? Did He even care? In fact, was He even there at all?
The Voice of the Heart
That night in adoration ended up being one of the most intimate encounters with God I’ve ever experienced. Looking back, it still shocks me the humility and love that He must have towards me to let me speak to Him in such a way.
I learned that night that honesty in prayer is far from sinful. Christ did not die so that I could pretend to have it all together; He wants to belong to me and I to Him. Even when I’m doubting Him, He wants to hear it.
God values the human heart with all its brokenness and confusion and restlessness. During every Mass, we hear a short reading from the book of Psalms, which contains so many cries and rejoicings of the heart. An amazing thing about following Christ is that we believe that our hearts are His instruments, not His enemies. The psalms are evidence of an honest heart given to God.
“Rise up, Lord, in your anger; be aroused against the outrages of my oppressors. Stir up the justice, my God, you have commanded.” (Ps 7:7)
“I keep the Lord always before me; with him at my right hand, I shall never be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad, my soul rejoices; my body also dwells secure.” (Ps 16:8-9)
“My soul too is shuddering greatly—and you, Lord, how long? […] I am wearied and sighing; all night long I drench my bed with tears; I soak my couch with weeping.” (Ps: 6:4,7)
The Book of Psalms is poetry of the heart—a doubting, searching, emotional, and very much human heart. But most importantly, a heart given to God. The most dangerous thing we can do is withhold something from God, even if that something is that we’re not sure He exists.
Know My Heart, Father
Psalm 139 says, “Probe me, God, know my heart; try me, know my thoughts.” I find verses like this especially helpful when I’m doubting or struggling to pray. No matter what’s going on in my life or how I’m feeling, I can always come back to this. I can always invite God into the mess and the void.
Some of my most treasured experiences in prayer have come from prayers like, “God, I don’t know if you’re even listening, but I’m going to talk to you anyway.”
“God, I’m such a mess I don’t understand how you could love me, but I promise to keep coming back to you.”
“God, I don’t love you, but I wish I did.”
Whether I’m on top of the world, a complete wreck, or anywhere in between, my Father wants my heart. He wants to hear all about the things that stress me out and keep me up at night. He wants to laugh along at the things that bring me joy. He wants to sit in the silence when I don’t have any words and just be with me. Christ died to tear the veil separating heaven and earth — to open the way for us to approach Him without fear. So be not afraid.
Anticipating the Symphony
Honest prayers are beautiful and necessary, because only a truly honest prayer is an authentic offering of our hearts to God.
C.S. Lewis said, “The tuning up of an orchestra can be itself delightful, but only to those who can in some measure, however little, anticipate the symphony.”
We can give Him our apathy, our questions, our frustrations, our desires with confidence because we can anticipate the symphony. That’s the gift of belonging to Christ. We can hear it in the silence and in the hymns; we see it in our brothers and our sisters. Above all, we see it in the Eucharist. We anticipate the symphony being written in our hearts—the one that’s been etched in God’s heart from eternity.
Your Father hears it, too. He hears it in our prayers, and He delights in the symphony that He is writing with us.
My relationship with God really started with me yelling at Him. I was raised in a Catholic family so I had been taught to pray since before I can remember, but I always had this idea that God didn’t love me so much as He loved the good things I did or the things that I got right.
It wasn’t until my freshman year of high school that I started to learn what it really meant that God loved me. It was on a retreat during adoration. Everyone around me was crying and seemed to be having some sort of great emotional encounter with God. I was kneeling in the front, trying so hard to concentrate, trying so hard to say the right things to Him, that I started to cry out of frustration. And then, finally, I just snapped. Internally, I yelled at God that I felt like He was ignoring me. Couldn’t He see how hard I tried? So why was prayer so difficult? Why wasn’t He acknowledging me? Did He even care? In fact, was He even there at all?
The Voice of the Heart
That night in adoration ended up being one of the most intimate encounters with God I’ve ever experienced. Looking back, it still shocks me the humility and love that He must have towards me to let me speak to Him in such a way.
I learned that night that honesty in prayer is far from sinful. Christ did not die so that I could pretend to have it all together; He wants to belong to me and I to Him. Even when I’m doubting Him, He wants to hear it.
God values the human heart with all its brokenness and confusion and restlessness. During every Mass, we hear a short reading from the book of Psalms, which contains so many cries and rejoicings of the heart. An amazing thing about following Christ is that we believe that our hearts are His instruments, not His enemies. The psalms are evidence of an honest heart given to God.
“Rise up, Lord, in your anger; be aroused against the outrages of my oppressors. Stir up the justice, my God, you have commanded.” (Ps 7:7)
“I keep the Lord always before me; with him at my right hand, I shall never be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad, my soul rejoices; my body also dwells secure.” (Ps 16:8-9)
“My soul too is shuddering greatly—and you, Lord, how long? […] I am wearied and sighing; all night long I drench my bed with tears; I soak my couch with weeping.” (Ps: 6:4,7)
The Book of Psalms is poetry of the heart—a doubting, searching, emotional, and very much human heart. But most importantly, a heart given to God. The most dangerous thing we can do is withhold something from God, even if that something is that we’re not sure He exists.
Know My Heart, Father
Psalm 139 says, “Probe me, God, know my heart; try me, know my thoughts.” I find verses like this especially helpful when I’m doubting or struggling to pray. No matter what’s going on in my life or how I’m feeling, I can always come back to this. I can always invite God into the mess and the void.
Some of my most treasured experiences in prayer have come from prayers like, “God, I don’t know if you’re even listening, but I’m going to talk to you anyway.”
“God, I’m such a mess I don’t understand how you could love me, but I promise to keep coming back to you.”
“God, I don’t love you, but I wish I did.”
Whether I’m on top of the world, a complete wreck, or anywhere in between, my Father wants my heart. He wants to hear all about the things that stress me out and keep me up at night. He wants to laugh along at the things that bring me joy. He wants to sit in the silence when I don’t have any words and just be with me. Christ died to tear the veil separating heaven and earth — to open the way for us to approach Him without fear. So be not afraid.
Anticipating the Symphony
Honest prayers are beautiful and necessary, because only a truly honest prayer is an authentic offering of our hearts to God.
C.S. Lewis said, “The tuning up of an orchestra can be itself delightful, but only to those who can in some measure, however little, anticipate the symphony.”
We can give Him our apathy, our questions, our frustrations, our desires with confidence because we can anticipate the symphony. That’s the gift of belonging to Christ. We can hear it in the silence and in the hymns; we see it in our brothers and our sisters. Above all, we see it in the Eucharist. We anticipate the symphony being written in our hearts—the one that’s been etched in God’s heart from eternity.
Your Father hears it, too. He hears it in our prayers, and He delights in the symphony that He is writing with us.
Learn
TAking steps toward anti-Racism
The murders of George Floyd and other People of Color in recent weeks and months have exposed and brought to the surface a great evil in our society -- racism. In these days and weeks, we have heard many confusing messages and have experienced complex feelings about these events and the state of our society. What does the Catholic Church have to say about racism? How are we to build a world where racism no longer exists? Read this blog from Life Teen to discover many helpful resources. Parents, check out these resources WITH your teen(s). Talk about what you discover and how you can work to end racism.
Helps for Reading the Bible
All year in Faith Formation, we have been reading and discussing the Bible. The Bible is a very important source for our faith, and there is always more to explore and discover in it and about it. This blog post gives us some good advice for how to read the Bible and what to expect (and what not to expect) from it.
Do
Survival in a digital age
by Rachel Penate
In elementary school, a movie came out on the Disney Channel that I thought was THE coolest. It was about a home that was built with some “insane” technology. I’m telling you: voice-activated control, video calling, walls that became screens, and a seriously sassy automated lady who would rival Siri or Alexa any day.
OK. I know, you may look at that list and be a little confused. What!? How is that “insane”? Well, the movie I’m talking about, Smart House (which is totally available on Disney+… you’re welcome!), came out in 1999. Yup, that’s 21 years ago — at a time when laptops were the weight of cinder blocks and texting wasn’t yet a norm for the average cell phone. So, for me, your sweet little nine-year-old with no more knowledge of technology than my slow-to-connect-to-the-internet home computer, this house was AMAZING! I thought as I watched this movie over and over again, how cool it would be to be able to have so much technology at my fingertips… in my very own home!!
Flash forward to 2020 and all I want to do is throw my cell phone in the trash, my computer out the window, and connect in person with all of my best friends.
As you probably can attest to from weeks of home quarantine, social connection is important and necessary for our health. Take it from a 2016 study in Finland that concluded a lack of social connection is just as detrimental to your health as alcohol, smoking, or obesity. Or a 2019 article from that American Psychological Institute that expanded on almost identical findings. These are only two of many similar studies that have confirmed that loneliness and isolation are just simply not a healthy part of the human condition. Even right now, in the midst of this quarantine, when digital connection is all we have, it just doesn’t cut it. We seek more.
So, as we continue to trudge through these extended weeks of quarantine and social distancing — as a sister trudging on right next to you — there are a few things I want you to remember:
1. It’s OK to not be OK. This is probably the most important point I’m going to make, so I’m going to make it first. If you are struggling because of the lack of in-person social interaction that has occurred due to COVID-19, you are not alone. Let me say that again, even though you may feel like you are alone: you are not alone! I promise you, everyone is experiencing some level of struggle during this time. Never, ever be afraid to ask for help, and if you feel as though you cannot navigate your needs on your own, don’t hesitate to reach out to a trusted friend, adult, or counselor.
2. Digital connection is only a placeholder. We are absolutely living in a bizarre and unprecedented time. Never before, in your life or mine, have we seen such a drastic change in our daily living. Even though a lot of our social calendar is out of our hands (and connecting digitally is often very necessary), remember it is not everything, nor is it ideal. Keeping things in perspective will help your mentality when you remember it is simply an alternative to what you are truly craving: in-person interaction.
3. Invest in those who are in your home with you. This one is pretty straight-forward. I don’t know what your relationship with those who live in your home looks like; it may be tough or complicated, but it’s probably still worth investing in. Find ways to connect with your family: over a meal, a game night, a movie, a walk, there are so many ways to get to know your family better even if the temptation to (metaphorically) strangle each other still remains. Even if it’s only an hour a day that you connect, those 60 minutes of quality time have the potential to make such a positive impact.
4. Get creative with meetups while also social distancing. Now that stay-at-home orders are lifting a bit, there are plenty of opportunities to get creative in hanging out with friends while also respecting social distancing guidelines for outdoor spaces. Go for a hike, meet up at the park with your own individually packed lunches, host a Bible Study in your driveway. There are so many ways to stay connected now that the days are getting warmer and the school year is almost over.
5. Limit your time online. This is a tricky one since the internet is the source of so much connection these days, but it’s really important to give yourself a break to breathe and connect with those physically close to you as well as God. Staying connected to the Lord in prayer is the single most important “social” connection you can make. Without Him, nothing else matters.
While the uncertainty of the last two months may have felt like the longest time of our lives, this period of waiting will not last forever. And, even if life doesn’t necessarily go back to “normal” — to the way we remember it before COVID-19 — we will learn how to adapt, and we will learn how to see the rainbows among the storms. God is in control. He’s got this and we’re in it together.
Know of my prayers for you, always.
In elementary school, a movie came out on the Disney Channel that I thought was THE coolest. It was about a home that was built with some “insane” technology. I’m telling you: voice-activated control, video calling, walls that became screens, and a seriously sassy automated lady who would rival Siri or Alexa any day.
OK. I know, you may look at that list and be a little confused. What!? How is that “insane”? Well, the movie I’m talking about, Smart House (which is totally available on Disney+… you’re welcome!), came out in 1999. Yup, that’s 21 years ago — at a time when laptops were the weight of cinder blocks and texting wasn’t yet a norm for the average cell phone. So, for me, your sweet little nine-year-old with no more knowledge of technology than my slow-to-connect-to-the-internet home computer, this house was AMAZING! I thought as I watched this movie over and over again, how cool it would be to be able to have so much technology at my fingertips… in my very own home!!
Flash forward to 2020 and all I want to do is throw my cell phone in the trash, my computer out the window, and connect in person with all of my best friends.
As you probably can attest to from weeks of home quarantine, social connection is important and necessary for our health. Take it from a 2016 study in Finland that concluded a lack of social connection is just as detrimental to your health as alcohol, smoking, or obesity. Or a 2019 article from that American Psychological Institute that expanded on almost identical findings. These are only two of many similar studies that have confirmed that loneliness and isolation are just simply not a healthy part of the human condition. Even right now, in the midst of this quarantine, when digital connection is all we have, it just doesn’t cut it. We seek more.
So, as we continue to trudge through these extended weeks of quarantine and social distancing — as a sister trudging on right next to you — there are a few things I want you to remember:
1. It’s OK to not be OK. This is probably the most important point I’m going to make, so I’m going to make it first. If you are struggling because of the lack of in-person social interaction that has occurred due to COVID-19, you are not alone. Let me say that again, even though you may feel like you are alone: you are not alone! I promise you, everyone is experiencing some level of struggle during this time. Never, ever be afraid to ask for help, and if you feel as though you cannot navigate your needs on your own, don’t hesitate to reach out to a trusted friend, adult, or counselor.
2. Digital connection is only a placeholder. We are absolutely living in a bizarre and unprecedented time. Never before, in your life or mine, have we seen such a drastic change in our daily living. Even though a lot of our social calendar is out of our hands (and connecting digitally is often very necessary), remember it is not everything, nor is it ideal. Keeping things in perspective will help your mentality when you remember it is simply an alternative to what you are truly craving: in-person interaction.
3. Invest in those who are in your home with you. This one is pretty straight-forward. I don’t know what your relationship with those who live in your home looks like; it may be tough or complicated, but it’s probably still worth investing in. Find ways to connect with your family: over a meal, a game night, a movie, a walk, there are so many ways to get to know your family better even if the temptation to (metaphorically) strangle each other still remains. Even if it’s only an hour a day that you connect, those 60 minutes of quality time have the potential to make such a positive impact.
4. Get creative with meetups while also social distancing. Now that stay-at-home orders are lifting a bit, there are plenty of opportunities to get creative in hanging out with friends while also respecting social distancing guidelines for outdoor spaces. Go for a hike, meet up at the park with your own individually packed lunches, host a Bible Study in your driveway. There are so many ways to stay connected now that the days are getting warmer and the school year is almost over.
5. Limit your time online. This is a tricky one since the internet is the source of so much connection these days, but it’s really important to give yourself a break to breathe and connect with those physically close to you as well as God. Staying connected to the Lord in prayer is the single most important “social” connection you can make. Without Him, nothing else matters.
While the uncertainty of the last two months may have felt like the longest time of our lives, this period of waiting will not last forever. And, even if life doesn’t necessarily go back to “normal” — to the way we remember it before COVID-19 — we will learn how to adapt, and we will learn how to see the rainbows among the storms. God is in control. He’s got this and we’re in it together.
Know of my prayers for you, always.
How to Say "I'm not ok"
by Adam Cross
One of the Greatest Lies
Have you ever been talking with a friend and felt a huge relief when sharing something that has been weighing on your mind? Have you ever gotten something off your chest and just let out a big sigh afterward? Sometimes when we hold on to stress, anxiety, anger, or fear, speaking it out loud becomes a moment of letting go and letting God in.
As humans, we inevitably experience stress, anxiety, pressure, fear, and anger. When we are carrying these burdens the greatest lie we can buy into is this: no one wants to hear about your problems. When we feel overwhelmed we can easily think that sharing our burdens means that we become a burden. The opposite couldn’t be more true. Jesus calls us to carry our crosses in telling us, pick up your cross, and follow me, but carrying our cross isn’t a one-person gig. It isn’t something we have to do by ourselves. Jesus showed us the grace in having help in our suffering even as Simon of Cyrene helped Jesus carry his cross even to his death. Sharing our burdens with those we trust helps lighten the load of our crosses and means we are letting God work through those around us.
I’m F.I.N.E.
There is a great acronym for the word fine that goes like this: when someone asks you hey! how are you? And you respond with I’m fine, it really means that you are
Freaked out.
Insecure.
Not Okay.
Exhausted (or Emotional).
The truth is we are not always going to be okay, a lot of the time we are f.i.n.e. and it is a result of living in a broken world. Living our faith doesn’t mean that suddenly life is easy or a stroll through the park. Living our faith means offering our struggles to Christ, placing them in the heart of Jesus, and asking for real help. With the fall of Adam and Eve we experience suffering, separation from God, fears, the list goes on and on, but in the face of all that we also have choices to let God in and are given grace and real tools in how to respond to these sufferings.
The Big 3
The greatest surprise in carrying our crosses is that God has already given us people in our lives to help us on the journey. Knowing who to talk to can help us prepare for when life throws us curveballs. They are your backup, your support, your people to just be real with. It’s always helpful to have your Big 3:
A trusted friend – Having at least one or two close friends we trust allows us to check-in and share with people our own age. We might not want to be super vulnerable with all our friends and that is okay. Having one or two friends to honestly check in with can make a huge difference in our lives. Often enough, our friends share in our struggles too and we can be there for them and help them with their crosses in the process.
A trusted adult – Finding a caring and trusting adult to talk with can be an unbelievable gift. It might be a school counselor, youth minister, parish priest, teacher, coach, or therapist. Maybe the adult is your mom, dad, aunt, uncle, or grandparent. Whoever that adult is, when we take the time to ask for help we are entrusting our burdens to those who might have helpful ideas or are just there to listen. There are so many adults who have experienced the same struggles you have and who are wanting to listen and be there for you in the struggles. Find an adult who is willing to listen and who can help you take real steps towards healing and living a better life.
Jesus – Last, but not least, talking to Jesus is the source of giving Christ permission to love us and work in our lives. Believe it or not, Jesus cares about your thoughts, feelings, struggles, and joys. Christ does not inflict crosses on us but gladly carried and died upon one out of love for you. Talking to Jesus doesn’t have to require much. We can talk to him lying in bed, driving in the car, or in the midst of homework or Netflix. Jesus actually wants to hear about what’s going on with you. Give Jesus permission to come in and begin to talk with Him. Make time for prayer and don’t be afraid to talk to Him as you would a friend. The creator of the universe longs just to listen and be with you.
How to Start
Sometimes the hardest part is just getting started. Maybe we can pinpoint our Big 3 but then what? When trying to share our burdens we can lean into the awkward and also trust that the Holy Spirit will guide our words. They don’t have to be perfect. We can pray, “Come Holy Spirit” and begin to entrust those around us with our struggles. When sharing our burdens with others it is best to ask someone for some time to talk. Trying to bring it up at an event or at the end of a conversation can be tough, so asking them for a specific time to talk can help give us time and space to share what is weighing on your heart.
Imagine That
The other half of getting started is imagining what to say. It can help to write it out or go over it in your head one or two times. Sometimes it helps to begin with something like, “Hey, I’ve been really struggling with … or I am feeling [sad, mad, glad, or afraid] because… or I’ve been hoping I could talk with you because I have been dealing with…”
When it comes to sharing what is going on with us we don’t have to have the perfect words, we only have to begin to say them. We can pray and know that the Holy Spirit will guide us, even in sharing. We can be patient with ourselves because sharing is not an easy thing to do! Slowing down our thoughts and words helps to be patient with ourselves and let others in.
Sharing our burdens and picking up our crosses is not easy, but talking with others about what we are experiencing lightens the load. Christ works through others to bring you peace and healing that you were made for. Don’t be afraid to make a plan, find your Big 3, and rely on your support when things get tough. Jesus will give you the grace to take real steps in letting others help you. Your thoughts, feelings, words are valid and have meaning. Letting others know that you’re not fine or okay is the beginning allowing God to love us and work in our lives.
One of the Greatest Lies
Have you ever been talking with a friend and felt a huge relief when sharing something that has been weighing on your mind? Have you ever gotten something off your chest and just let out a big sigh afterward? Sometimes when we hold on to stress, anxiety, anger, or fear, speaking it out loud becomes a moment of letting go and letting God in.
As humans, we inevitably experience stress, anxiety, pressure, fear, and anger. When we are carrying these burdens the greatest lie we can buy into is this: no one wants to hear about your problems. When we feel overwhelmed we can easily think that sharing our burdens means that we become a burden. The opposite couldn’t be more true. Jesus calls us to carry our crosses in telling us, pick up your cross, and follow me, but carrying our cross isn’t a one-person gig. It isn’t something we have to do by ourselves. Jesus showed us the grace in having help in our suffering even as Simon of Cyrene helped Jesus carry his cross even to his death. Sharing our burdens with those we trust helps lighten the load of our crosses and means we are letting God work through those around us.
I’m F.I.N.E.
There is a great acronym for the word fine that goes like this: when someone asks you hey! how are you? And you respond with I’m fine, it really means that you are
Freaked out.
Insecure.
Not Okay.
Exhausted (or Emotional).
The truth is we are not always going to be okay, a lot of the time we are f.i.n.e. and it is a result of living in a broken world. Living our faith doesn’t mean that suddenly life is easy or a stroll through the park. Living our faith means offering our struggles to Christ, placing them in the heart of Jesus, and asking for real help. With the fall of Adam and Eve we experience suffering, separation from God, fears, the list goes on and on, but in the face of all that we also have choices to let God in and are given grace and real tools in how to respond to these sufferings.
The Big 3
The greatest surprise in carrying our crosses is that God has already given us people in our lives to help us on the journey. Knowing who to talk to can help us prepare for when life throws us curveballs. They are your backup, your support, your people to just be real with. It’s always helpful to have your Big 3:
A trusted friend – Having at least one or two close friends we trust allows us to check-in and share with people our own age. We might not want to be super vulnerable with all our friends and that is okay. Having one or two friends to honestly check in with can make a huge difference in our lives. Often enough, our friends share in our struggles too and we can be there for them and help them with their crosses in the process.
A trusted adult – Finding a caring and trusting adult to talk with can be an unbelievable gift. It might be a school counselor, youth minister, parish priest, teacher, coach, or therapist. Maybe the adult is your mom, dad, aunt, uncle, or grandparent. Whoever that adult is, when we take the time to ask for help we are entrusting our burdens to those who might have helpful ideas or are just there to listen. There are so many adults who have experienced the same struggles you have and who are wanting to listen and be there for you in the struggles. Find an adult who is willing to listen and who can help you take real steps towards healing and living a better life.
Jesus – Last, but not least, talking to Jesus is the source of giving Christ permission to love us and work in our lives. Believe it or not, Jesus cares about your thoughts, feelings, struggles, and joys. Christ does not inflict crosses on us but gladly carried and died upon one out of love for you. Talking to Jesus doesn’t have to require much. We can talk to him lying in bed, driving in the car, or in the midst of homework or Netflix. Jesus actually wants to hear about what’s going on with you. Give Jesus permission to come in and begin to talk with Him. Make time for prayer and don’t be afraid to talk to Him as you would a friend. The creator of the universe longs just to listen and be with you.
How to Start
Sometimes the hardest part is just getting started. Maybe we can pinpoint our Big 3 but then what? When trying to share our burdens we can lean into the awkward and also trust that the Holy Spirit will guide our words. They don’t have to be perfect. We can pray, “Come Holy Spirit” and begin to entrust those around us with our struggles. When sharing our burdens with others it is best to ask someone for some time to talk. Trying to bring it up at an event or at the end of a conversation can be tough, so asking them for a specific time to talk can help give us time and space to share what is weighing on your heart.
Imagine That
The other half of getting started is imagining what to say. It can help to write it out or go over it in your head one or two times. Sometimes it helps to begin with something like, “Hey, I’ve been really struggling with … or I am feeling [sad, mad, glad, or afraid] because… or I’ve been hoping I could talk with you because I have been dealing with…”
When it comes to sharing what is going on with us we don’t have to have the perfect words, we only have to begin to say them. We can pray and know that the Holy Spirit will guide us, even in sharing. We can be patient with ourselves because sharing is not an easy thing to do! Slowing down our thoughts and words helps to be patient with ourselves and let others in.
Sharing our burdens and picking up our crosses is not easy, but talking with others about what we are experiencing lightens the load. Christ works through others to bring you peace and healing that you were made for. Don’t be afraid to make a plan, find your Big 3, and rely on your support when things get tough. Jesus will give you the grace to take real steps in letting others help you. Your thoughts, feelings, words are valid and have meaning. Letting others know that you’re not fine or okay is the beginning allowing God to love us and work in our lives.
Find hope in the Bible in these troubled days
In this article, Mark Hart, a popular Catholic write and speaker, shares his favorite Bible verse, among others. His favorite verse fits what we are enduring in this pandemic perfectly. Pray with this verse, and many of the others he suggests, as you ask God to help you through this difficult time.