I think being at home so much over the last year(s) has many of us going crazy. We wanna be out there, in the world, adventuring! But, alas, we’re masked vigilantes just trying to fight off the insidious plague. And it’s so frustrating to have hope of an end—only to be given the gift of a new strain and a longer path to recovery. So, the trudge continues. And yet, throughout all of this, I’ve come to appreciate ‘home’ a little more.
I’m thankful for my home, for the ability to have a place of shelter. I’m thankful for the little odd jobs around the house that have been put off in lieu of ‘greater things’. I’m thankful for the little beasts that nap on my lap as I write articles and make phone calls. I’m thankful for my home.
Being thankful is a lost art, because of how bad things have been. I lost sight of how blessed I am, how blessed most of us are, in the midst of the covid chaos. We’ve all lost people we love. We’ve all been affected by the infection. There’s a pervasive sadness that seems to seep into our bones. Because of this, thankfulness has started wearing a mask. We don’t even recognize it as readily as before; we don’t see with the optimistic eyes that we used to.
But it doesn’t have to be this way. If you’re struggling, and believe me when I tell you that you’re not alone, there are still things to be thankful for in this life. You have people who love you. You have a roof over your head. You have a God who cares more for you than any of us will ever comprehend. Maybe in our grieving what is lost, we can find gratitude for what has been gained. We have gained strength—we know what we’re made of and more importantly, we know that we are more than just a bunch of people who say random words for an hour on Sundays. We are a community and we have each other.
We have made a home.
I’m thankful for our home. For the people who do the odd jobs that seem to go over-looked. I’m thankful for a place of shelter that surrounds me with love at least one day a week. I’m thankful for the little ones that run around and make noise and create smiles with their presence. I’m thankful for our home, and thankful that we’ve built it on an unshakeable foundation of love.
I’m thankful for you. I hope you know that. And I hope you can begin to feel gratitude if that’s something you’ve been missing. Because we have much for which to be grateful.
Mostly, I’m thankful for the peace that passes all understanding in the moments of despair. And that faith has allowed us to be thankful even when all looks bleak. Keep up the prayers, and keep your hearts uplifted. God is with us, and nobody can stand against us. Not Covid, not doubt, not death. We are the body of Christ.
We are thankful.
Faithfully,
Fr. Sean+