The year 2020 will certainly be remembered as one like no other. Protests, politics, pandemic: many of us want to put this year in our rear view mirror as soon as possible. Yet despite the challenges that none of us could have possibly foreseen just 12 short months ago, there is much for us to be grateful for as well.
As St. Paul tells us in Romans 8:28, “For those who love God, all things turn to the good.” And if you look closely, together we did find much good in 2020.
This health crisis “demanded” that we spend more time together with those who share the same roof as us while challenging us to creatively “Zoom” or “Team” with our extended family. Downtime meant more opportunities to reconnect with our children and our spouses. Long evening walks through our neighborhoods substituted for our usual entertainment and while strolling, we checked in on our neighbors to see how we could help them.
As store shelves became bare, we became increasingly aware and grateful for the bounty of food and household supplies we previously took for granted. Our scope of gratitude grew beyond those we depend on to provide us healthcare and protection from crime to those who teach our children, clean our workplaces, drive trucks cross country and deliver our endless online purchases. We discovered that our definition of “family” was much broader than we ever imagined.
Like all families, at times we disagreed. It was not only the year of the pandemic, but of protests and politics. These passionate times produced passionate responses yet in the end, it was in the intimate conversations between neighbors, with family and friends, that we discovered we are a stronger, more resilient nation than the one we glimpsed in 30-second snippets on the news.
And now, we find ourselves anxiously glimpsing 2021. And as we do, I pray that we will not put all the lessons we learned in 2020 in our rear view mirror but instead carry them with us into the new year.
Finally, on behalf of myself, Fr. Patrick and Fr. Paul, I would like to express my gratitude to each of you for the support and well wishes you expressed during our recent quarantine. Meals, cards, prayers and texts all left us feeling less isolated from those we consider our family.
God Bless.