Dear Friends,
Some parishioners have been asking, “if I live by faith, then I should not feel any anxiety, right?” Then they continue on to say that they have anxiety over the current crisis and begin to doubt their faith. This doubt of their faith simply compounds the anxiety they were feeling over the COVID-19 crisis. Add to that the economic and political realities in our present world and the anxiety simply seems too much.
It is helpful to remember that we are complex beings. We have feelings, thoughts and things happening on multiple levels all the time. Anyone who has tried to resist temptation can tell you that no matter how much they wanted to resist the temptation, they found themselves falling into it again and again. Simply trying to will something away does not always work – sometimes our bodies seem to be in control, sometimes our feelings and on occasion, our thoughts. Once we invite God into the struggle, we find the strength we need.
So, as people of faith is it okay to feel anxiety? Of course! Faith does not mean ignoring fears and anxiety. However, if we live by faith, it’s important not to feed the anxiety or make decisions based upon anxiety alone. We can turn to God and ask God to help us even in the midst of our struggle. We are invited to imagine Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane as our companion in faith. He struggled with what lay ahead of him and prayed that it could be taken away.
Sometimes, the best thing that can be done is to acknowledge the presence of fear and/or anxiety and then gently hand those feelings over to God. I love to pray a scripture quote from Psalm 17: I have called upon You., O God…Wondrously show Your loving kindness…Hide me in the shadow of Your wings. Simply pray it over and over again until it becomes the prayer of your heart. Or choose one phrase from it that speaks to you. Breathe in quietly and breathe out quietly as you whisper the words.
Our lives have changed dramatically due to the Coronavirus pandemic. Between the outpouring of news and fear of the disease, our anxiety very understandably might worsen. Take a few moments each hour to be with God. Simply repeat the Psalm or a phrase from the Psalm as a breath prayer over and over again. Feel God’s grace bring a bit of peace to your troubled heart. The weather is warming, go outside and see what God has created. Call a friend or call the parish office or stop by the church – it is open, just limit the number to ten.
Your feelings of anxiety are normal. As a person of faith, feed your spirit and see what God can make happen even in troubled times.
Peace,
Fr. Damian