One of the sad consequences of the coronavirus outbreak is the separation many of us feel from our parish communities. Public Masses are suspended and parish gatherings, including religious education classes, are canceled. But families can still stay connected to God and his Church during the COVID-19 crisis, and they can form their children in the faith as well. It begins with seeing the family through the eyes of our faith. Read the ways your family can be a true domestic church during this time.
The Beatitudes for families
The Sermon on the Mount found in the Gospel of Matthew proclaims some of the richest and most familiar teachings of Jesus: the beatitudes. The Beatitudes are: Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven; blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted; blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth; blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied; blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy; blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God; blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God; blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven; blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven. Find help for your Catholic kids to understand them.
Sheltering in place: Time to discover the liturgy of domestic church life
The global pandemic is forcing families to focus on their relationships like never before. Whatever else God might be doing at this time, it seems clear that he is calling us to discover the power and importance of the domestic church. With Masses suspended and churches closed, we simply don’t have access to the spiritual resources we normally rely on. We are, quite literally, stuck at home with little choice but to figure out how to encounter God as we shelter in place. Go online to read more about supporting our domestic church life.
3 ways to tackle marriage stress
Catholic husband Cory Busse writes, if your marriage is anything like mine, there’s only one thing you can count on: perfect marital bliss 24/7! Only kidding! Marriage is hard work. Go online to find three ways to turn some of the most stressful marital moments into opportunities for a stronger union.
Not the same old (Christmas) story
Every year around this time, we’re bound to hear a familiar set of narratives in the media. How much we’ll spend. How far we’ll travel. How far behind retail sales are compared to last year. It’s time to put aside the tired stories. Here are three replacement conversations we should be having this Christmas, including talking about how much to give, not how much to spend! Find the conversations online.