As we continue to adjust to the new normal of sheltering at home and telework, we are physically around our spouses more than ever. This can be a great thing, but it can often come with challenges, especially if we struggle with healthy communication in the marriage. Here are five suggestions for strengthening your relationship during this stressful time by improving the ways we talk to each other.
In the days since Pope Francis’ “urbe et orbi,” I keep going back to the images in my mind. Was it not haunting? Watching our very frail-looking pontiff walking alone through a dark, rainy, cold St. Peter’s Square just about ripped my heart out. It was the perfect metaphor for the entire world in the past several weeks. Dark. Quiet. Frightening.
One chapter of Scripture that every Catholic should be familiar with is 1 Cor 15, the “great resurrection chapter” where St. Paul makes the striking assertion that: “If Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain” (14). This is a remarkable statement: Christianity itself hinges on the historical reality of the resurrection of Our Lord, says St. Paul. Why was the truth of the resurrection so important to the Christian proclamation and faith? The answer largely has to do with the biblical logic that to say Jesus rose from the dead was to state he was the Messiah, and to state this was to proclaim him as king of all the world and to make known that all in his kingdom even now participate in his own resurrection.
For many families, social distancing and the stay-at-home orders, while stressful, provide the silver lining of added time together and the opportunity to reconnect. Sadly, this increased time at home is not a positive thing for all families. In some cases, home is not peaceful, and the people in it are not safe.
All of a sudden, I’ve found myself home-schooling my three children while working from home. Fortunately, this is not my first time. In fact, this year was my children’s first year attending school; I’ve home-schooled for five. I’d like to share a few ideas to help with this transition.
I’m hearing it from my friends, and at times I feel it inside: “My days are running together,” “I’m spiritually catatonic,” “This really has me worried.” But when your spouse or kids tell stories in 30 years about the COVID-19 Crisis of 2020, what will they say about you? If you’re a dad or mom, will your kids grimace and say, “My dad was a jerk,” “My mom was a wreck,” or will they smile and begin a remarkable story with, “I remember … ”
Grave robbery was a lucrative crime in the ancient world, but it was also perilous and complicated. To carry out the task, one needed at least 10 men working together as an efficient, well-trained team. Stone masons, torchbearers, water-bearers and many strong backs were needed to dislodge a stone as large as six feet in diameter, weighing as much as two tons, and anchored in place by a gap carved into the ground. All this had to be done quickly and silently, under cover of darkness in the dead of night, because by an edict of Caesar Augustus, the penalty for grave robbery was death.
In particular, the pandemic has been a reminder for many of what a precious gift life is. And here distinctions are required.
Each year, April is designated as National Child Abuse Prevention Month to raise awareness and maintain focus on preventing harm to children. As part of the community, the Diocese of Arlington and its parishes play an important role in raising awareness of this critical social issue and preventing its occurrence in collaboration with civil authorities.
Gospel commentary: ‘Peace I leave you’
On Easter Sunday evening, the disciples were behind locked doors for fear of the Jewish leaders. Jesus suddenly appeared, not as a bloody corpse, but in his personhood, body and soul, humanity and divinity, glorified and spiritualized. However, he still had his wound marks, to show the hurt caused by sin. When he said, “Peace be with you,” a great peace must have rushed into the hearts of the apostles.