Keeping Hope Alive

There is no denying it that agitation plus restlessness and rising conflicts are now adding to the already stressful issues related to the pandemic. Quarantine life is a series of endless days listening to or watching newscasts, reading newspapers, and trying to maintain hope. Headlines in our local newspaper highlight issues of the day. Below are a few of today's headlines from our local newspaper:

• Floyd Protests Continue Across LI
• New Day of LI Protests of Floyd Death
• Trump visits shrine
• Episcopal bishop 'outraged' by president's visit
• Poll: Most would send kids to school (if there are social distancing measures in place)
• Tracking the Coronavirus

Days blend into the next as most people try to bring back into place some of life's routine practices. I do not believe that we can return to life as we knew it but I do hope that positive changes can occur. Below is my go-to scripture reading that brings me comfort.

Today is the monthly meet-up of my Spiritual Journey Thursday writing community. Ruth Hersey, educator and poet from Haiti, is our host this month. She suggested that our topic be hope, her one-word for this year. Hope was my one-word guide for 2018 so I am happy to continue sharing my journey with this word. Hope is a constant companion in my life because it is a faith-filled word that brings positivity into any of my troubling or trying situations. I rely on hope and the above scripture to lift me during confusing, sad, and stressful times. Oftentimes, I turn to writing and nature for additional comfort. You can read my latest quarantine life thoughts here.

Today is also Day 3 of Kathryn Apel's #PoetryPepUp Challenge. Kat is an Aussie poet friend. She has asked us to write a tetractys and hope seems to have found its way into my poetry again. Tetractys sounds like a dinosaur (LOL) but it is a 5-lined syllable poem. 

Line 1-1 syllable

Line 2-2 syllables

Line 3-3 syllables

Line 4-4 syllables

Line 5-10 syllables

                                        In This Moment

rest

wanders,

finds no place

as upsets mount,

protests, unrest but life moves on with hope

©CV, 2020

According to the Vatican News,  on January 1, 2020, hope was at the heart of Pope Francis' World Day of Peace message. "Peace is a great and precious value, the object of our hope and the aspiration of the entire human family. Hope is the virtue that inspires us and keeps us moving forward, even when obstacles seem insurmountable." 

I decided to create a commitment statement for the next month to keep hope alive. I shall practice hope daily in spite of obstacles that may seem insurmountable. How can you keep hope alive in your quarantine life?

Coping During the Crisis

Unprecedented times. Weather switches from a dull gray to slivers of color. I look out my window, noticing some movement. A mother takes her child for a bike ride. Walkers cautiously walk apart from each other. Feral cats cuddle together on top of my outdoor bench.  Spring has arrived  Evening news brings grim reports for New York State. An invisible virus strikes out like a venomous snake spewing its toxin. Families cope in different ways. Mine paused last week on March 27, 2020, when Pope Francis addressed the world from St. Peter's Basilica. He offered hope for all to navigate the COVID19 crisis. 

From his calming words, I created a poem. 

Lift your days in
prayer and quiet service-
these are your 

victorious weapons.

Know that
faith begins when we 
are in need of salvation.

Pause, recognizing 
we need the Lord 
like ancient navigators
needed the stars.
God's strength
reawakens solidarity
and hope, giving 
strength to these hours.

He is the guide

through the storm.

©CV, 2020

Hush, silence stirs our hearts as the velvet darkness envelops us each night. It is the pause time when we give gratitude for family life and all the heroes who lift others each day with their quiet service. With faith, I cope during this crisis, hoping for renewal that Easter will bring shortly.

Thank you, poet friend, Donna Smith, for hosting Spiritual Journey Thursday this month who is looking forward to reading some "Joyful Stuff in Trying Times".

Merciful

This is the Year of Mercy as declared by Pope Francis and it comes at a time when acts of mercy are needed on this earth to combat:

Social Injustice

Complexity

Prejudice

Bullyism

Hatred

Greed

Power

Doubt

Fear

Let go

of issues.

Invite kindness 

and mercy into your heart.

Become a merciful servant of humanity

with small, everyday random acts of kindness.

©CVarsalona, 2016  

   Be filled with the spirit of Mother Theresa,

   a modern role model for the human race.

Today is Spiritual Journey Thursday under Holly Mueller and our blogging community is examining the spiritual aspects of Bobbie Ann Taylor's one word, merciful. This year, Pope Francis has called people around the world to embrace peace and hope for a new heaven and a new earth. 

Below is an inspirational playlist to listen to while reading. Let mercy and good deeds reign to negate the negative realities of the world.

Embrace love, for mercy is

"as endless as the sea"

"The mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting." 

Psalm 103.17

We are privileged at St. Agnes Cathedral in Rockville Centre to be a stop on the spiritual journey pilgrimage during the Jubilee Year. As Pope Francis opened the Holy Doors at the Vatican, so too on December 12, 2015, Bishop Murphy opened the Holy Door of Mercy at St. Agnes to officially declare the Extraordinary Year of Mercy.

Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.

Matthew 5:7

*************************

Please visit Spiritual Journey Thursday here to read what Holly and my writing colleagues are saying about Bobbie Ann's one word, merciful.

Let There Be Mercy

The world has been touched by Pope Francis' trips to the United States but behind the Pope's gentle demeanor, humble spirit, and caring attitude is a man of character with powerful words to impact life. His sermons and speeches have been quoted and featured in news articles around the globe. As the champion of diversity he constantly reminds us to be kind-hearted, embrace all humankind, and rediscover mercy. 

As a child I was taught the spiritual and corporal works of mercy in catechism class but truthfully I cannot repeat the list I learned years ago. When Holly Mueller leader of the Spiritual Journey Thursday community decided that mercy would be this week's topic, I immediately thought of Pope Francis who speaks out on forgiveness. After reading a few of his homilies, I found that on April 10, 2015 he declared this year to be a Holy Year of Mercy. 

What is mercy? It is the gift of forgiveness and help and benevolence in a world of strife. Self-mercy is important when we want to make a difference in our life and that of others. Forgiving our failings and missteps allows for an unburdening of stress as we move toward finding a better way to enjoy life. Mercy is also seen as a hand outstretched to those who need support. 

As part of Random Acts of Poetry Day today, I sent out digitalized poetic messages through Twitter to spread inspiration with the hope of lighting up hearts that may need support. One of the corporal acts of mercy is to give drink to the thirsty. While this message is not a liquid for the body it is a shot of inspiration for the soul-a look at the beauty of autumn and the bounty of the world. 

Pope Francis asked the world last April to "rediscover the spiritual works of mercy" also. In looking back on this week, I tried to be patient, counsel the doubtful, and pray for the living who need support. As Pope Francis said, Jesus spoke words of love and mercy "which are an invitation to conversation". My wish this week is that I invite others into conversations that will rediscover mercy. 

Pope Francis summed up mercy beautifully in his Angelus on March 17, 2013, 

In the past few days I have been reading a book by a Cardinal ... Cardinal Kasper said that feeling mercy, that this word changes everything. This is the best thing we can feel: it changes the world. A little mercy makes the world less cold and more just. We need to understand properly this mercy of God, this merciful Father who is so patient. ... Let us remember the Prophet Isaiah who says that even if our sins were scarlet, God's love would make them white as snow. This mercy is beautiful.  

This site is an easy one
for making quotation posters.

Please visit Holly Mueller's site for additional Spiritual Journey Thursday posts.