The Sixth Day in the Octave of Christmas

Readings of the Day 

In a year dominated by the COVID pandemic, John’s caution not to love “the things of this world” carries particular weight, especially as we’re forced to contemplate the reality of those words in our day-to-day lives. To be sure, the virus has changed virtually every facet of how we behave and with whom we interact. For many of us, it has uncomfortably exposed the all too significant degree of attachment we have for the things of this world. Not only have we forgone communal events like concerts, movies, and shows of every kind, we’ve also had to sacrifice large weddings, baptisms and virtually all the personal gatherings we once took for granted. Simple things like a lunch with coworkers or a day at the beach have become carefully-executed and exceedingly rare projects, if they even happen at all. 

Meanwhile, the practices of social distancing and mask wearing have had even more profound impacts. These necessary but heartbreaking restrictions have reduced our personal contact with each other while also leaving us with a tangible, emotional disconnect. We avoid all but the most necessary visits, and our masks block the beauty of facial expressions which are so vital to true communication. All the Zoom meetings and Skype calls in the world could never match the authenticity of the human face.   

So while it’s clear that most of us have spent this year unhappily relinquishing “the things of this world,” I can’t help but wonder if we’ve used the time wisely. Have we spent these months lamenting these burdensome circumstances? Or, have we used this time to grow closer to God? This forced intermission in our ever-more busy lives might be considered an opportunity to re-evaluate what really matters. Clearly, our dependence on a loving and merciful God is on the minds of many. Will we simply forget this profound truth when this is all over? 

Change is always transformational. Perhaps we might seek peace and solace in our isolation by reflecting upon this reading and focusing on the love the Father. How can we weave that more deeply into our hearts and souls so that when “normalcy” does return, the love of the Father is more central to everything in this earthly life? 

Laura A. Cassell is Chief Executive Officer of Catholic Charities of Long Island, which serves more than 55,000 neighbors annually in Nassau and Suffolk Counties, New York. She joined as Director of Finance in 1988, was appointed Chief Operating Officer in 1995, then Chief Executive Officer in 1999.

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