At Home with God

by James Abesamis

I usually avoid watching disaster and apocalyptic movies.  I easily get stressed out because I start imagining how it would be like if they became a reality.   And then this pandemic happened.  Although the events haven’t been nearly as dramatic as those we would see in movies, the repercussions are nevertheless quite serious and cause for concern. 

At the start of the enhanced community quarantine, a lot of things entered my mind:  fears about our livelihood, fears about the health and well-being of our family and loved ones, fears about what the future may hold.  I had trouble sleeping the first night.  I was deeply worried.  When I woke up the next day, I prayed hard for God’s guidance and reassurance.  It was then that I heard God comforting me once again. 

God told me that He would always take care of me- of all of us, because He loves us.  He always has and always will.  He reminded me that when things are out of our control, that’s when we truly see His hand at work because He is always in control.  That realization comforted me and allayed my fears.  I was then inspired to map out what I needed to do for the remainder of the Enhanced Community Quarantine and perhaps even after the pandemic is over.  

These are a few things that I believe can help me, and all of us during these seemingly difficult times: 

1. Pray 

Prayer is not just about us asking God for His blessings and protection.  More importantly, it is about communing with Him, finding peace in His presence. I have now become more consistent with my prayer and scripture time.  I have also made it a point for us to pray together as a family.  We come together for our morning prayer then we also pray the Angelus and Oratio Imperata at noon.  We pray the Angelus again at 6pm, and then we pray the Oratio Imperata, the Holy Rosary and our night prayers at 8pm.

2. Count your blessings 

Our fears usually stem from not knowing what the future holds.  When we count our blessings, we see how God has provided for us and taken care of us in the past.  If we see these things, we can be assured that He will continue to do so in the future.  Furthermore, counting our blessings helps us appreciate them, and this gives us joy.

3. Be present for those you love

Now, more than ever, we have a chance to really spend quality time with the people we hold dear to our hearts.  Some may not be physically with us, but we can always reach out to them through a phone call or voice and video chat.  Get to know them more.  Share a good laugh or two with them.  Say you love them.  Expressing love increases love.  And when there is more love in your heart, there is less room for fear and anxiety; this gives us joy

4. Be healthy

Strive to maintain your health in all aspects-physically, emotionally and spiritually.  The first three suggestions address our emotional and spiritual well-being.  For our physical well-being, I recommend getting some exercise and sunshine every day.  The kids and I go outside our house to do some stretching and calisthenics in the sun.  Afterwards, I spend about 30-45 minutes doing Zumba.  Complement exercise with healthier food.  We are more conscious now about having vegetables in our diet.

5. Help others

Even if we find ourselves facing difficulties; let us remember that we can still help others. Help does not only mean financial assistance, but also emotional support for others who are feeling down.  Check on how others are, especially those who are away from their loved ones.  Pray for others.  Pray with them.  This is also why I make sure to participate in our community activities.  I know that praying to God together not only uplifts my spirits but others’ spirits as well. We also learn from one another when we share our experiences and realizations with one another. 

Having to stay home at this time may be difficult, especially when we are saddled with our fears and anxiety, but let us remember that we can always choose to fill our home with God’s presence more and put our trust in Him.  Better yet, we can consecrate our home to God, and acknowledge that it is His.  Indeed, it is lovely to dwell in His home, to be at home with God. 

Psalm 84:5 “Blessed are those who dwell in your house! They never cease to praise you.” 

** first published in Ang Panimalay 2Q 2020