Writing in a recent Facebook post about the impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on our lives, Metropolitan-Archbishop Borys Gudziak succinctly captured how these past nine months have affected our mental health and well-being. “We yearn for hope, normalcy, freedom, eager to exhale, unwrap our wings, and break out from the confinement. Many pray just to survive,” the archbishop wrote on December 23.
It has certainly been a difficult year for most, if not all, of us. As we look back over the past year and reflect on 2020, we share Archbishop Gudziak’s perspective that this time of year is also an opportunity to reflect more deeply on our lives, on our relationships with one another, and on our own well-being.
“Despite the pitfalls, losses, and the depressive quagmire of 2020, the time we’ve spent alone has given us an unprecedented occasion to contemplate spiritual matters,” Archbishop Gudziak wrote of his own experience during the pandemic. “In what is it that we put our hope and faith? What is truly significant and life-giving? What is the true meaning of Christmas?”
These are important questions, and we don’t assume to have the right answers. But at this time of year – and particularly at the end of such a difficult year – we share Archbishop Gudziak’s perspective that even the darkest, most difficult moments in our lives come with an opportunity.
“I hope that for you, the lockdown and quarantine, the limits on travel and recreation, have not been exclusively negative. This crisis can be an occasion for deep personal discovery and honest soul-searching. And maybe, victories, large and small,” the archbishop wrote.
Other spiritual leaders in our community have echoed this sentiment.
“Instead of falling into despair, let us resolve to look upon this interruption in our life through the eyes of faith and as a God-given opportunity to grow in grace, in spiritual peace, and in love for each other,” Bishop Paul P. Chomnycky, OSBM, wrote in this year’s Christmas pastoral message from the Ukrainian Catholic Hierarchy of the U.S.A.
“At this time when most of us are more homebound, let us devote more time to personal and family prayer, spiritual reading and meditation upon the miracle of Christ’s Incarnation and His coming to us as a helpless baby. And let us be true neighbors and stretch our helping hands and hearts to those in our communities who are suffering both spiritually and physically during these difficult days,” Bishop Chomnycky wrote.
We hope, and wish, and pray that the coming year will bring you good health, happiness, prosperity and well-being. But as we wait for our Christmas wish to come true, perhaps even in these difficult times amid our own suffering and struggle as a result of this pandemic, we might yet find the strength and resolve to, as Bishop Chomnycky put it, “be true neighbors and stretch our helping hands and hearts to those in our communities who are suffering both spiritually and physically.” This is our Christmas wish – that together we look after one another despite our own difficulties and struggles. In doing so we might just find a degree of peace, happiness, and health that we have all seemingly longed for this past year. We wish you all a very merry Christmas and a happy, joyous, healthy new year!