Courage. Do not be afraid.
After eighteen months of uncertainty and of living in a climate of fear and anxiety, our children and teachers are returning to school. The atmosphere is different this time as a new horizon awaits, with restrictions being removed and a sense of normalisation returning. Many people are vaccinated and the numbers of people in Intensive Care Units are down. These indicators offer us hope as we face into the autumnal season.
Our lockdown experiences point to a response to re-build our local communities where inclusion became our focus. Communities have been sustained and renewed during this crisis. Neighbours came together to support each other, there were simple impromptu acts of kindness, the embracing of online – including Church – services, and our commitment to serving others were hallmarks of our response to Covid-19. It was with courage that people faced – and continue to face – the Covid crisis together. It is also with courage that we return together to our school communities.
Courage is a gift of the Holy Spirit. We are reminded in today’s reading to take courage. As faithful people we believe that God’s presence in our lives give us the courage to live in hope during challenging times.
Many people returning to, or starting in, a school community during September will be anxious and worried about the future. From today’s reading we pray that we can all remain open to hear God in our lives and live our lives with courage.
Photo by Michael Dziedzic on Unsplash
Ronan Barry
