Connecting, Praying, Penance

During these past few days as sheltering in place sets in to a daily way of life, praying for a cure and connecting with family and friends is what I am called to do.  The world news is creating a sorrow inside me that only praying and connecting with family and friends can soothe. While I know this too shall pass and that some countries and peoples have suffered way beyond this current crisis, this is where I am today.  I try to sit in the sorrow so that I build compassion. By nature, I usually spin everything into something positive, however, for today, I will hold the sorrow in my heart so that when things do get better I will not forget that every day, in every year, someone somewhere is suffering. I will not forget.  Yesterday, we watched a movie, "The Two Popes." In the movie Pope Francis' early life as a priest reflected the huge suffering and torture that occurred in Argentina during the 70's. The rest his life, Fr. Bergoglio, now Pope Francis committed his life to service, simplicity, and compassion as depicted in the movie, almost as a penance, for what had occurred in the 70's to his fellow Jesuits/people.  Perhaps this time is for some of us to wake to a penance required to change the world and recognize what we can do to eliminate the suffering that has gone on in the world's poorest countries and neighborhoods and bring the compassion, service and love the world needs now and always. #popefrancis