03 April 2020, “We command you, beloved, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to keep away from...idleness” (2Thess 3:6)
“We command you, beloved, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to keep away from...idleness” (2Thess 3:6)
Today marks the 40th day in our Lenten journey and we reflect through the liturgy and Gospel on the Temptation of Jesus in the Wilderness.
The Epistle that we read today is a beautiful one and through it, Saint Paul tells us to beware of idleness and those who are living in idleness. As we make our way through this era of the Coronavirus Pandemic and we are all isolated in our homes, it is very easy for us and our families to fall into the trap of idleness. Idleness in thought, idleness in physical activity, idleness in word and idleness in prayer. It is very easy and tempting for us to become lazy and complacent because of fear, boredom, frustration and so on. Many people who are used to coming to Church to pray are finding themselves lost because the place that you would come to pray the Rosary or the Stations of the Cross was their parish. Many people keep saying to us that they have never missed coming to Church on Hosanna Sunday or Great Friday and don’t know what to do.
Well, we have been inspired by the stories of families who are not idle at all and are thinking outside the square so that they can continue to nourish their faith and find alternative ways of praying.
The Baltasar family, for example, prayed the Stations of the Cross in their backyard as a family, by placing the icons around the yard and re-enacting the stations. This gave them the opportunity to pray together, reflecting on the Lord’s Passion and get out of the house for some fresh air appreciating the natural environment.
The Saab family created the Stations of the Cross from Leggo and through this were also able to use their talents and skills to reflect on the Passion of the Lord.
These two examples are a beautiful sign of hope of how families are thinking outside of the square and making good use of their time to pray by being creative and not idle. We encourage you all to do the same. If you come up with a creative way that you are praying, let us know about it by sending a photo to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
Always remember, creativity allows us to keep away from idleness and from temptation. May God bless your families and always remember, stay safe, stay at home.
