Dear Friends,

It is important for me to address how people are feeling right now. I have tried to do that in my Sunday morning homilies, but this is a good place to do it as well. There is sadness, fear, excitement, concern, satisfaction, shame, hopelessness, hopefulness, and grief, to name a few of the emotions being felt as a result of the election. Because the gamut of feelings is so great and so varied, it is difficult to hone into one group or another in order to directly address feelings. So, here are my words as we go forward. We need to hold on to hope, no matter how we are feeling. Holding on to our hope is important to our well-being. Holding on to hope also helps us maintain positive relationships with others in the midst of this emotional turmoil. If we hold on to hope and if we show respect to each other, we not only help ourselves and our relationship, but we set a tone for others who are struggling. Talking about our feelings, providing safe places for people to talk can only help us all. Our feelings are real and should not be dismissed by ourselves or by others. Acknowledge them. Feel them. If you are feeling negative feelings, such as anger, try to get in touch with where that is coming from, so that you can work with it. You may not be ready to turn this over to God, but you can always pray about it. Let God know your feelings, let God  hear your concerns. The power of prayer is real, as real as your feelings. If we can talk to God about the future and what we need and what we hope for, for ourselves and our nation, it may relieve some of what we may be carrying around on our shoulders, whatever that may be. Sometimes prayer’s healing power is about putting words to what we are feeling, acknowledge them within ourselves, and giving ourselves permission to feel what we feel. Going forward, acting upon our feelings is the part that needs discernment. It is much easier to begin figuring out how to go forward once we have expressed, acknowledged, and owned our feelings. Nothing about any of this is black or white, right or wrong. We have entered the gray zone. (Actually, we always live in the gray zone, it is far more apparent these days) That is why we need God!

Warmly and with many blessings,
Mother Lily