2020: A Year of Many Blessings

Anne DeSantis invites us to look at 2020 with eyes of faith and find ways to be grateful.

2020 has offered a mixture of both blessings and challenges, but I think the final analysis for us as Catholics and believers is that the year was indeed good. Let us unpack what I am communicating to you. I will offer seven points of how we have been blessed this year.

1. Reliance on God. I do not know about you, but I cannot think of a time in recent or even less recent times that the message of relying on God has become clearer after dealing with the global pandemic. For the most part, God has provided for us even amid sadness, tragedy, and isolation.
   
   
2. Family Time. More than any other aspect of this past year, we have gotten to spend more time with our own families. Nightly dinner became more prevalent and appreciated. Families grew closer. Our hearts go out to those without immediate family, and that brings me to my next point.
   
   
3. More Prayer Time. Being at home has afforded many the opportunity to pray together as a family or just to make time for quiet, individual prayer. There are exceptions to all rules, but to me it seems that the need to pray became more obvious as the pandemic lingered on.
   
   
4. Contemplation. Many hard-core prayer warriors wish to be able to enter into contemplative prayer, as it is a time of being with God and of peace. With so much time at home this past year, those who have never experienced the idea of contemplative prayer have crossed the bridge and are spending more time just being with our Lord.
   
   
5. Contentment. A huge blessing of 2020 is in being grateful for what we have and not what we do not have. This is a big takeaway from this year.
   
   
6. Time with Pets. For pet lovers, let us be honest, it was a great year. Our dogs, cats, and other furry friends have enjoyed our time at home, too.
   
   
7. Loving Others. Perhaps one of the greatest blessings in this year is how we can love the marginalized and make outreach to them. Whether it be for a food store run, prayer, a quick visit, or a monetary gift, it all makes a major difference for our world.

As people of faith, we can look at this year with different eyes. By @annedesantis2 #catholicmom

Some may call my list crazy, as we have seen a lot on social media calling 2020 the year from Hell. But as people of faith, we can look at this year with different eyes.

We know and believe that nothing is stronger than our faith in God and in His Church. Happy Advent!

Copyright 2020 Anne DeSantis
Image: Pixabay (2015)