Spiritual Resources for Troubled Times

Dear friends of TTC,

Peace be with you.

We are living in troubled times. Almost overnight, the outbreak of Covid-19 has turned the lives of many people upside down. Rich or poor, young or old, male or female, alone or with a family, it appears that no one is spared from the impact of this global pandemic.

Many are struggling to cope. One major aspect that is significantly tested is our psycho-spiritual resilience. With heightened strain and stress due to the loss of normalcy, many are feeling anxious and fearful in the face of upheavals and uncertainty.

We wish to share with you a series of materials entitled “Spiritual Resources for Troubled Times” that can help us find spiritual refreshment amid the strain and stress. In these materials, you will be invited to look to Scripture and the reflections of spiritual guides. They bring enduring words of wisdom and time-tested practices which are especially helpful during the current pandemic. We will harvest their insights and organize them into bite-size practices that will help to resource us spiritually.

In this first installment, “Resting in God: the Practice of Silence”, we will explore how to remain calm through the practice of silence. Here, we look to the psalmist and the desert fathers and mothers to learn how this practice can resource us in the midst of strain.

During this unusual time, we may discover that our hearts are occupied and disturbed despite the largely quiet physical surroundings due to the lockdown. We feel anxiety welling up within or a faint sense of disquiet.

This first exercise is aimed at helping us to understand and cope with this form of anxiety. We will learn to identify the sources of our anxiety, draw upon Scripture to address them and then to re-engage life more fully with the resources that God provides. We invite you to take just 15 minutes to engage in the following exercise.

Chaplaincy Team