Post-Election Soul-Care for Catholics
Feeling exhausted, anxious, overwhelmed, or overjoyed from the election results?
Even if you’re like myself who’s relieved with how the elections turned out, the frantic energy of watching the news, political hatred, and bitter divisiveness in our country can still leave you distressed, hypersensitive, and overstimulated.
Here are some soul-care nourishment tips I’m using to help me replenish my mind, body, and spirit…post-election.
Remain in Him.
Let’s read John 15 and remember whose authority and presiding truly matters.
Jesus the True Vine
I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower.
He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit.
Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit.
You have already been cleansed by the word that I have spoken to you.
Abide in me as I abide in you.
Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me.
I am the vine, you are the branches.
Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing.
Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and withers; such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.
If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.
My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.
As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love.
If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love.
I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete.
This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.
No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
You are my friends if you do what I command you.
I do not call you servants any longer, because the servant does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father.
You did not choose me but I chose you.
And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name.
I am giving you these commands so that you may love one another.
The World’s Hatred
If the world hates you, be aware that it hated me before it hated you.
If you belonged to the world, the world would love you as its own.
Because you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world—therefore the world hates you.
Remember the word that I said to you, ‘Servants are not greater than their master.’
If they persecuted me, they will persecute you; if they kept my word, they will keep yours also.
But they will do all these things to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me.
If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin.
Whoever hates me hates my Father also.
If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, they would not have sin.
But now they have seen and hated both me and my Father.
It was to fulfill the word that is written in their law, ‘They hated me without a cause.
When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who comes from the Father, he will testify on my behalf.
You also are to testify because you have been with me from the beginning.
Source: Bible Gateway
Sing the Hours
Instead of watching more news and igniting more political overstimulation in our homes, listen to Sing the Hours by Paul Rose.
During breakfast, I turned off the news on TV. Though I was celebrating, the visual and auditory busyness from TV news can just be too much for me.
So I put on Sing the Hours instead, and my younger son immediately said, “Now this is what I need this morning!
I agree. To foster peace as we start our day, let’s begin with Lauds, for our morning prayers.
Don’t forget the beautiful evening prayers, as well.
Calm down, naturally.
I recently discovered by recommendation from a fellow Catholic coach Sacred Heart Tea - this amazing Catholic-owned online tea shop.
I’ve already tried (and loved!) their popular St. Therese Vanilla Rose tea.
Next, I think I’ll get some of their newly released Blessed Mother Chamomile and Lavender tea to help me find calm, rest, and ease - not just to recover from the tiresome election season, but also in preparation for the holidays.
Consecration to Mother Mary
Let’s consecrate our families, and our love for our country to Mother Mary.
To align our consecration day on the Feast Day of Our Lady of Guadalupe (Patroness of the Americas), we can begin our 33-day retreat preparation on November 9.
Get your copy (book or kindle version) here.
