I don’t know about other households, but a common “parentism” in our house is “Focus!” Sometimes, when the task at hand is taking way longer than it should, it’s more of an exasperated “Could you just focus?!” It could be homework, washing dishes, playing a game, getting dressed, etc., but whatever the chore, it seems that, more often than not, we have to remind our children to keep focused on the goal of the moment.
It occurred to me during a recent time of prayer in front of the exposed Blessed Sacrament that God could often say the same thing to us. I was whispering to my five-year-old, explaining where to focus her attention during this time of prayer. “Look at the big gold circle on the altar,” I said. “Now, see in the middle? The white part is the Body of Christ, which is what we are here to see and worship.” I don’t know if my explanation helped her, but it made me realize something that’s been weighing on my mind ever since — I have not been focusing. And if I can be so bold as to make the generalization, I don’t think I’m the only one.
I could almost hear the Lord say, “Just focus. Focus on me. Come back to me. I’ve been here this whole time, in all the craziness of the last 18 months.” All of a sudden, I could clearly see myself as God’s child, being told (much more gently than I would tell my own children), “Focus.”
The monstrance, which contains the flesh and blood of Christ, is the ultimate focal point. Just think of the shape of a monstrance: it’s essentially a bull’s eye with a divine centre. Jesus himself is what, or rather who, we need to be focused on — All. The. Time. Of course, we can’t be kneeling in adoration of the Blessed Sacrament 24/7, but having regular times of exposition is probably the best way to remind us that we need to say focused on him, no matter what we are doing.
I think we’ve missed the mark on staying focused on Christ in this new COVID-centred world. I think we need to seriously ask ourselves if we’ve placed concern about COVID above our focus on Christ. This question reverberated through my head recently when a friend sent me the announcement about the Archdiocese of Moncton implementing a policy that only COVID-vaccinated people would be allowed to enter churches for Mass or any other sacrament. Immediately, I thought, we’ve lost focus.
Since when does the Catholic Church turn people away? Since when has the Eucharist been denied to any Catholic in the state of grace who has made his or her first Communion? Why have we stood by while access to our Lord was (and still could be) locked away from us? Yup, I thought, we desperately need to regain focus. Thankfully, since the initial statement, all the dioceses in New Brunswick have decided together that proof of vaccination will not be required for Mass attendance, but, seriously, how was the alternative ever even considered?
There are times throughout history when we have been given opportunities to really examine our focus. The last 18 months seems to be one of those times. How is it that we can call ourselves Catholics, claim to love our Lord above all things, and allowed ourselves to be cut off from his physical presence in the Eucharist? Why were we not standing vigil outside our churches during lockdown, showing the world that we could not live without the Eucharist … the “source and summit” of our faith, as we were told by the Second Vatican Council document Lumen Gentium?
In a few days, on Oct. 13, we will celebrate the 104th anniversary of the miracle of the sun that occurred in Fatima, Portugal, after Our Lady appeared to the three children of Fatima for six months. Our Blessed Mother came to call people back to her Son at another turbulent time in history. World War I raged in Europe, and the threat of communism was looming large. She warned the children that another great war would consume the earth if souls did not return to prayer, penance, conversion, and reparation. Our Lady knew the world, specifically the Church, needed to refocus in 1917.
Her message still resounds today as many Catholics desperately try to stay focused on Jesus. Hopefully, just as parents try tirelessly to keep their children focused, the powers that be in the Church will do all they can to help us keep our focus on Christ. Ask for holy hours at your parish. Invite others to come. Most importantly, take your children and show them how to focus on what really matters.
Lazzuri writes from her home in Nova Scotia, where she lives with her husband, six children, and her mom. She can be reached at clarelazzuri@gmail.com.
