The family finds its full meaning as a community of faith and love.  The Apostolic Constitution on the Family (Cf. Familiaris Consortio, n. 21) talks about the family as of a domestic church. To see the family as the Church “in miniature,” and to call the Church itself the “family of God,” are ideas that have been present from the early centuries of Christianity. 

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed our routine as a family. Kids were required to stay at home due to the closure of their schools at all grade levels. As you know, most kids are happy when they get a break from school but this time it wasn’t a break per se but a different setting, a different way to, basically, do the same. Several college students also returned to their parents’ place for  different reasons. The stay at home orders are extremely difficult for kids and youngsters; they have a lot of energy and they have to do something with it, they have to use.  For them the confinement is a bigger challenge. The older you get the more you want to stay home but kids and youngsters want to explore, to be outdoors, to spend time with their friends. The confinement is even harder for those kids who are poor and live in apartments and small houses. Now, the pandemic has impacted everyone, not only kids and youngsters. 
 A lot of parents were required to work from home, others were  laid off, and others lost their jobs. The pandemic’s impact on the family is humongous. Before the pandemic most parents went to work in the morning and most kids went to school. With the pandemic most kids and parents have to stay home most of the time. 

Now, spending time together as a family is a nice thing, something we enjoy, but given the difficult circumstances we are not enjoying our time together as much as we should. Kids are getting on their parents’ nerves and vice versa. Spouses too, are getting on each other’s nerves. The pandemic and the restrictions have impacted our mental health. The anxiety and depression number of diagnoses  has skyrocketed in the last few months. 

But are we going to let this pandemic takes us down? I think it is about time to change our approach. We might have restrictions in place for the next few months but we can still make the most of the current situation. Instead of complaining we should appreciate what we have. We as a family should turn to the Holy Family and ask them to intercede for us and for all families. We should take advantage of the current circumstances to strengthen our bonds as a family, to appreciate each other better, to love each other more. 

Through the intercession of Jesus, Mary and Joseph may all families follow their example; may all families live in harmony and may God bless each home with his presence.