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Happy New Year!
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January 1, 2021I said happy, certainly we wish happiness for ourselves our loved ones and friends, but as we begin a new year, the question is: What will this year be like? What will it bring? An end to COVID, a united country, a stable economy? How about our health, peace, and happiness in our families? As our catholic community of the Archdiocese embarks on the collaboration of Families of Parishes, what will that look like? There is so much unknown, perhaps a bit of fear, pondering the uncertain, it is hard to look to the future with a sense of ease.
With these and other questions in mind, we come to celebrate the Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God. She is called Theotokos – God bearer, for God sent his Son born of a woman. The feast of Mary the Mother of God is the oldest Marian Feast in the liturgical calendar. On this first day of the New Year we pray through the intercession of our Blessed Mary, for peace in the world, that each of us will be a “God bearer” in this world, in our families, places of work, churches, meetings – all that we do and who we are.
With questions and unknowns in mind, but with Mary at our side we begin the year with joy and hope because we heard the promises of Advent; we saw the miracle of Christmas, and now trusting the Lord we need to proclaim, and live it by putting it into practice. This is the promise and miracle of the Good News that has never changed, altered, or lost its power. How do we do that? Here is a quote I remember hearing at one of the parish retreats:
"I have come to a frightening conclusion. I am the decisive element in my home, parish, or place of work. It is my personal approach that creates the climate. It is my daily mood that makes the weather. As a family member, parishioner, or staff member I possess tremendous power to make another person's life miserable or joyous. I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration. I can humiliate or humor, hurt or heal. In all situations it is my response that decides whether a crisis will be escalated or de-escalated, and a person humanized or dehumanized" (Anonymous).
As we all make New Year’s resolutions – let’s make this one: be a decisive element in your family, parish, school, and place of work; that makes things good, blessed, and is a blessing to others in deed and word. Be Bold, Be Holy, Be Catholic.