With the glow of Christmas still burning brightly, it’s a good time to contemplate the New Year in light of the gift of the Christ child. What does his coming mean to you and how can you take that with you into 2013? Diet, exercise, and quitting smoking are typical New Year’s
resolutions. Improved health is great, but for Christians with our sights on
heaven, we can do better. Let’s not forget the spiritual realm where
improvements last longer than a lifetime.
Here are suggestions to consider while setting goals for a
holier year.
holier year.
Commit Random Acts of
Prayer. Resolve to pray for at least one person each day who does not even know
you or perhaps would never suspect you would pray for them. It could a famous person, or someone in a
passing car, or in the grocery line. Better yet, pick someone who has been
nasty to you, or cut you off in traffic.
Prayer. Resolve to pray for at least one person each day who does not even know
you or perhaps would never suspect you would pray for them. It could a famous person, or someone in a
passing car, or in the grocery line. Better yet, pick someone who has been
nasty to you, or cut you off in traffic.
See Jesus More Often. Make a commitment to visit Jesus in the
tabernacle. The more you give of your
time to Jesus, the more he can give to you.
tabernacle. The more you give of your
time to Jesus, the more he can give to you.
Do a good deed every
day, no matter how small. When I was a kid we used to say: “I’m rubber and you’re glue, whatever you say
bounces off of me and sticks to you.” Think of God telling us: “I’m God and I made you, whatever you do for
others comes back to you.”
day, no matter how small. When I was a kid we used to say: “I’m rubber and you’re glue, whatever you say
bounces off of me and sticks to you.” Think of God telling us: “I’m God and I made you, whatever you do for
others comes back to you.”
Find a Charity to
Donate Time or Money. By giving to others, we accumulate everlasting
treasure. Consider also visiting a lonely relative, an elderly neighbor, or a
young mother who could use some help.
Donate Time or Money. By giving to others, we accumulate everlasting
treasure. Consider also visiting a lonely relative, an elderly neighbor, or a
young mother who could use some help.
Read the Bible. Protestants
think Catholics don’t read the Bible. Prove them wrong.
think Catholics don’t read the Bible. Prove them wrong.
Go to one more Mass. If
you don’t always go to Sunday Mass, resolve NEVER to miss Mass and Holy Days of
Obligation. If you only go on Sundays, find another day you are not obligated to
go and simply attend for the extra graces and for the love of Jesus. If you go
daily, try to get more out of it and really focus.
you don’t always go to Sunday Mass, resolve NEVER to miss Mass and Holy Days of
Obligation. If you only go on Sundays, find another day you are not obligated to
go and simply attend for the extra graces and for the love of Jesus. If you go
daily, try to get more out of it and really focus.
Turn your Dial to
Catholic TV and Radio. Find some Catholic programing you enjoy and make a
point to tune in regularly.
Catholic TV and Radio. Find some Catholic programing you enjoy and make a
point to tune in regularly.
Read Catholic
Literature and Listen to CD’s. There’s no lack of such resources. It’s the
next best thing to going on a retreat.
Literature and Listen to CD’s. There’s no lack of such resources. It’s the
next best thing to going on a retreat.
Fast a Day or Two
During the Week. Jesus fasted for 40 days. Scripture says, “And when you
fast…” (Matt 16:6) not if you fast.
There’s power in fasting. How you fast is up to you. Bread and water is too
extreme for many. You can fast from TV or Facebook, or simply eat for nutrition
i.e., plain tuna, broccoli and dry toast–not so tasty but maintains health
while sacrificing. Or, consider leaving
something out at every meal such as no mayonnaise on your sandwich or dressing
on your salad. Make it a pure gift to God, not a diet for you.
During the Week. Jesus fasted for 40 days. Scripture says, “And when you
fast…” (Matt 16:6) not if you fast.
There’s power in fasting. How you fast is up to you. Bread and water is too
extreme for many. You can fast from TV or Facebook, or simply eat for nutrition
i.e., plain tuna, broccoli and dry toast–not so tasty but maintains health
while sacrificing. Or, consider leaving
something out at every meal such as no mayonnaise on your sandwich or dressing
on your salad. Make it a pure gift to God, not a diet for you.
Confession Go to
confession more often. It’s a gift Jesus gave to us after his Resurrection. He
breathed on them and said, “Receive the holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are
forgiven them and whose sins you retain are retained” (John 21:22).
confession more often. It’s a gift Jesus gave to us after his Resurrection. He
breathed on them and said, “Receive the holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are
forgiven them and whose sins you retain are retained” (John 21:22).
Just prior to giving them the power to forgive sins, Jesus
sent them out into the world to act in his place: “As the Father sent me, so I
am sending you.” The only other time the Bible mentions God
breathing on anyone was in Genesis 2:7 when he breathed life into the first
human beings. Likewise, confession breathes new life into our souls.
sent them out into the world to act in his place: “As the Father sent me, so I
am sending you.” The only other time the Bible mentions God
breathing on anyone was in Genesis 2:7 when he breathed life into the first
human beings. Likewise, confession breathes new life into our souls.
Don’t dismay if you keep bringing the same sins back to
Confession. I had a friend tell me that she told the priest she was embarrassed
to keep confessing the same sins. The priest chuckled. “Just be glad you aren’t
bringing any new ones in,” he said. It’s
about improvement, not perfection.
Confession. I had a friend tell me that she told the priest she was embarrassed
to keep confessing the same sins. The priest chuckled. “Just be glad you aren’t
bringing any new ones in,” he said. It’s
about improvement, not perfection.
Find a Spiritual
Director. It’s easy for the
scrupulous to worry that they are not doing enough and for those that tend
toward sloth to make excuses and do little or nothing. New Year’s resolutions
have a way of fading away. With a spiritual director, you will have someone to
help you reach your goals like a personal trainer for your soul.
Director. It’s easy for the
scrupulous to worry that they are not doing enough and for those that tend
toward sloth to make excuses and do little or nothing. New Year’s resolutions
have a way of fading away. With a spiritual director, you will have someone to
help you reach your goals like a personal trainer for your soul.
If you have never received spiritual direction and don’t
know much about it, consider getting the book Navigating the Interior Life,
Spiritual Direction And the Journey to God by Dan Burke. It is the best
resource available for understanding spiritual direction and how to utilize it.
know much about it, consider getting the book Navigating the Interior Life,
Spiritual Direction And the Journey to God by Dan Burke. It is the best
resource available for understanding spiritual direction and how to utilize it.
The wonderful thing about our Catholic faith in the face of
resolutions is that it has checks and balances. It teaches humility and
thanking God when we accomplish our goals. And when we fall short, we have
Confession and an understanding that God’s mercy far outweighs our own attempts
at holiness.
resolutions is that it has checks and balances. It teaches humility and
thanking God when we accomplish our goals. And when we fall short, we have
Confession and an understanding that God’s mercy far outweighs our own attempts
at holiness.
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