Happy New Year.
Welcome to Advent- the start of the liturgical Year- Year B in the liturgical cycle.
What is your new Year resolution? I mean your spiritual resolution for this new Year.
As I look back over the last liturgical year, I am glad that Jesus is patient because I know I have not grown as much spiritually as I could. Plenty of room for improvement.!!! Hopefully you had a wonderful spiritual year and can built on it this year.
Sometimes we can be so overwhelmed as we undertake a stocktake of our lives that we give up hope.
If you are feeling a little like this after a stocktake, why not receive the sacrament of reconciliation- Jesus is waiting to welcome us and to lift the burden from our hearts. It is also a wonderful time to receive this sacrament leading up to Christmas.
What I like to do on the first Sunday of Advent is to set my spiritual goals for the Year with the view of growing spiritually throughout the year. What about you? Here is a list of some of my goals for the Year.
1. Receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation regularly: I know I can put off attending this sacrament throughout the year- so when I get my new diary, I write in regular dates for this sacrament. I think of it as a date with Jesus. Generally the very act of writing the dates in for the whole year helps me to not leave this sacrament to chance. It says to me it is important. It also means I can lock out this time for the sacrament. When things come up during the year, I can easily say no or work around it ensuring that this sacrament does not become neglected in my life.
Receiving the sacrament in Advent gets me off to good new year.!!!
2. Attending Mass during the week: I like to attend Mass during the week either daily or as often as I can. I know when I hear myself say '' I cant be bothered'' or it is too hot, too cold etc that my soul is backsliding. However when I attend Mass daily, there is also a danger that I attend because I promised myself I would as if I can tick that goal off the list. Being mindful of why I am attending Mass is vital and keeping God as no 1 in my life critical to my spiritual growth.
3. Exploring different ways of praying: I like to attend Evening Prayer with the Friars. Living on my own can be great for my personal prayer but communal prayer can be missing when I do not make an effort to attend. Thankfully in my parish, we have communal evening prayer.
However I can become ''bored'' with the routine. Exploring and understanding more about the psalms is something I want to learn about this year.
4. Helping Others: At the last judgement, we will be judged on how we have helped others. We may not be able to help others who are in great need on the other side of the world with our presence. We can definitely pray for them, or give financially if we are able.
However we may be able to help someone in need closer to home- in our own home or neighbourhood or parish. We may be able to highlight a cause or run and event ( a morning tea/afternoon tea/ trivia night ) for it with the proceeds going to the cause.
Perhaps we can seek out someone in the parish who needs assistance in some way and give it to them or perhaps we can join a group in the parish or even start a group that fills a need. This latter idea is what I want to do- I want to start a group that fills a need in the parish- don't know what yet ( keep you posted).
5. Identifying one vice in my life and changing it into a virtue. I have identified a habitual sin and I have committed myself to eradicating it this coming year. Working on one area is better than not working on any. It gives impetus as well and focus for the year.
These 5 ideas will definitely keep me going for the year- I may add others as the year unfolds. However, as this new liturgical Year starts, I wish to commit myself to knowing and loving God more in my life and showing it in my life.
What will be YOUR commitment to God this New Year?
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