Happy New Year!
Put on, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving one another… Col 3:12-13
Today’s opening verses from the second reading seem like the perfect way to begin a new year! (Doesn’t this sound like a New Year’s Resolution?) Imagine what the world would be like if each and everyone of us–Christian, Muslim, Jew, Hindu, etc.–were to make a vow to be compassionate and patient with one another! As with all New Year’s Resolutions, this is a lofty goal but perhaps near difficult to sustain for long. We slowly revert back to our old ways. Think back to the last time you able to keep a New Year’s Resolution and how easy it was (or not) to keep up the momentum. Think back and examine what went wrong… Did you not have the willpower, the patience or the energy to fulfill your goals? How do you plan to keep your resolutions this year?
Paul gives us, in verses that precede and follow today’s reading, a good guide to follow: put away anger, fury and take off the old self and put on kindness, compassion, forgiveness and above all else put on love. Again this all feels like one big New Year’s Resolution! But Paul also tells us in this reading how we can keep these resolutions and our private ones: “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly…” Paul is telling us we do not need to be perfect as long as we allow Christ into our lives and let Him guide us in our quest to better ourselves.
In this new year, let us allow ourselves to hear God’s Word, to feel God’s Word and to rely on God’s Word. Make it a resolution to not rely on yourself totally to keep your resolutions but ask for Jesus’ help. Pick up the Gospel and read it when you need encouragement and wisdom. Let the Word of God flow through you and soon you will find a renewed sense of strength and of self. You may even find, a year from now, that you were able to keep all your resolutions with Jesus at your side.
Blessings to you in the New Year, Holly Clark
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