Happy New Year!
We have finally made it, out with the old and in with the new. New year, new hope, new life, new opportunities and some sense of relief that 2020 is behind us. As we begin this New Year on the Feast of the Epiphany, it is a reminder for us that new beginnings are possible when we search for Jesus in our lives. The beautiful thing about our celebration is that tradition tells us that the wisemen searched for the newborn King. Their search revealed to them a child who was innocent, holy and part of a human family. Their search caused their very lives to be changed.
As we begin a new year, especially with the trials of 2020 that we endured, maybe we need to consider how searching for Jesus in our lives is meant to change our lives too. New Year’s is often a time for resolutions. Maybe we should consider how we are going to search and find Jesus more in our own lives this year as one of our resolutions? How are we going to look for Christ? Are we going to encounter Christ more in the Sacraments, in prayer? Will we see Christ in the poor and marginalized, the alien, the orphan, the outcast of our own society? The greater question is, will the encounters with Christ that we have transform our own life?
At St. Mary’s as we begin this new year, we too need to make some resolutions.
1. We need to grow in holiness. Our prayer, our encounters with one another and our celebration of the Sacraments need to draw us closer to Christ.
2. We need to make disciples! Certainly all of us who are baptized are disciples, but we need to work at sharing our faith and making more by evangelizing. We can’t be afraid to talk about how Jesus transforms our life.
3. We need to support the work of St. Mary’s. We know that the past couple of years have been challenging for everyone, and that certainly includes our parish. Our contributions have not kept pace with our expenses, and the ability for St. Mary’s to thrive is in real jeopardy. In early February there will be a ‘state of the parish’ address to clearly lay out our finances and the dire situation St. Mary’s is in. This will be an opportunity for everyone to see and hear the state of St. Mary’s. I am also asking all of us as part of our New Year’s resolutions to consider if their contributions reflect what St. Mary’s is providing and if you could reflect your love of this parish in the support you give. Please help us in 2021.
I hope that you take advantage of the home blessing found on the cover of this weekend’s bulletin. Incense and chalk are available in church for your use. May God Bless our New Year, and may we continue to search for and encounter Jesus so that 2021 can be the new start everyone is looking for.
Keep Smiling,
Fr. Bryan