Now we have begun a New Year!
Someone pointed out to me recently that if you turn 1999 upside down, it
reads: 6661. Hmmmmmm!
On New Year’s Day, as part of my meditation, I read that every New Year is
like a blank page. God knows all of the details and everything that will happen to
us this year. Everything that will affect us is all within the Providence of God.
My reading went on to say that at the top of the page, we should write: "Be
it done unto me, according to Your Will." And at the bottom of the page, we
should write: "Amen, alleluia."
Not bad advice, I’d say!
Maybe you’ve made some New Year’s resolutions and maybe you didn’t. A
survey that was taken indicated that most people don’t bother making New
Year’s resolutions. Actually, we shouldn’t worry so much about making New Year’s resolutions as
we should be concerned about making a daily resolution. That’s part of working
continually at our conversion. We all need to, from the greatest sinner to the greatest
saint.
What I mean is that every morning, when we awaken, it would be good for us to
pray for the grace to overcome a fault of ours. Perhaps, it is that we tend to be too
impatient. Perhaps, we drink too much alcohol. Perhaps, we don’t give God even 15
minutes out of the day just for Him. Each of us has a superfluity of faults and so we have
quite a selection to choose from.
None of us should think that we can overcome any of our faults all by
ourselves. Not possible, friend! No way, Jose, as it is said!
We need God’s help and He will give us help, if we ask Him.
On one of my trips to Venezuela, I stopped at a convent of Sisters founded by
Mother Maria of St. Joseph. (Her body is incorrupt, by the way after being
buried for 25 years. Even the lilies that were placed in her hands at burial remained
incorrupt and appeared as though they had just be picked.) As I was leaving, one of the
Sisters approached me. I did not know her, but what she said to me, I knew was the
influence of God. She said: "None of us will be saved except by the mercy of God."
Now that may not seem very much to you, but the reality is that I had been
mulling over in my mind for some days about salvation, -- my own, especially, but
that of others, as well.
So for that Sister, out of the clear blue, and without any knowledge of my
own "mullings" made a point that hit me astoundingly. She was used by God
directly and maybe didn’t even know the power of her words to me at the time.
And thank God for it, because we can count on Him, His love for us, His
faithfulness. It's something to think about, think very seriously about each day throughout
this year.
The New Year's celebrations are over, but God has given us every day to celebrate
His goodness and graces. So have a holy, happy, grace-filled New Year...each and every day.
And let us, each day, begin anew!
God bless you!