Once again we come to the end of one year and the beginning of another. The transition is a passage of time and time is a special invention of God. It is more like his invitation to help us prepare for eternity – where there will be no time!

This concept of time is intriguing; in so many ways we seem to take it so much for granted. For example, New Year’s Day inspires ideas and resolutions about how we will use our time in the new year. Some of us may come up with resolutions for self-improvement, thoughts about jobs and career moves and other personal tasks that we may want to accomplish. More often than not, those ideas and resolutions take on some mighty large presumptions on God’s good will for our lives.

What about our spiritual time? I would enjoy knowing that all of us are resolutely resolving to go to Mass every Sunday as much as we may want to shed extra pounds and quit smoking.

Perhaps resolving to spend 15 minutes a day in quality prayer, or resolving to pray the rosary each day, or even carrying the rosary in our pockets or purses would be the kind of thing to get us started.

These are several different ideas, but I’m sure you could think up several more if you tried. Then again, I’m not trying to get you to think up ideas as much as I’m trying to get you to take some great action that will take you into the new year with some concrete, positive action that will benefit your soul.  

We start interestingly enough with the Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God, as our great advocate among the faith-filled respondents to grace. She fills us with an enduring sense of true faith and happiness. She offers a genuine sense of positive action.

Mary presents such a strong example of activism for the Gospel and the gift of true love from the Holy Spirit who from her motherly heart calls each of us to respond accordingly to grace in our lives as she has done in hers. Mary encourages us to make resolutions that advance our human condition while insuring our heavenly one. Use your time wisely and make good choices.

In all things, be assured of God’s love for you in this new year and be sure to use the precious gift of time to build up the Kingdom of God. Happy New Year!

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