“If you want something new, you have to stop doing something old”

“For a son of God each day should be an opportunity for renewal, knowing for sure that with the help of grace he will reach the end of the road, which is Love. That is why if you begin and begin again, you are doing well. If you have a will to win, if you struggle, then with God's help you will conquer. There will be no difficulty you cannot overcome.”  - St Josemaria Escriva (The Forge, 344)

Scripture Text: (PS 67:2-3, 5, 6, 8)

R/ (2a) May God bless us in his mercy.

May God have pity on us and bless us;

may he let his face shine upon us.

So may your way be known upon earth;

among all nations, your salvation.

R/ May God bless us in his mercy.

May the nations be glad and exult

because you rule the peoples in equity;

the nations on the earth you guide.

R/ May God bless us in his mercy.

May the peoples praise you, O God;

may all the peoples praise you!

May God bless us,

and may all the ends of the earth fear him!

R/ May God bless us in his mercy.

We begin again. With the differing time zones, the celebrations are staggered around the globe as we welcome the end of one calendar year and the beginning of a new one. The manner of celebrating may differ, but we all have a common hope, the desire to start over, to begin again.

Every New Year I read articles about the efficacy of New Year's Resolutions. The experience is universal. The question is why? I suggest that they reveal something of our deepest longing. They present us with an invitation to exercise our freedom.  Millions will utter sincere words, promising to do better. Lists will be compiled - and promises made - to oneself, to others and to God. Sadly, many will not be kept.

In reality, our choices will make us. In our choosing we not only have the potential to change the world around us, we change ourselves. Let us choose in 2014 to live our lives in, with and for Jesus Christ. That is the way we can turn those resolutions into reality.

In and through Jesus Christ, there is a path to truly being made new. That promise is at the heart of the Gospel, the Good News! St. Paul reminded the Christians in the City of Corinth - and reminds every one of us- "whoever is in Christ is a new creation: the old things have passed away; behold, new things have come." (2 Cor. 5:17)