CRYSTAL
For me, turning the page of the calendar to 2018 brings a rush of varying emotions…excitement over some new possibilities, determination for implementing resolutions for improvement, as well as allowing myself time to grieve over what is no longer possible for my life. Each of these could hold great potential for making my life and the life of those I love better in the coming year. For example, in my excitement over the new possibilities for my life such as going on a vacation to a place that I have long wanted to visit, there will inevitably be choices that need to be made in order to have things work out successfully. Money needs to be saved and calendars need to be freed from other commitments. Taking care of all the details of the vacation will make the time spent with Kevin a more joyful and restful adventure.
Certainly as I contemplate any resolution I make for improvement in my physical or spiritual health, there will be choices I need to make in order to implement them if there is to be any hope for success. I can’t just expect to suddenly become disciplined. I need to set time for exercise and prayer which is both attainable and is suited to my temperament. For example, scheduling a much-desired silent retreat would be a good -jump-start to lifting my prayer routine to a new level. And in order to acknowledge and accept the losses I have experienced over the last few years, especially the death of my dear friend, I must not gloss over the pain I feel, but choose instead to spend time in prayer in order to see how God is with me even through the feelings of sorrow. Every aspect of my life in 2018 and beyond will be impacted by decisions I make today and each succeeding day. The most important choice will be to remind myself that God is there with me, wanting to bring me His love.
KEVIN
Crystal’s reflection reminds me of the power of not merely making choices but that of making conscious choices. With each passing year our lives often develop a certain rhythm. Days fade into weeks, weeks into months and months into years. In the context of the Church year, Advent leads us to Christmas and, a short time later, Lent leads to Easter. Unfortunately, as we settle into a rhythm, we can sometimes fall into habits or patterns where our choices are made by default. We continue do what we have always done. While repeating patterns of the past isn’t necessarily a bad thing, especially if we have set our sights on developing good habits and practices, it is important to guard against drifting and complacency.
Becoming content with the way things are has always been a danger for me. When I become satisfied with where I find myself, whether it be in my relationship with Crystal, my health or my prayer life, I stop working for improvement and slowly but surely fall back into old ways. I guess that’s why I find this time of year so encouraging. As another year ends, I am challenged to look back and see where I missed opportunities to be the kind of person I want to be for myself, my family and the Church. At the same time, the fact of a ‘new year’ motivates me to make conscious choices for change, which always inspires me to become more like the person God calls me to be.
As I seek to make conscious choices in life, it is important for me to try to first reflect on the person God wants me to be. I know, in my human weakness, that if I focus only on my wants and desires the result will be many of the same old failed New Year’s resolutions of the past. If I set the agenda, I can change the agenda. However, if I seek to discern and follow the path to becoming the person God wants me to be, I will be challenged to be working on holiness each and every day of my remaining years. Only then will my actions become consistent with who I am called to be, a beloved son of God. So it is at this turning of another year that I seek to reflect on a passage from 1 Thessalonians 14-18 to guide my reflection and discernment for the year ahead and to seek God’s will for me. “We urge you, brothers and sisters, admonish the idle, cheer the fainthearted, support the weak, be patient with all. See that no one returns evil for evil; rather, always seek what is good for each other and for all. Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. In all circumstances give thanks.“
God’s desire for us is to be holy and without sin on the day of our judgment. By virtue of our Baptism we are called to be open to the Holy Spirit always seeking His guidance and wisdom. We are called to be a prayerful and grateful people. God knows that we are capable of being holy and acting in a manner totally pleasing to Him if we are willing to proclaim: “I am a baptized Roman Catholic seeking to live a holy life pleasing to God by following the example of His son and with the helping graces of the Holy Spirit.” God doesn’t care about the same things the world cares about. He cares about how well we love. As we endeavor to live a life ever closer to Christ, our primary focus should be on making conscious choice to become more loving and kind.
CRYSTAL
Everything we do in life involves choices. Do I choose to wake up with enough time to prayerfully begin the day, or do I try to eke out every possible last minute of sleep? Do I react to a grumpy clerk with a scowl, or do I force a smile on my face to reverse the negative mood? Do I chat with a co-worker about others who really irritate me, or do I simply focus on the work for which I am responsible? To find answers to these questions I must first ask which of the choices presented will make me more pleasing to God. I believe the answer will always be the choice which is more loving to those I encounter in my daily life.
One final thought: Our lives are never over until they’re over. I recently watched a movie with my young grandson that began with a short segment of what seemed like an impossibly dreadful end for the hero. Less than a minute later, the words “Two days earlier” appeared, and the remainder of the movie was spent describing the events that led up to the hero’s apparent demise. How much this reminds me of how all of our lives will be viewed at the end of our time on earth! We will have the opportunity to look back and see how the choices we made each and every day determined the outcome. And as I also learned from the movie, don’t think you know the end until the very end! Each minute holds incredible opportunity for change and resurrection. In order to make significant changes in our lives, we must understand that we are in control of our choices of how we will respond to the events in our lives. Of course, there will be things that happen that are outside of our control, but there are also many choices we make that will affect our future. The choices we make today may well determine what our lives look like tomorrow. Bringing Christ into my decision-making guarantees a more hopeful and peaceful outcome.
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