Spiritual Resolutions for the New Year?

Well, its that time of year again. New Year’s resolutions abound.

Looking back at last year, did you grow in your faith and holiness? If someone close to you were asked this question about you, would their answer be a resolute “yes!”

If not, do you have a purposeful plan to grow closer to Christ this year? Are you fully prepared to meet God face to face? Do you plan to be?

Not too long ago I attended my brother Shannon’s funeral – he was 35 years old when he died. Before that, I attended my sister Linda’s funeral – she was 32. In between these, my niece Callie was 2 years old when she was ripped from this world. No one saw any of these devastating and sudden losses coming. All three were healthy only hours before. Each of their bodies failed, almost instantly, in different and unexpected ways. Each of them lived as if they had long lives ahead of them. Each of them were wrong. One moment they were healthy, spending time with family, playing, eating, sleeping… and then they were suddenly standing before God.

What did they see? What will you see? When will you find yourself standing before God? In the next ten minutes? The next hour? Tomorrow? Next week? Are you ready?

If not, what will it take for you to get ready? Is there really anything more important than being ready? Is there really anything more important than where you will spend eternity once this very brief life has passed? Have you considered that even if you live to be a hundred, in contrast with eternity, one hundred years is like a grain of sand on the sea shore.

Each minute you chose the trajectory of your soul. Each minute you decide what God will ratify if you end up standing before him in the next. What is your chosen trajectory? What if you think it is heaven when it really is not? If you are committed to your Catholic faith, can you clearly articulate the criteria upon which you will be judged according to the teachings of Christ and his Church? Could you show someone where your views are justified in the Catechism or scripture? Are you really as ready as you can be, or do you just hope that you are?

My hope and prayer is that this moment, in this new year, you are as ready as you can be. If you are not, my prayer is that you will move spiritual growth to the top of your New Year’s resolution list, get a clear plan in place, and quickly begin aggressively pursuing your relationship with Christ and his Church.

That said, I wish you a very happy New Year! If your last moment comes this year – my prayer is that you will find yourself embraced by Christ and hearing the words, “well done – enter into the joy of your master…”

Seek Him – Find Him – Follow Him

Dan

PS 1: If you think purgatory is a good backup plan, you might want to read this post.

PS 2: If you do have spiritual resolutions, share them with the rest of us! We might benefit from your insights.