By Mary Sayad

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    • NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS
    OR EXCUSES?
    2004

    Some folks like to pride themselves in keeping their New Year resolutions for the entire year (don't believe them). Yet, some folks brag about maintaining their goals for one month and of course there are those who take no pride at all in their resolutions lasting no more than one day! Everyone has some challenge or weakness that haunts them and they wait for the New Year to inspire them to achieve a new and better habit.

    I never make New Year's resolutions. I never could really understand the determination of trying to change myself only to break every new idea and comfortably fall back into my old habits. Perhaps I'm not an adventure seeking individual or perhaps I'm just too content, or could it be that I'm merely looking for an excuse to avoid an excuse for making an excuse. Did you follow that? I call it an irreverant attitude towards an overdeveloped sense of excuses!

    Serious, humorous or in-between, opportunities abound for self- improvement, especially in the arena of spiritual growth. Spiritual growth is dynamic and beautifully challenging. Spiritual growth is achieved first by tiny successes, often hardly noticed. Sometimes we progress by taking two steps forward and regress with one step backwards. Spiritual growth reprograms our mind to the mind of God which helps us navigate the journey of life patiently and confidently.

    The Bible is our blueprint for living and God is the Author. Humans have the potential to know and keep the word of God. Jesus and Mary show us how to live the word of God through the Holy Bible.

    As a young child, Our Blessed Mother learned the scriptures and this knowledge enabled her to live a life of obedience, humility and compassion. She suffered many hardships and Jesus' suffering was also her suffering, the suffering of a mother's heart, yet her faith never faltered.

    Develop the habit of reading the Bible daily. Daily scriptures may be read in approximately fifteen minutes. Daily scriptural readings for each week may be listed in your parish bulletin and/or in a Christian calendar. In addition, booklets may be purchased from Christian stores. Nourish your faith and fill your heart and mind with Jesus' teachings and examples of love.

    I hope that you use the mind of God to navigate your journey of life! This is a great New Year's resolution - excuses are not acceptable.

    Pray for peace in the world and continue to recite the rosary. The rosary is our defense against adversity. Thank you.

    May you and your families have a healthy and spiritual New Year!

    Your companion in prayer,
    Mary

    †

    The power of the cross is always with us!