Happy New Year!

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A new year, a new day, another opportunity to begin again.

Did you make any New Year’s Resolutions? These often center around our physical well-being. We resolve to do things like exercise more, stop smoking, or save more money. If your health is suffering or you’re being reckless with your spending, then you’d probably benefit from making those kinds of concrete changes. Your body is a gift to you from God, as are your talents that allow you to work to support yourself or your family. Caring for and using our gifts wisely is how we thank God for them.

Remember, though, that we are more than our bodies and our bank accounts. We have more to look forward to than what this world offers us: we have eternal life to prepare for! If our body is fit but our soul is corroded, and if our bank account is healthy but we’re stingy with our neighbors, what good will that bring us in eternity? If we have all we need and more but are unwilling to share what we have with the less fortunate, how will we recognize Christ when He comes to us – He, Who disguises Himself in this life as the poor and suffering? 

President Jimmy Carter, who passed away December 29, gives us a good example of how we can ‘walk the talk’ of our faith. He didn’t only profess to love his neighbor; he lived it, whether that was by negotiating peace or building homes with Habitat for Humanity. 

As we begin this new year, make it a priority to ask our Lord to show you what He wants of you – and then listen for His answer. Maybe begin by getting into the habit of reading spiritual material for a few minutes every day. You may want to look into Word Among Us (https://wau.org/) or the Laudate app. Both of these give brief reflections on how the day’s scripture readings relate to our daily lives, as well as inspiring stories of how both ordinary people like ourselves and the saints lived out their faith. 

We can’t take our body or our possessions with us, so let’s examine how much time and energy we’re putting into our preparations for eternity compared to the time and energy we put into what is temporary. Let’s ask Christ to give us the grace to make one or two concrete changes that will help us become more like Him: more patient, loving, generous, humble, and compassionate. 

Let’s ask our Lord to help us prepare for eternal life. 

“Do not love the world or the things of the world… For all that is in the world, sensual lust, enticement for the eyes, and a pretentious life, is not from the Father but is from the world. Yet the world and its enticement are passing away. But whoever does the will of God remains forever.” – 1 John 2:15-17

“Lord, show me what to do to prepare for eternity with You.”

Thank you for reading my reflection.  All thanks to God for giving me the ideas and guiding my words!    © 2025 Gina Bedell   

  

Through these reflections, I invite you, the reader, to reflect on a given topic and then seek deeper answers through prayer, additional spiritual reading, and/or consultation with clergy or other qualified persons in order to grow in your faith and understanding of God’s love and will for your life. 

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P.S.

Pray for peace at home, in Ukraine, Russia, the Middle East, and around the world. Donate to a cause that tugs at your heart. Take care of those around you; take care of our planet. Pray for the families around the globe whose lives have been torn apart by war and natural disasters.