On this eleventh day of Christmas and this fourth day of the ‘New Year,’ we are still in the Christmas season and should still be  following the star… following the path of the Wise Men in their journey towards the Baby Jesus. Even though Christ’s birth happened over two thousand years ago, we still have an opportunity to visit Jesus and pay homage to Him by attending First Friday Mass and making a Holy Hour in honor of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

Many people have started their New Year with resolutions aimed at bettering themselves, or more particularly aimed at bettering their bodies. Of course, this is well and good, but as faithful Catholics we need to remember that everything we do should direct us to God. We need to look at our resolutions with eyes of Faith. Sure, we should work at maintaining good health, and of course we should try to kick those habits which do our physical bodies harm, but we mustn’t neglect the health of our soul.

These past couple of weeks the liturgical calendar has been filled with feasts and holy days that aim to help us grow closer to the Lord… aimed at helping us prioritize where our focus in this life should be. In our quest for a better body,  too often we overlook those things that aid our spiritual health and instead focus on those that only aid the physical. We sign up for gym memberships or start new diets geared at eating healthier, all the while ignoring the eternal nature of our souls.

This weekend as we prepare to celebrate the Feast of the Epiphany, why not try to make it to Mass for First Friday or at least spend some time at the chapel in adoration before the Blessed Sacrament. Missed it? Well tomorrow is First Saturday and many parishes have a special Mass in honor of Our Blessed Mother. It would be a great time to start making your faith a priority. For more information on this First Saturday devotion click here.

If you really want to make some resolutions this year, start with your heart… I mean soul. There are so many opportunities to grow in the Faith. There is so much more to being Catholic than just attending Mass on Sunday. Why not make the resolution to learn more about the Catholic saints? They are the ones who lived life right. Through all of their difficulties, they kept their eyes on God. We can do the same. Remember, each of us was created by God for greatness.

As these first few days of 2019 unfold before us let us make a resolution to love the Lord with all of our heart. Without holding anything back. Sounds a bit radical, I know. Perhaps that might be a bit much… but perhaps, if we don’t, it won’t be enough. All I know for sure is that if you make a resolution to just learn a little more about the Faith and actually read the Truth you will see how the Catholic Church helped shape the world… You will see how the Catholic Church is the vessel in which the Lord continues to pour His Mercy over the world.

Knowledge of the history of the Catholic Church is so important in that it helps us recognize the Church’s role in keeping the world from spinning headlong into the abyss of hell. Don’t fall for the lies of the world, because contrary to what the secular world would have you believe, being Catholic… truly Catholic and embracing the Faith and Her teachings with a heart that is open to the Will of God, will do far more for you than all the diets in the world and all the hours spent at the gym. I guarantee. You will be glad that you did… because in the end, God will reward you. His Love for you will not be outdone.