New Year’s resolutions from Pope Francis

  Pope Francis at Asian Youth Day in August 2014. (photo: by Korean Culture and Information Service / Jeon Han / Wikipedia)

A writer in the Philippines has compiled a list, and it’s a good one:

1. Don’t gossip.

It’s one of our hobbies. For Francis, it’s also one of the most evil activities.

The Catholic leader denounces gossip as “murder.”

He feels so strongly about it that in less than a year as pontiff, Francis has preached against gossip in at least 6 different instances. Read the following homilies by Francis as well as a speech in 2013:

• “Never speak poorly of others,” March 27, 2013
• “The temptation to gossip about others,” April 9, 2013
• “No gossip, no fear,” April 13, 2013
• “The threat of gossip,” September 2, 2013
• “From gossip to love of others,” September 13, 2013
• “Presentation of the Christmas greetings to the Roman Curia,” December 21, 2013

(READ: Be professional and don’t gossip, Pope tells Church officials)

He says when we gossip, we “are doing what Judas did,” and “begin to tear the other person to pieces.”

“Every time we judge our brother in our hearts or worse when we speak badly of them with others, we are murdering Christians,” Francis says. “There is no such thing as innocent slander.”

2. Finish your meals.

No leftovers, please.

Named after a 12th-century saint who lived in poverty, Francis slams a “culture of waste” that neglects the plight of the hungry. (READ: Pope: Wasting food is stealing from the poor)

Nearly 870 million people suffer from chronic malnutrition, says the Food and Agriculture Organization. (VISIT: #HungerProject)

The Pope says: “We should all remember… that throwing food away is like stealing from the tables of the poor, the hungry! I encourage everyone to reflect on the problem of thrown away and wasted food to identify ways and means that, by seriously addressing this issue, are a vehicle of solidarity and sharing with the needy.”

3. Make time for others.

Tending to 1.2 billion members, Francis seems too busy for anything else.

That is, until he calls up strangers. Or entertains a random biker. Or sends a handwritten letter to a Jesuit he has never met.

The Jesuit who got the letter, Fr James Martin, says Francis inspires him “to be more generous in my own life with my time.”

Martin says: “If the Pope can find time to be kind to others, if he can pause to say thank you, if he can take a moment make someone feel appreciated, then so can I. So can we.” (READ: Making time for others: the Pope’s way).

Those are for starters. Read the whole list. It’s a fine primer for the new year, I think.