The Crescat
… I’m not into resolutions; that’s what confession’s for.
A lot of people put great stock into making resolutions each New Year. They promise to improve on some virtue or remove some vice. The ultimate goal is a better version of our current selves. Admirable yes, but why wait till the end of the year to propose such changes? Look at it like this; New Year’s is like one big examination of conscience and our resolutions are acts of contrition.
Every time a Catholic makes their way into the confessional they celebrate a new year. Neat how that works. What’s perfect about the act of contrition as opposed to generic New Year’s resolutions is that we, Catholics, recognize the need for helping grace from God in order to sin no more and avoid occasion of sin.
I firmly resolve, with the help of Your grace, to sin no more and to avoid the near occasion of sin.
If you’re going to celebrate anything over the next few days, celebrate the saving sacrament of confession by making frequent use of it.
But if you still feel you must, resolve to make your resolutions possible with the help of God. “Make few resolutions. Make them definite. And fulfill them with the help of God.” -St. Josemaria Escriva
In the department of help, the intercession of a good patron saint may be in order. I suggest stopping by the patron saint generator to get assigned a patron saint for 2014, or doing some research on your own and prayerfully finding a saint yourself to help you along. This coming year my patroness is Our Lady of Guadalupe.
Fitting, I suppose.
I wish you all a very blessed New Year. May you go forth with renewed faith.
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