Sunday, December 1, 2013

A New Liturgical Year: Another Chance to Get it Right

We are now in the Year of Grace 2014. Another Advent - another new liturgical year.
2014 Liturgical Year Calendar
from Liturgy Training Publications

Last night at Mass, my pastor, Herb Jones, OFM, preached about second chances - the new liturgical year as another chance to get ready to meet Jesus - at Christmas, and, by inference, when he comes again. Interesting... I had never looked at it quite that way.

As I get older, I admit I have been more likely to make resolutions each Advent than for the secular New Year on January 1st. Usually this takes the form of and intention to be more regular about prayer or something spiritual. And usually, by the end of the first month or so, those good intentions have gradually slid back to the status quo.

This year, I think I need to step back and explore being more intentional about my use of time in general. Chronically over-committed and over-scheduled, whenever I have open time my reaction is often to waste it - hanging out on social networks or watching TV shows I don't really even like. Whenever I escape the tyranny of doing things for other people and organizations, I think I over-react by doing the most irresponsible things with the open time, which leads to more stress and guilt because necessary personal tasks often go unfinished - books I really want to read are unread, there is a general untidiness about my living space, and I am often nearly or just a little late for work and events... Since I most value completion over process, the presence of such chaos is unnerving.  Changing this will not be easy, but all change begins with awareness of the problem.

What most needs to be changed about your life? What keeps you from being ready for Jesus? What do you need to become aware of ?

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