Seventh Day within the Octave of the Nativity of the Lord
(I John
2:18-21; John 1:1-18)
Was the
year so bad after all? Yes, it was hard. We have all felt disappointment, uncertainty,
and the loss of loved ones. The Corona-19
Virus has taken opportunities to see people and do things that we were counting
on. It suspended judgment on most everything. Should we go to Mass or not? Will there be a graduation or a football
season? People whom we have known all
our lives passed on without a funeral. Yes,
we are glad that the year is officially ending and look forward to better times.
Yet before
we close 2020, we should thank the Lord for some of its elements. Nuclear families reunited to eat, play, and
pray together. We expressed gratitude to
workers – attendants, deliverers, caregivers – whom we had overlooked before. We were given time to reflect on our
lives. The world may not care to do
this. But today’s gospel tells us that
the world rejected Jesus as well. We know
him to be the source of family, of work, and of the truth about ourselves.
Before we
forge into the new year we should make a resolution. We want a return to normalcy but let it be a
new normal. Let us learn from the
blessings of 2020 as difficult as they were to realize. Let us promise to give more time to our families.
Let us bless everyone who is contributing
to a better world (and pray for those who do not care). And let us follow Jesus, the light that has
shown in darkness.
