Grateful

 

How do I want to conclude this year? With gratitude.

Saint Paul exhorts us to "give thanks at all times" (1 Thes 5:18). I give thanks not only when things turn out favorable or according to my plans. I give thanks because, come to think of it, in anything that happens something good is always born. It may not be what I expect, but hey, who am I give the final word since I don't know the whole story. If I were to know the total and bigger picture, as only God knows, I will be surprised at the amount of good that a seemingly negative thing has put into motion.

Gratitude is an expression of faith. There is a Higher Force, a Greater Being, a loving God who is in charge. For this, I give thanks.

God's tenderness and mercy

"Because of the faithful love of our God in which the rising Sun has come from on high to visit us, to give light to those who live in darkness and the shadow dark as death, and to guide our feet into the way of peace" (Lk 1:78-79).

I continue to savor the consoling promise of these words as we celebrate Christmas. In this long period of darkness, may we not forget that God continues to visit us and share our experiences of fear and darkness. As the years pass, I understand more and more that God's power is not all about having a magical solution to my problems or the world's ills. His power is in His presence amongst us that enables us to have the strength, the kindness and the perseverance to find solutions and to learn and become better persons. Christmas is a celebration of this good news. Merry Christmas to you and to your dear ones. May the coming year be filled with experiences of God's mercy and tenderness.