ON NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS

The New Year's prayer-resolution of one anonymous elderly goes:

"Lord, grant me the grace and senility to forgive and forget the people I never liked anyway,
The good fortune to run into the ones that I do,
And the eyesight to tell the difference.".

One's New Years resolutions changes to a certain relevance with the passing of years, although I know of one guy who makes the same resolution year, after year, after year. Usually, he would keep up with some determined, painstaking effort to fulfill his resolution for about a month, then his willpower would give in by the next. This year, I good-naturedly advised him not to make any New Years resolution anymore, instead he should just make a New Months resolution month after month. That seemed to please him. In turn, he advised me to make a New Weeks resolution every week. I said fine, but from now on I'll be keeping a close watch over him, or else I would advise him to make a New Days resolution day after day.

The Catechism says that our human nature is burdened by concupicence - a certain struggle of tendencies between "spirit" and "flesh" (CCC 2516). Thus the secular view insists that it is futile to battle natural tendencies. Such a worldview however, discounts the necessity of cultivating cardinal virtues (CCC 1805-1809) without which our world will be a world of chaos once we all give reign to our "natural tendencies". But how do we win in the "struggle"? Our sheer willpower alone would be sorely lacking, so much so that St. Paul says in Ephesians 4:13:

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

Everything is possible through Jesus Christ, even the fulfillment of New Years resolutions. I myself resolve to keep more healthy and fit, as I am not getting any younger either. Thus my New Years resolution would be to adapt a more healthy lifestyle. I will research and read a lot more about health and physical fitness. That is, if my eyesight does not fail me. So, may God strengthen my eyesight, and my will overall.

Happy New Year to everyone, and may you all have meaningful resolutions blessed and strengthened by the Lord.
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