The end of the year usually brings about a time of thoughtfulness about what the past year has brought and what the coming year will be. It’s a traditional time to make resolutions. Some swear off of them saying they never stick to them so why bother. Others are eternally hopeful this will be the year they lose weight, get in shape, stay on a budget or spend more time with family. Resolutions can even be of a spiritual nature like spending more time reading scripture or attending daily mass more frequently.

The key to all of these is a plan. It’s been said that we really don’t break any habits; we just replace them with something else. Hence, people who gain weight when they quit smoking. So, think about what takes you away from God. How are you using your time? Try to find time to grow spiritually.

Basics for a greater spiritual life

• Say the rosary every day, ideally with your family. The Blessed Mother asked us to do this at Fatima and during many other apparitions.
• Make a point to include a holy hour sometime in your week. Actually putting it into your schedule with a specific time will make it much easier to keep.
• Make a daily examen. You are looking back over your day and discerning your behavior. There are many examples in books and online. I have borrowed this one from Fr. John Hardon.
  • Think about what blessings God granted you during the day. Thank God for all of them. Some of the blessings will be obvious and some were hidden in negative experiences.
  • Think about the people and circumstances of your day. How was God asking you to respond? How did you do? Ask the Holy Spirit to give you insight into how you failed to respond to God’s promptings.
  • Pray to know God’s will and to have the knowledge and strength to act on it in the future.

I have found keeping a journal helps me to organize my thoughts and to be more specific and honest. When I look back over some of my entries it’s easy to see if there is a pattern to my thoughts and actions.

Use the following link to get the complete explanation of Fr. Hardon's examen.. http://www.therealpresence.org/archives/Christian_Spirituality/Christian_Spirituality_012.htm

What are some of your resolutions? What have you done that has worked in the past? What are your hopes for this year?

God is Love and Love came to earth as a baby. Ignoring all the commercialism and distractions of what Christmas has become we are celebrating the greatest gift that God gave us and that is the Word made flesh. As the second person of the Trinity, Jesus came to earth to show us the path to his Father. He is the Way, the Truth and the Life.

Take time to enjoy the day and every day you have been given. Everything doesn’t have to be perfect. Whatever your plan may be this Christmas, enjoy those around you, look beyond the shortcomings, and remember the gift of the Savior to the world.

By now, most of you, even those who are not football fans have heard of Tim Tebow. For those who haven’t, he is the quarterback for the Denver Broncos. He joined the NFL after a stellar collegiate career with the Florida Gators winning the Heisman Trophy in 2007 as a sophomore.  He helped lead the Gators to the National Championship in 2006 and 2008. There is no doubt he is a successful and gifted athlete.

What makes Tebow different is his unwavering devotion to Jesus Christ. He is unashamedly a witness for Christ. During interviews, Tim readily attributes all of his ability to the grace of God. He is known for dropping to one knee and saying a quick prayer during the game. The media has dubbed this as “Tebowing” and it is gaining widespread popularity. There is even a website showing pictures of people kneeling and praying, “Tebowing”, from all over the world.

Tebow was born to Christian Baptist missionaries in 1987. While pregnant with Tim, his mother suffered a life-threatening infection and though she was advised to have an abortion she refused and Tim was born without complications. Last year, he and his mother made a commercial sponsored by Focus on the Family relating the story of his birth that was to air during the Super Bowl. Though no direct mention of abortion was mentioned, the controversy that ensued threatened whether the network would even allow the spot. Eventually, it did air amid protests from pro-abortion groups.

 In 2010, the NCAA made a new rule banning messages on the black eye paint players typically wear to help shade their eyes from the sun. This was in response to the scripture verses that Tim had printed on his eye paint while in college.  It has been called the “The Tebow Rule” though the NCAA denies the rule was written in response to Tebow since there were other players who have worn messages. The facts remain that in the Championship Series game in 2009, Tim painted John 3:16 and as a result Google reported 92 million searches of it on its site. There were 3.43 million searches of Proverbs 3:5-6 and Tim Tebow when Tim used those words during another game.

This year, Tim Tebow has taken over as quarterback at Denver winning the last six games. Several of the games have been won with miraculous last minute comebacks. The press is calling him God’s quarterback. While we don’t understand God’s divine plan in the big scheme of things, most people agree that God doesn’t really change the outcome of football games.

The thing Tim Tebow has done is bring the question of faith to the public eye. He is willing to express his faith without question to millions. He has received lots of criticism with his critics eagerly looking for something in which to accuse him of hypocrisy.  In the world of professional sports where money and power rule, Tim Tebow is the exception. He doesn’t claim to be perfect; he just openly expresses his love and gratitude for Jesus.

My challenge to you is to exhibit this same courage with your own faith. It’s not just a private part of our lives. Live so people will know you are Christians and don’t be afraid to say so.