At the end of a bad year, it is tempting to be pessimistic about life and even grow in despair. This is especially the case when we surround ourselves with negative news headlines every day, seeing all the death, destruction and deceit that happens in the world.
Yet, it is important to remember that “bad news” does not have the final word.
Pope Benedict XVI reflected on this reality during his Te Deum homily in 2012.
At times of course it is hard to understand this profound reality, because evil is noisier than goodness; an atrocious murder, widespread violence, grave forms of injustice hit the headlines; whereas acts of love and service, the daily effort sustained with fidelity and patience are often left in the dark, they pass unnoticed. For this reason too, we cannot stop at reading the news if we wish to understand the world and life
We cannot allow the news headlines to dictate our lives and dampen our spirits. Instead, we need to seek out God for the ultimate meaning of human existence.
[W]e must be able to pause in silence, in meditation, in calm, prolonged reflection; we must know how to stop and think. In this way our mind can find healing from the inevitable wounds of daily life, it can penetrate the events that occur in our life and in the world and can attain that wisdom which makes it possible to see things with new eyes.Christians are people of hope, even and above all when they face the darkness that often exists in the world and has nothing to do with God’s plan but is the result of the erroneous choices of human beings, for Christians know that the power of faith can move mountains (cf. Mt 17:20): The Lord can illuminate even the thickest darkness.
As we conclude the calendar year, may we not let the news dictate our lives, but place our hope firmly in Jesus Christ, who alone is capable of conquering every obstacle.
Dear friends, on the last evening of the year which is coming to its end and on the threshold of the new one, let us praise the Lord! Let us express to “the Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come” (Rev 1:8), repentance and the request for forgiveness for our shortcomings, as well as sincere gratitude for the innumerable benefits granted to us by the divine Good. In particular, let us thank him for the grace and truth that have come to us through Jesus Christ. In him lies the fullness of all human time. In him lies the future of every human being. In him will be brought about the fulfillment of the hopes of the Church and of the world.
Read more:
How to do a Yearly Examen for spiritual clarity in the New Year
Read more:
This Bible verse can keep you hopeful during uncertainty
And today we celebrate...