Yet another year is coming
to an end with joys, success, happiness and failures. The year was marked with
so many good and positive things around but it was also marred with some
negative happenings, the ugly head of terrorism has emerged and cast a shadow
on the goodness. At the beginning of last year many had predicted and
spoken boldly about their success and achievements.
Many governments of the world had promised bed of roses and they failed to
deliver to their citizens. It is a time to reflect a little bit. Why failures?
Why we could not deliver goods to the citizens? why could not be a little
better Capuchin brothers and friars to our people around? What stopped me to
grow as a true son of St. Francis?
There have been significant
events that have taken place in the Order, Provinces and in our own
fraternities. what did i learn? what move did i make to be a better son of God
and Francis. What did i proclaim through my Capuchin Charism to the people
around and to whom am i assigned to serve? For me as Capuchin, the year
2015 must have been totally different. Did i spread peace and work for its
implementation.
We as Capuchins are called to answer the various situations and
events in the world. Did we lose the opportunity and invitations to be
effective Missionaries in our own Provinces?
Did our Fraternities and
Provinces become schools of communion and friendship? We are all called to
participate in the redemptive loving plan of God. Did we experience this divine
love? Did our fraternal relationships improve or they are the same filled with
suspicion, criticism and backbiting?
Did i become a gift to my brothers in the
Province or something else?We had many choices to make our friars happy and
create moments of happiness and holiness in our fraternities, did we lose them
or use them to be creative friars? We are all
called to be proclaimers of God's good news in season and out of season. Did
i evangelize at least one soul during 2015 year? We could have walked
with those broken and tired, misunderstood and neglected in the society and
even in our provinces? Did we accompany them during their difficult
journey of life?
So Let us welcome this new
Year 2016 in our Lives to be different from 2015. Let us not repeat the same
mistakes which we committed. Let every morning of 2016 invite us to inter into
the fullness of the year to know the loving plan of God. This year has been
dedicated as year of Mercy, God is asking and inviting us to be merciful and to
show mercy through our lives. Let us be honest during this year with
reflection, expressions of gratitude to the Lord and to the Order,
Provinces and friars for the opportunity that they will offer us to be new
people.
As you end this new year
and move on to the next, take a bit of time to review, to contemplate, to
meditate.
Honor the past year by
celebrating your joys, mourning your losses, and shaking your head at the
wonder of it all. Isn’t it amazing another year has passed? And
so the earth goes round and round, about to orbit once more.
Whether you’re going to
spend some time in adoration thanking the Lord for the wonderful blessings, or
going to spend your evening with friends and loved ones, or in the fraternity,
New Year's Eve is a great evening for reflection and thanking the Lord and
those who touched us to grow.
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