2022 Begins

The lead up to Christmas Day is huge.  Then the day comes, it goes, and, all of a sudden, another year begins. So here we are.  Where to from here?   

In his homily for the Solemnity of the Epiphany, Pope Francis focuses on "the crisis of faith in our lives and in our societies".   This brings me back to two constant life themes arising for me in these times - mystery and spirituality. 

 

Life is a mystery.  We are rational beings.  We are not meant to be stupid nor naive, but neither do we have to answer every question nor be able to explain away every unknown in life.  Sometimes, it is simply life just is.  Accept it.  Mystery allows us to see life in new ways, that take us beyond our physical senses.  This is not magic nor escape.  It is rather a concept that allows us to accept that we cannot grasp every detail of life, nor do we need to.  We are limited, fragile beings, not gods.  Mystery enables us to move beyond the dysfunction of control to being people of depth and vision, prophets in our time.  We are so much more than what we see, hear and feel everyday.  

Mystery's partner is spirituality, enabling us to enter into the depths of our being and reality.  Spirituality matters. Both show us the way.  It is always good to stop and smell the flowers.  At the beginning of another year, it is a good and natural time to stop, to reflect, to ponder, to renew.  So we can re-engage our world and continue with the task of transforming it in the light of the gospel, no longer being burdened by it as if it is simply a heavy and useless load.