From my family to yours, I hope and pray that you have a blessed and happy New Year. As we begin this new year, and a new decade, let us refocus our attention on Jesus Christ and His Catholic Church. If you have decided to take on resolutions for this new year, I would encourage you to also take on some spiritual resolutions. Our spiritual life is just as important as the other aspects of our life.

Below is an excerpt from Pope Benedict XVI’s Angelus from 2011. I hope that his words encourage you as they have encouraged me –

In this first Angelus of 2011, I offer everyone my good wishes for peace and well-being as I entrust them to Mary Most Holy, whom we celebrate today as Mother of God. At the beginning of a new year the Christian people gathers in spirit at the Grotto in Bethlehem, where the Virgin Mary gave birth to Jesus.

We ask the Mother for her Blessing and she blesses us by showing us the Son: indeed, he in person, is the Blessing. In giving us Jesus God has given us everything: his love, his life, the light of truth, the forgiveness of sins; he has given us peace. Yes, Jesus Christ is our peace (cf. Eph 2:14). He brought into the world the seed of love and peace, that is stronger than the seed of hatred and violence; stronger, because the Name of Jesus is superior to any other name, it contains the whole Lordship of God, as the Prophet Micah announced: “But you, O Bethlehem… from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler…. He shall stand and feed his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God…. And this shall be peace” (5:1-4).

Happy New Year!