The New Year: A Time for Resolutions and New Beginnings

St. Vincent de Paul Society of Philadelphia

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!  (2 Corinthians5:17)”

The Christmas season has come and gone, and a brand new year is upon us. December’s hustle and bustle, shopping for presents, tree trimming, and holiday get-togethers are over. The Feast of the Epiphany has passed, and with it all the Christmas decorations have been put away.  The days are beginning to grow longer.  Winter’s cold winds are here.  As 2019 begins, so does the opportunity to ring in the new and make a fresh start- physically, emotionally, and also spiritually. 

Many of us take the opportunity at the start of the New Year to make resolutions.  Some people resolve to improve their diet by consuming more fruits and vegetables, eating healthier. Some of us will resolve to reduce our intake of fatty, sugary foods and alcoholic beverages, especially after the gluttony of the holidays, with an abundance of sweets and heavy meals. Some resolve to start a new exercise regimen and get into better physical condition, maybe joining (and regularly visiting) a health gym.  Some of us resolve to do a better job of cleaning our homes and organizing our clutter.

Then there are those of us whose resolutions include a change in our emotional behaviors.  .  Perhaps we resolve to be more patient with our children, spouses, or parents, or try to better control our tempers.  Some of us will resolve to spend more time with family. Some of us will resolve to appreciate the precious quality of life, and stop taking our lives and our families for granted.

The New Year is also a time for making positive changes in our spiritual lives. One of the ways in which we can make move closer to God is by resolving to help others who are less fortunate than us by acting with compassion and love.  We are called to service by our Catholic values.  Charity allows us to see the face of Christ in our neighbor.  Helping those who need it most makes transforming lives possible. We should follow the example that Jesus set.  Instead of looking past someone who is suffering, take action to help them in their time of need.  Help might be in the form of offering them basic necessities like food or shelter, or it might be giving them emotional comfort or hope in their time of desperation.

Refresh your soul by refreshing the soul of your neighbor.  When you help someone else, you help yourself in the process.  It is so rewarding to improve someone else’s life, and feel as though you have made a difference.  When transforming other people’s lives, you may transform yours in the process.

The Saint Vincent de Paul Society of Philadelphia has many ways, customized to each local community, for you to resolve to make a fresh start this year spiritually and transform the lives of your neighbors as well as your own life.  Like that of its founder, blessed Frédéric Ozanam, the vision of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul “is to embrace the world in a network of charity”.

Christmas is the Season of Giving

St. Vincent de Paul Society of Philadelphia

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth, peace, good will toward men” (Luke 2:14).  Christmas is a season of good will toward others.  As we are called to service by our Catholic values, we can look to Jesus’ example in transforming lives during the Advent season.

Amidst the modern commercialism of Christmas, it is easy to forget the true spirit of the season.  Many people get caught up in the Christmas rush, worrying about completing shopping lists and dealing with the hustle and bustle of the season. Christmas is truly a time to celebrate the birth of the Christ child.  During this time we are reminded that the Wise Men brought gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh to the baby Jesus.  Giving is what Christmas is all about.

For many, the holiday season abounds with delights for the senses.  Sparkling lights, festive music, brilliant decorations, splendid gifts, and decadent foods are what many of us associate with Christmas time.  In contrast, the poor and needy experience a very different Christmas season. It is important to be charitable to those less fortunate all year-long, but particularly during Christmas. At this time of year, many families feel especially constrained.  When they are already struggling to afford basic necessities like food and shelter, holiday meals and gifts are not possible.

While many of us have a full refrigerator and stocked pantry, too many men, women and children know all too well the painful grumble of an empty stomach.  Some families do not know where their next meal will come from. Instead of retiring each evening to a warm bed in a safe and comfortable home, many of our neighbors have no place to call home.  They are left to sleep out in the freezing cold with nothing but a hard sidewalk on which to lie down.  While many children awake to a glorious treasure of presents under the brightly lit Christmas tree, some children wish for just one small toy.

Despite all the suffering that is around us, transforming lives is possible. You can take action to help those in need and perhaps ease their burdens.  See the face of Jesus in your neighbor.  Act with compassion and love.  Spread hope this Christmas by donating whatever you can to those in need.

Whether you choose to donate your time, your talents, or food, clothing, or money, do as Jesus would have, and offer whatever you can to those who need it most.  If you cannot give in abundance, give in ways that you can afford. Live your faith by loving and serving others as Jesus did – giving of yourself.

You will feel most blessed when you provide emotional comfort and hope to the suffering.  When transforming the life of a neighbor in need, it is possible to experience your own transformation as well.  Many who have served or given to others realize how it does indeed feel better to give than to receive.

The St. Vincent de Paul Society of Philadelphia has many ways, customized to each local community, for you to live the true meaning of Christmas.  Serving your neighbor by giving whatever you are able to can transform lives.  Like that of our founder, blessed Frédéric Ozanam, the vision of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul “is to embrace the world in a network of charity.” CLICK HERE to join us with a donation or by volunteering.