Happy New Year

A great New Year's resolution to help you have a happy New Year is to go to daily Mass. What better way to love our dear Lord than to assist at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and receive His Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity? Satan does not want you to go to Mass. He will try every means to get you to not go. He will even use seemingly good excuses to get you to not go, and if you should go he will try to distract you while there. If you are aware of this and ask the Blessed Mother to help you to get to Mass and protect you while there you will avoid many pitfalls and be able to overcome Satan's ploys. If we who believe don't attend, who will? Now, many people with young children don't even try; this is a mistake. There are times when it is prudent not to go, although these instances should be rare. If your children know that you want to go everyday and you try to go everyday and they see you making the effort to go everyday, they get a real good idea of the importance of Holy Mass. You will find that this is the best way to start the day, but more importantly it is the best way to show your love for God when you are able. Sometimes it is impossible to go: the car has broken down and you have no one to pick you up or there is no daily Mass in your area; or charity prevents you from going: your child is sick and you must attend to him, etc. If you can't make it to Mass for some really good reason try to have an in-home prayer time with the children where you read the readings for the day and do a Spiritual Communion with them. The graces you receive when you are truly unable to go can be just as great as when you can go. For those who work: do all you can to find a Mass time that will allow you to go, even to the point of asking your pastor to add a Mass, or possibly consider switching jobs or changing your work hours if possible. Remember to have 'the love of God' be your motive for going each and everytime. God bless your New Year.