New Year's Resolutions for the "Year of Faith"

On Oct. 11, 2012, Pope Benedict initiated the “Year of Faith.” It will conclude on the Solemnity of Christ King in November, 2013.  This year is significant since it marks both the 50th anniversary of the opening of Vatican Council II and the 20th anniversary of the Catechism of the Catholic Church.  Benedict wrote an apostolic letter, Porta Fidei, in which he invites all of us to make a concentrated effort toward renewing its Faith in the Lord Jesus - in terms of personal union with Him and knowledge of His person and the Faith He imparted to the Church.

Both the Pope and the CDF (Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith) made suggestions for how we can best take advantage of this year.  On "St. Joseph Radio Presents..." (airing on EWTN and Sirius Satellite at 1p.m. and 11p.m. ET on Saturday, 1/5/13) Dr. Kevin Vost and I shared their main points and offered practical New Year's Resolutions for how we can put them into practice.  See what you think:

So far as I can detect, a unifying principle that seems to run through Benedict and the CDF's suggestions is to renew the faith of the entire Church through the renewal and reinvigoration of each individual member's relationship with Christ Jesus and that means putting ourselves into direct contact with Him.  I would suggest making a resolution to place yourself before Jesus in prayer at the beginning, middle, and end of each day.  Everything thing else the Pope and Bishops, or Dr. Vost and I, suggest can be placed into that matrix of at least three times of daily prayer.

Feed ourselves on the Bread of Life, Jesus present in the Eucharist, and the Word of God, Scripture and Tradition. 

1. Make Mass the most important part of the weekend.  Resolve to speak about it as a privelege instead of a chore (this has a big impact on little ears). 
2. Resolve to unite yourself with Jesus in the Eucharist one additional day each week. (Look at your morning schedule, locate the day it would be easiest, and put it on your calendar.)
3. Make a visit to Jesus in the tabernacle or Eucharistic adoration chapel when you are out running errands or on the way home from work.

Read Scripture everyday by ...

1. Having the Gospel reading used at Mass delivered via email each morning.  (Sign up at Daily Gospel) 
2. Have the Bible waiting for you on either the breakfast table for when you get up, or your nightstand for when you go to bed, and spend five minutes reading from the Gospels.  It's a daily opportunity for you to see and hear Jesus.  (Might I suggest a Bible with excellent study notes, such as the Ignatius Catholic Study Bible: New Testament
3. When you exercise, either read the Bible or listen to it read aloud on your iPod.
4. Listen to an audio version of the Bible as you drive.

Memorize the Creed and make its recitation part of how you begin each day.

1. Incorporate it into your morning workout, strengthening your soul and mind along with your body.
2. Make it part of your morning shower or dressing routine, getting "your head on straight" before you head out into the world

Study the Catechism of the Catholic Church this year.

1. Portions of the Catechism can be emailed to you each day (Sign up here)
2. As with the Bible, keep the Catechism on your breakfast table or nightstand.   (Just three pages a day and you should have it completed within the year!)
3. Read the Catechism online for free.  (Here it is, all indexed with hyperlinks.)

Be inspired by how the saints lived and explained the Faith (by reading books written either by, or about them).

1. There are hundreds of these books that you can read on the internet or download for free.  (Check out the Christian Classics Ethereal Library)
2. Join Dr. Vost and I for our "radio book club" over this next year as we pick a different Christian classic to read and then discuss on-air once a month.  Our first book will be St. Patrick's Confession, and you can call in to discuss it with us on-air March 16th at 1:30 p.m., ET - (855) 447-6000.

Cultivate a deeper relationship with Jesus by seeing him through the eyes and heart of His Mother, Mary.  Pray the Rosary (Creed & Scripture) daily.

1. Make it part of your morning drive to or from work.
2. Take 15 min. to pray it with your family after dinner.
3. Incorporate it into your workouts.  Peggy Bowes has developed an entire plan to help you - The Rosary Workout

Share the Faith with others!

When your co-workers ask you what you did last night or over the weekend, simply honestly share what you have been studying or what Christian activities you participated in.

Faith - Things I Want to Share

I chatted briefly with a very sweet young lady earlier today.  She had read the first few pages of The God Who is Love and said that she might want to ask me some questions down the line.  You guys know me; that sounds like an absolute blast.  Not really knowing anything about this young woman's faith as she grew up or what specific thoughts or questions she has, it got me thinking, "If I could share anything I wanted about God/faith with someone, what would it be?"  So here is my "wish list," the thing I most want to tell others who are serious about growing in faith:

• Never say that you are "not holy enough" to start a relationship with God; that's like saying you're "too dirty" to take a bath.  God loves you now; and He will give you the power to change, to live like Jesus (aka, "be holy").

• Faith is a relationship with a Person (or more precisely, with three divine Persons in one nature).

• It is unlike any other relationship in your life; this is the Being holding you and everything you know in existence - your ability to think, act, and simply be are utterly dependent upon Him.

• We live in a culture that, while it continues to have many positive points, has started down a path that contradicts God on some of His (and nature's) most fundamental truths.  If we grew up in this culture, then we're probably in for more than a little "culture shock" as to what God desires for our lives.

• The Christian Faith is not a matter of individual interpretation.  We are not able to pick and choose which elements of it are appealing to us.  God became a man, Jesus, and He claimed, "I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life."  To reject some element of belief or morality is to reject Jesus.  It's all personal in Christianity; it's all relationship.

• If you believe that Jesus is God in the flesh, then it stands to reason that you believe He is the greatest teacher the world has ever known.  No decent teacher throws his students a textbook and says, "I'll see you at the final exam."  When Christians try to go it with the "Bible alone," they're setting themselves up for mistakes.  Jesus never penned a book during his time on earth.  

• Jesus founded a Church and promised to be with her shepherds, guiding them as they taught the world.  The New Testament came through them.  It was never meant to stand alone.  Jesus, the teacher, guards against misinterpretation of His words and offers us guidance in today's changing world through His shepherds, the Pope and Bishops.

• God fills the deepest longings of our hearts.  Once you've come into contact with Him, nothing else will ever really satisfy you again.

• I am a Catholic - but not because I wanted to be.  There were doctrines I did not want to believe in (seriously, who wants to go to Confession?); but once I understood that it was what Jesus taught ... there was nothing more I could say.  I want to live my life in union with Him.  And you know what?  As much as I might not want to go to Confession beforehand, it turns out that it really is good for the soul; Jesus knew what He was talking about! 

• Faith = relationship = loving and trusting everything Jesus did and said.

So there you go, the things that are really on my heart to share with others - my Christmas wish-list.

"Gettin' Your Catechism On"

Now here's a fantastic way to celebrate the Year of Faith that begins today - have a portion of the Catechism of the Catholic Church delivered via email every day!  By next Oct.11th, you will have read the entire Catechism.  Click this link to sign up.