With New Year’s Day just a few weeks back there’s been the inevitable talk of resolutions. Did you make one or not? Can you stick with it? Is it realistic? I haven’t made them in years as I never follow through. I know I need to lose weight, pray more, become a better housekeeper, exercise, etc. All those things and more are on my perpetual “to do” better list.
I thought of something recently that changes at how I look at resolutions. Every time we go to confession we make a one. We say the Act of Contrition just before being absolved of our sins. The version I learned way back when is this:
O my God, I am heartily sorry for
having offended you, and I detest
all my sins, because of Your just
punishments, but most of all because
they offend You, my God, who are
all-good and deserving of all my love.
I firmly resolve, with the help of
Your grace, to sin no more and to
avoid the near occasion of sin.
Amen
It is never too late and it is never in vain to make a resolution. If I goof up, fall off the wagon, act like my usual, weak human self, I have the opportunityto pick myself up, dust myself off, and start all over again.
I like that.
AMDG
What a great way to look at life. I have to look at mine the same way. It's by necessity because I'm always failing. I never paid attention to the word resolve in the Act of Contrition. Love that. Thanks for the food for thought.
ReplyDeleteLike MFAW, I never connected the dots with the word "resolution" in the Act of Contrition either. And I can't stop sinning (definitely NOT a saint!), so it makes sense to begin our resolutions again ... not just Jan 1. :-) Thank you for connecting the dots! :-)
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