New Year blessings and best wishes to you all as we happily celebrate the ending of 2020 which was a most difficult year for all in our world. We have much to be hopeful for in the months ahead as vaccines begin to be made available and a return to normality seems possible by late spring or early summer. As the liturgical season of Christmas continues for another week, may we continue to live in hope and joy that Christ has been reborn again this year in our lives. May we have the grace to keep alive the rich lesson that Dickens gave us many years ago when he wrote, “I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year.” 

Today is also the Catholic Feast day of the Solemnity of Mary, which celebrates Mary being the Mother of our Lord. As we begin this New Year, may we entrust the many needs of our suffering world to the heart of Mary.

I often reflect on the story of Jean Valjean from the inspiring musical, Les Misérables. He endured many challenges on his life’s journey and at the end of the story passes on to his adopted Cosette the wisdom that “to love another person is to see the face of God”. May 2021 be a year in which we each come to truly see the face of God by loving all those that will grace our lives this coming year.