May We Savor the Joy Throughout This New Year

MAY WE SAVOR THE JOY THROUGHOUT THIS NEW YEAR

To those of us who celebrated a “Christ-less” Christmas Season, simply holidays, with all the parties and merrymakings, we (they) probably are now experiencing a sour hangover, ‘back to the old grind’. But to those of us who had a “MARY-CHRIST-MASS” a sweet lingering holy aftertaste is their (our) lot– that JOY which is ‘resting in the Good’ Who is JESUS.

Rightly then does the Church enjoin us to dedicate this month of January to the Most Holy Name of Jesus. “For of all the names in the world given to men, this is the only one by which we can be saved.” ( Acts 4:12). And again Jesus assures us that “Whatever you ask for in my name I will do… if you ask anything in my name I will do it.” (Jn 14: 13-14). “Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and so your JOY will be complete.” (Jn 16:24). Such is the power of Jesus’ Name (God saves) that we can invoke Him in any need. We do not of course utter the name of Jesus thoughtlessly, but with utmost reverence, bowing at the mention of His name, mindful of the Person the name represents– the God-Man, Jesus, with all the goods the Most Holy Name contains. Even if we are in sin, for as long as we have the sincere intention to repent we may invoke Jesus’ Name, first to obtain the grace of genuine repentance, then for any other need. We have the assurance that Jesus will grant our prayers if they be good for our salvation. But most of all He gives Himself to us; He is our JOY.

Yet how easy it is for us to be disconnected from Jesus. Too many things and situations in our everyday world can so easily snatch us away from Jesus– the media, entertainment, video games, excessive food, even people, or some other preoccupation can so easily separate us from Jesus.

And so the Church recommends to us short ejaculatory prayers that keep us united to Jesus and sustain continual prayer: “Jesus, Son of God made man, have mercy on me, a poor sinner”, or “Jesus, I love you, save souls”, or “Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, I love you, save souls”. These short prayers connect us to Jesus ever more firmly. We can say these short prayers anywhere, multiple times and anytime of the day. We can also call on our Blessed Mother, even with just a “Hail Mary”. For where Mary is, there is Jesus. We can also practice simple contemplation any time of the day, simply bathing in Jesus's presence, better still before His Real Presence in the tabernacle. We do not have to talk much, but just to love much, as St. Therese puts it, just silently raising our hearts to Jesus.

Then at periodic times of the day we can turn to God in some kind of formal prayer which kind of opens to us a portal to the supernatural. And there's just so much power– that of goodness, truth, and beauty available for us in the supernatural world, though invisible. Why stay in the natural level when the portal to the supernatural is readily accessible through prayer and the Sacraments– on to an intimate heart to heart conversation with Jesus. We are meant to be supernatural men and women, divinized, “partakers of the divine nature” (cf. 2Pet 1:4).

And so we may be in the so-called ordinary time of the year (soon), liturgically, but we can live it extraordinarily, even supernaturally. In this time we recall and unite ourselves to the hidden life of Jesus at Nazareth, which “allows everyone to enter into fellowship with Jesus by the most ordinary events of daily life”, marked by prayer, simplicity, work, and family love. (CCC #533, cf. Compendium #104). And again, St. Therese reminds us that “our Lord does not look so much at the greatness of our actions, or even at their difficulty, as at the love with which we do them”. And we do them in Jesus and for Jesus, and always with and through Mary, our Mother.
May we all have a grace-filled and joy-filled 2026!!