November 29, 2020
by Mary Sellars Malloy
Question of the Week, November 29, 2020, First Sunday of Advent, Year B
Happy New Year, everyone!
In the days and months we have spent working from and going to school at home, wearing our masks, and keeping our distance from each other, it has been easy to lose all sense of time. However, here we are, on the first day of the new Church year.
New years of any kind invite us to look ahead. New calendar pages are ready to be filled with things to celebrate, select dates we want to remember, and appointments to keep. New years are also times to think about new goals and hopes for ourselves, inspiring new year resolutions. As we continue to wait for the vaccine and life to take on a more familiar look and feel, doing so may seem pointless or a waste of time. Nevertheless, our question for this week invites us to reflect on our relationship with God, a relationship that is not limited by outward circumstances and restrictions.
This first day of the new Church year is a beautiful day to put ourselves into the Gospel story (see Mark 13:33-37) and to ask ourselves these questions: What is the work God is calling me to do? Is that the work I am doing with my life, my talents, and my treasure right now, today? After answering those questions honestly, take time to sit in the quiet and ask God to show you what his plan is for you this Advent season and at this time in your life. Consider what changes you may need to make to align your life with what you hear the Holy Spirit speaking to your heart. For example, do you need to spend more intentional time in prayer? Do you need to take more time to listen to and encourage others? Is there a parish-wide or community-wide Advent/Christmas “call to action” to which you need to respond?
Happy New Year, everyone! No matter the minute, the hour, or the day, may God find each of us doing the work he has called us to do.
Mary Sellars Malloy has over forty years’ experience as a Catholic educator and lay minister. She is a frequent workshop presenter on prayer, liturgy, spirituality, the Sacraments, and the RCIA. Also, Mary leads retreats and parish missions throughout the country. Her goal is to encourage Catholics of all ages to appreciate and to live their Catholic faith.