The Best Resolution

Today and tomorrow are traditionally the days during which we make our annual New Year Resolutions. We want to be better than we are, despite how good we may think we are already. This tradition gives us the opportunity to, privately at least, admit that we could, and need to be, better.

Timothy, my son, aim at righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness.  Fight the good fight of the faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.  In the presence of God who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus who in his testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ; and this will be made manifest at the proper time by the blessed and only Sovereign, and King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has ever seen or can see.  To him be honor and eternal dominion.  Amen.

1^st Timothy 6.11-16

Today’s lesson from Saint Paul, assigned for the Saturday after Christmas, is just what we need to hear when considering our New Year Resolutions! Instead of losing weight, saving more money, learning a new skill, which are all good in themselves, why not ‘just’ listen to Saint Paul. Some of the most popular New Year Resolutions are:

• Save more money
• Exercise more
• Lose weight
• Get organized
• Learn a new skill or hobby
• Live life to the fullest
• Spend less money
• Quit smoking
• Spend more time with family and friends
• Travel more

It isn’t that these issues are necessarily bad for us. In fact, there is most definitely a spiritual side to every issue listed, but I’m not sure most people want to “spend less money” for the sake of their soul. I could be wrong. I’ll be the first to admit people surprise me every day with better intentions than I would have presumed. However, in the constant drive to build bigger economies and own more things, I suspect people are trying to spend more money in order to “eventually” own more. Here are some ideas that align with Saint Paul’s advice.

• Read the Bible more
• Fast more
• Pray more
• Serve the poor more
• Receive Holy Communion more
• Go to Holy Confession more
• Attend Divine Liturgy more
• Attend other Church services more
• Incorporate your local church schedule into your family calendar
• Consider the needs of your parish when you plan your finances

If you stive for these, you will in fact aim at righteousness as Saint Paul suggests. It will be a much better way to spend the new year. You may not make more money, but you will grow closer to God. In the end, that will be of much more value than a few dollars in your investment account.

Have a blessed 2024!