Small Steps Closer to Christ

By Anni Harry

Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon.
This man was righteous and devout,
awaiting the consolation of Israel,
and the Holy Spirit was upon him. ~ Luke 2:22-35

Merry Christmas!

The world still seems in a frenzy. Some of us are bogged down by the stressors of the Christmas season. Perhaps others are either eagerly anticipating the upcoming New Year celebration or dreading the dawn of 2022.

Whatever life looks like for you today, take heart!

As a new year dawns, we see the shining example of faith and fidelity to God in the introduction to Simeon in today’s Gospel — a righteous and devout man who had the Holy Spirit guiding him.

Simeon had the opportunity to gaze upon Christ’s little eyes, the tufts of hair at the top of His head, and beheld the little cheeks and tiny mouth. Like Simeon, we also have the opportunity to gaze upon Jesus at Mass and in the Blessed Sacrament.

Each of us has the invitation to allow the Holy Spirit to move in our lives. As we turn another day closer to 2022, planning our resolutions for the upcoming year, we are granted an opportunity to look at the resolutions with a spiritual focus.

How is your faith life, and how is your relationship with Christ?

How are you experiencing Christ moving in the Catholic Church?

What would you like to change so that you can experience Christ deeper and fuller in the Church?

God yearns for us today, just as much as He yearned for us when He created the world. Yet, just as the Christ-Child waited for the “yes” of the Blessed Mother and St. Joseph, so, too, does God wait for us to invite Him into our life today.

As we set out to build our resolutions for 2022, don’t forget to include God in those plans.

Prayer

Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!
Sing to the LORD a new song;
sing to the LORD, all you lands.
Sing to the LORD; bless his name. (Responsorial Psalm, Dec. 29, 2021)