Even though the liturgical calendar is familiar terrain for me, for those who are not used to it the liturgical calendar might seem disorienting at first. While the rest of the world counts down to a new year with celebration on December 31, the church begins the new church year with preparation during the season of Advent.
It may be no surprise that we are a bit bad at changing our ways, but the ritual we go through to pursue that change is deeply meaningful. Our resolutions reveal what we value yet feel we do not live up to.
To move forward, we must be willing to defy old traditions, to risk being ridiculed and questioned. And in the process, we will liberate ourselves of old patterns, habits, strings that tie us down from feeling free in Christ
As Christians, we are not promised an easy life. We all sin, make mistakes, and fall off track. The good news is that our struggles will not last forever. We have mere minutes to toil, but eternity to enjoy and we must not lose hope.
