Ok, it's back to work and school tomorrow after Christmas break. make it count

I mentioned this briefly in my homily this morning and there was an audible groan; many of us are returning to work and school tomorrow.  What will we make of it?  Christmas vacation for our school children in these parts begin with a half day on December 18th.  It's been what 15 days or more since the school doors last opened.  Some of you adult types between a generous boss and vacation and holiday pay have also been long gone from the work place.

Hopefully, Christmas break was all you hoped it would be.  I pray there was a strong faith-filled element to your celebration and great times with family and friends.  Perhaps some of you were able to see relatives that live far away.  In any event I trust that great memories were made. 

But in the normal routine everyday stuff of life, we have to go back to school, we have to go back to work.  Do we do so with hearts full of joy and so we do so thankful for God's many blessings?

In my homily today I highlighted 5 things the wise men did in visiting with the child Jesus.  These are 5 things we can commit to doing in the New Year:

1. Read the Scriptures: find a way to do some type of daily devotional that finds you in the Bible everyday; may I suggest the publication Magnificat or praying the Liturgy of the Hours.
2.  Search diligently for Jesus in your life: Jesus is not missing but only we can answer if He is missing from our own hearts.  Everyday we should commit to asking this question: where did I find Jesus today in the events of the day?  We can do this!
3.  Give Jesus your finest gift: yourself!  Jesus want you to be with Him, talk to Him, pray to Him, just be present with Him, every single day.  C'mon, we can do this!
4.  Humble ourselves and adore Jesus: Everyday do something to let Jesus know you adore Him, be humble, giving Him alone all the "credit" for the many good things that happen to us everyday.
5.  Follow God's plan and not man's:  Yes we have to follow instructions, yes we have to obey the orders of teachers, bosses, supervisors.  But in all things that concern faith, morals and values: follow God!

I believe if we think of these 5 things, the example of the wise men, we can tackle Monday, this first week, and all the many tough and difficult days we experience in a long year.  In fact, these 5 steps will turn many a day from drudgery to joy, from bad to good, from ho-hum to happy!

All we need to do is do them!