About four years ago, I began working on a book about my personal journey and our family’s adoption stories. I intended to write, edit, and publish the book in one short year. Understanding my season of life and my tendency toward perfectionism, my spiritual guide cautioned me that my tiny timeline was overly ambitious. Pridefully, I pushed forward, confident I could complete the task. Where am I in the process? Well, after a wild ride of a life, I sit with my manuscript completely written, yet unpublished and not quite edited. Every week, it looks at me and chuckles. Despite its stare, I have been attempting to patiently await God’s timing. I recognize the need to extend grace to myself for the work uncompleted due to my life’s circumstances, yet it is still hard to be halfway. January 1, I asked myself again, do I pick it up and try to wrap-up my incomplete handiwork?
As we all enter a new year, we visit where we have journeyed the past 12 months as well as the activities we would like to receive our focus in the upcoming year. We examine what we have left in the dust and where our priorities should settle. Introspecting, we delve into where the Lord is asking us to focus, where He is moving and revealing Himself at work. Our Master asks us to remain in Him, continually turning our eyes back to Him. We do this as we reflect and plan for the new year and invite our Creator to prune our branches.
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch of mine that bears no fruit, he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. You are already made clean by the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. I am the vine and you are the branches. He who abides in me, and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15: 1-5.
Call to Act: “We are called to become the branches that will bear the fruits of the Spirit into a hungry world.” (Emmanuel: A Christmas Feast, Laura Kelly Fanucci, p. 103) Is there an endeavor God has been asking you to undertake that you have set to the side, focusing elsewhere? Is there a scraggly area of your life where He is inviting you to dig deep and dedicate some time and energy to grind out? Ask yourself what you have neglected or where you feel your heart tugging you. Have you needed to break from something to allow for other things? Is the Master bidding you to get back to it? Carve out a window today to sit with the Lord and ask, “Where do You want me to work? What are you summoning me to give my time and attention to this year?” The Master will surely answer your free and willing heart. Collaborating with the Lord, develop a plan, allowing for work in these areas each day, all while inching closer to Him. “Make known to me your ways, Lord; teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my savior. For you I wait all the long day, because of your goodness, Lord.” Psalm 25:4-5.
May God’s peace be with you as you enter this new year with openness to His plan and His divine vision. Call to mind Joan of Arc and her zeal to serve the Lord. Carry out His work in the world. Set aside your unfinished business and hasten to do His. You were created for this. Do not be afraid! Be fearless and do the things that you may fail at, trusting in God and His Providence. Allow Him to lead you. My prayers are with you, sister!
St. Joan of Arc, St. Francis Xavier Cabrini, and Mother Angelica pray for us that we may discern the Lord’s will for us. Ask Him to guide us to right paths and follow as He leads us, especially when we must divert on our journey. Beg the Lord to grant us the graces necessary to joyfully and fervently carry out His work. We ask this through Christ, Our Lord and Savior. Amen.
