Happy New Year!

Time flies. It is true that time passes very quickly. It's hard to believe that it's 2023. My dad told me that every year the years go by faster, and it's the truth. Sometimes it's hard to remember what happened, this was last year, or two or three years ago. I think the pandemic made it worse. I feel that life is passing by like the cars in the "Carpool lane." It seems that the years are disappearing. Times like this I think, “How come time goes by so fast?” "Can't I do something to slow it down a bit?" "Can I stop it? Is there something I can do to see things better?" Numbering the years helps. Like celebrating birthdays, and the change of seasons. Celebrating the new year invites us to reflect and remember. Ending the year, it is good to take a moment to thank God for the year that is ending. It is good to end the year savoring what we have just experienced. What happened this year? An important event, a marriage or a 15a, someone's graduation, a new job, a new house. Perhaps the birth of a baby, or even the death of a loved one. Or maybe it was a very quiet year. Today is the new year, but it is also the feast of the Virgin Mary, the Mother of God, she who kept all these things and meditated on them in her heart. We must follow the example of the Mother of God. "Kept all these things reflecting on them in her heart." On Wednesday they had a party for my birthday. Lots of gifts, lots of food and lots of people, a big celebration. Thanks to everyone who had prepared everything. I only have one complaint. There was too much! Like food for example. All my favorite food, there was pozole, chiles rellenos, taquitos, enchiladas, pupusas, mole, not to mention the desserts. When there is a lot, it is difficult to savor it. Living here in Los Angeles it is hard. There is so much, and life goes so fast; we need to follow the example of Mary: we have to keep all these things reflecting on them in our hearts. Mary took time to reflect on how God showed his presence every day, how his grace is present in every event. When we stop, we can savor life much more. If we have time like the Virgin, we will be able to appreciate each moment of our lives more, and our hearts will fill with gratitude. Take a moment now at the end of the year to thank God for something that has happened this year. We continue our Christmas celebration. It is not a day, but a week, a lifetime. If we take time, we will be able to recognize how God is blessing us in every moment. We can join Moses and Aaron and their descendants and receive the same blessing that they received in today's first reading. " The LORD bless you and keep you! The LORD let his face shine upon you, and be gracious to you! The LORD look upon you kindly and give you peace!

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