One of my favorite parts of the New Year is opening my new planner for the upcoming year and seeing its blank pages. Each month and day are wide open for new possibilities, adventures, and challenges. It doesn’t take a new year, though, to provide the opportunity for rebirth in our lives.
It seems as if we are always looking for ways to renew ourselves, our surroundings, and the way we do things—especially at the beginning of a new year. And while it might not always be easy, renewal is good for our lives because it opens us up to new possibilities, just like those empty calendar pages. Each day, we are given a chance to renew ourselves and our lives based on the choices we make.
Last October, the Franciscan family experienced its own renewal with the formation of the new Province of Our Lady of Guadalupe. The establishment of the new nationwide province, which has been in process for a while, brings together friars from across the country. This historic moment provides the Franciscans with possibilities, adventures, and challenges—much like the beginning of a new year.
Please pray for the friars as they gather in a new way to continue their mission of spreading the message of St. Francis to all.
