Happy New Year!

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! (Numbers 6)

New Year’s Eve/Day is full of well-wishes and greetings. The blessing that the Lord gives the people through Moses is a powerful reminder of how God looks at us with love and good will. But God’s blessing isn’t just well-wishing. It includes the power to make our year go well when we align ourselves with God’s power and with the energy of his kingdom.

Just as a good diet and exercise are needed for good health, so a life in conformity with the Gospel leads us to be healthy in the Lord. In addition, I’m sure Pope Francis would be pleased if in our daily encounters with one another we incorporated more often the words of blessing which we hear today, instead of the negativity that is so often prevalent in social relationships.