Dear God

Letters to the Lord

1-1-23

Dear God:

It's New Year's Day again. I know time is meaningless to You, but we humans like tracking it every year. So we reminisce over the last year and look forward to the new year. Of course we do this because we are mortal and know our lives are finite here on earth. You are immortal and know our lives go on forever. That is the disconnect and all the basis of the trouble in the world.

There have been 56 New Year's Days in my life and all have felt depressing to me. This focus on remembering what happened last year and predicting what is going to happen this year is all so ponderous and joyless to me. I've lived through the last year, do I need to relive it? I haven't lived through the new year, do I need to pretend that I have? No, New Year's Day just makes me tired and weary - so much focus on our earthly finite lives.

When earthly life intrudes on my peace, I look to eternal life. Today is also the Circumcision of Our Lord, when Jesus was circumcised and officially named Jesus. This is what I need today. I'm not going to think about what happened last year and I'm not going to predict what will happen this year. I'm going to live for the day. Today is a reminder that the name Jesus in Hebrew means "salvation or savior." He will save his people from their sins.

Jesus has already saved us - it is done, all we have to do is believe in Him and follow His teachings. Eternal life is ours, last year, today and next year, because of what happened 2023 years ago. So I'm not going to worry about the upcoming year and the earthly, finite hell that awaits us. I'm saved and just need to live my life as one who has eternal life and wants everyone else to have it as well.

There will come a time when I won't see another New Year’s rung in. All the memories of what happened last year and what might happen in the next year won't matter then. Time will disappear and eternity will be there. I hope I will live eternity in Heaven. For that I need to live for the day here on earth.

Lord, help us to see the good and the evil that turned to good in the past year, and to rely on You to take care of the next year. God, help all of us focus on the present, the day, and to live that day in obtaining eternity in Heaven and helping others to get there as well.

Sincerely,

Napoleon

PS: Lord, please protect Your Catholic Church after the death of Pope Benedict. We need Your help in leading Pope Francis back to the Way, the Truth, and the Life.