Start Your New Year RESOLVED

By Photos public domain.com [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

I think Johnette Benkovic of Women of Grace is tops. She fights to show women how the secularized culture does NOT have their best interests in mind, and then she gives them the tools to reclaim their feminine power and dignity through guest authors and interviews.

She recently shared her acronym, RESOLVED, on her radio program. Here is her acronym and my interpretation of how to best carry out the mission.

Recommit
Examine
Surrender
Obedience
Listen
Virtues
Eucharist
Dedication

Recommit your life to Christ, daily.  This can as simple as saying, "This day is for you, Lord," first thing in the morning. (Jeff Cavins said he does this.)  You can also use consecration wording.

"Today, I offer all my acts, intentions, and operations to the Sacred Heart of Jesus through the Immaculate Heart of Mary."

It's easy to take our eyes off the prize - Heaven - and recommitting every day helps us maintain focus.

Examine your life every day. Where did you go wrong? Be aware. Where did you go right? Where did you see God's grace at work in your life?  Thank Him.

Surrender everything  to God. He knows what's best. This means your money, your sex life, your relationships, your work. Everything. What gets between you and God. What do you give the highest importance to? If it's not God, that's your false idol, and you need to hand it over to Him.

Obedience is hard, but you can ask God for the grace to be obedient. He gave us clear guidelines to live by. Follow them. Hint: In prayer, He will tell you what He wants you to do, and it won't be something easy. Forgive that person who hurt you. Spend more time in prayer. If it's easy, you probably need to keep digging. Read about the lives of the Saints. They struggled. Do you really think your life, if you are aiming for Heaven, will be easier?

Listen to Him in prayer every day. That means you'll have to be quiet and let Him talk, which isn't easy. Try to spend at least ten minutes a day in conversation with Jesus. Father Larry Richards suggests imagining that you're resting your head on Jesus' chest. Listen to His heartbeat. Let Him hold you. He'll tell you what He wants from you.

Virtues, according to Jeff Cavins, are values once you've added shoe leather.  Values don't require any action. Virtues require you to live them. Warning: If you pray for a Virtue, you will be tested. They are muscles that need exercise. I once prayed for patience, and over the next few hours, three of the most annoying people sat right next to me at a lecture and approached me outside of church. God was letting me get in some patience practice. An athlete doesn't become great without practice. Don't expect to master the Virtues without practice, either.

The Cardinal Virtues, which you can strengthen and are meant to help us exercise control over our passions, are Justice, Temperance, Prudence, Fortitude.

The Theological Virtues, which only come through the grace of God, are Faith, Hope, and Charity.

Pray for them all.

Eucharist is the soul and summit of the Catholic faith. Jesus gave us Himself, body, blood, soul, and divinity, in the Eucharist. You can receive Him daily, and He will strengthen you in your journey.

Dedication is necessary in order to succeed. You can't offer Jesus a half-baked effort and then expect miracles. Like anything that is important, you must be dedicated to achieving the goal--becoming the face of Jesus to those around you.

It's a handful, but with God's help, it's definitely doable. Make this year your best year by staying RESOLVED. Your example will provide inspiration for others. Imagine what the world would look like then!