January K of C Newsletter

For St. Joan of Arc Knights of Columbus January newsletter:

What is the saying: "Another day, another dollar"? Don't we all wish! Here is another year. While we may naturally look back on the last year, its joys and its sorrows, with either regret or satisfaction, we can only look forward to the new year with wonder: what will it bring to our families, our parish and church, our country, ourselves? Some people make resolutions for the new year -- to lose weight or give up smoking, to look for a new job or decide to focus on working harder at their existing job.
All of this is well and good, but is it enough for us who call ourselves Catholic? A new year is quite truthfully another year of grace. It is more time granted us to look at our lives honestly, to recognize those parts of us that are inclined to sin, and to resolve, with God's grace to confess that sin, do penance, and resolve (!) to avoid sin in the future. And, we can seek to get closer to God in prayer and in action; certainly as Knights there are ample opportunities for action, and we can carve out a bit more time to spend with the Lord in quiet prayer. We can also take advantage of opportunities to witness our faith to others, by faithfulness to the Gospel and sharing the Good News with both the poor and the affluent, and especially our own families. We can also seek to learn more about our faith.
I'm going to try to give some practical assistance with this last item over the next year. As many of you may know, my principal ministry is working with men studying to be deacons. I particularly focus on practical liturgy, marriage, and Sacred Scripture. There are a number of things that may be of interest to my fellow knights that I will attempt to offer.
May you and your families have a wonderful and blessed new year, and may our Knights of Columbus Council grow in service and holiness in this new year of grace.
Deacon Rex Pilger