Letting Go... The Franciscan Challenge

Change Ahead in the New Year

“The object of a New Year is not that we should have a new year. It is that we should have a new soul…”
—Gilbert K. Chesterton

What an interesting concept for the New Year. We start this New Year with the feast of Mary, Mother of God. Who better than God’s Mother to help us into this New Year for our General Chapter/Elections and for the political elections? These are only a few of the things we know will be happening in this year of grace, 2024! We are standing on a precipice of new adventures for not only our Community but for our country and our world. Going into a New Year we need to let go of the past to begin our future.

Only God knows what the outcomes will be, but we trust in God’s wisdom and grace. Our faith is the key to the New Year. Without it we will stumble and even fall! Placing our hands into God’s hands assures us of safely walking with God into the future with a new soul. 

A Season of Letting Go

The season of “letting go” has arrived! This month begins with a reminder of our future life in heaven with the celebration of All Saints Day. We then are reminded to let go of those we love as we celebrate All Souls Day. Letting go of those we love does not mean we forget them. We hold them in our hearts, prayers, and our treasured memories.

 As the leaves dance off the trees and fall to the ground, they show us how lovely letting go can be. As the leaves fall, they are not sad about letting go. They are making space for new leaves that will rise in spring with new life, but only if the old ones surrender and let go. As we let go, we do not change colors like the leaves, but we do change. Letting go of stuff in our lives allows us to become the person God wants us to be.