Creating a New Status Quo

We’re over a week into the new year, and at this point you might be asking yourself, what happened to all of my shiny new year’s resolutions?  Most people see the beginning of a new year as the perfect time to make lofty goals for themselves.  And even if those goals are phrased in such a way so as to make them more achievable, most new year’s resolutions are doomed to failure.

Why?

Well, that’s an interesting question.  We’re back at work, the kids are back in school, and we’re settling into the status quo of our lives again.  Maybe that’s exactly why our resolutions fail.  The status quo or “the way things are” is resistant to change.  It’s comfortable… too comfortable.

We need to challenge ourselves to get past the comfortable, comforting status quo we are used to and find a new normal.  Here are some suggestions to help you strengthen your faith as you initiate a new status quo:

1. Make an effort to pray more.  Say an Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory Be before bed.  Work up to a decade of the Rosary, then a full Rosary.  Or, make time during the day to say the morning prayer, evening prayer, or another prayer from the Liturgy of the Hours.
2. Try to get to Mass during the week as well as on Sunday.
3. Create a prayer journal, and use it to write your own prayers.  This could start as stream of consciousness recording and grow into bringing your struggles, praise, and thanksgiving to God.
4. Read the Bible.  Maybe not cover to cover, but read the readings for the day.  The USCCB website has a calendar with the readings for each day on a single page, and you can sign up for a daily e-mail that contains the readings.
5. Get involved in the parish.  We are always looking for people to help out in various ministries.
6. Volunteer your time at the St. Vincent de PaulDining Hall, the Good Samaritan Program, or Catholic Community Services.
7. Study the Saints.  Each day, our Facebook page highlights the Saint of the day with a link to a brief article about him or her.
8. Become more familiar with the Catechism.  You can access the complete English text of the Catechism online here.
9. Make an effort to include the pope’s intentions in your daily prayer.
10. Make a renewed effort to live the Golden Rule in your life.

Whatever you choose to do or focus on, try to commit to creating a new status quo.  Then next year, it will be even easier to create another new status quo, and watch your life grow closer to God.