New Year's Message - +Bishop Benito P. Sagra

New Year’s Message 2018

Prayer for this First Day of the New Year

O Lord our God, the morning is here.
Thou who hast chased the slumber from our eyes,
and once more assembled us
to lift up our hands to Thee in praise,
accept our prayers and supplications,
and give us faith and love.
Bless our going out and coming in,
our thoughts, words and works,
and let us begin this day
with praise of the unspeakable sweetness of Thy mercy.

- Taken from GREEK LITURGY

1. After a year of many blessings wrapped in both colors of joy
and sadness it will be good to begin the New Year in the spirit and attitude of Gratitude and Thanksgiving. Also, it is a greater good to zero in the examination of the clear and present dangers confronting our world which affect
our capacity to live in peace, mutual respect and relish the gifts of joy and feel the power of love.

2. Each one of us is actually not indispensable in the context of a big and complicated world. The world, time, governments, institutions, religions, groups, communities can just go on leaving you and I behind the scenes for that matter. However, if each one does his or her job for the common good in an honest, loving and cheerful way, one can make an impact, a difference and multiply the force of good to keep the world spinning in the right direction.

3. We should be against the idea that World Peace is just a figment of our human imagination. World Peace is a joint project and each person, each community, each nation that wants peace ought to work hand in hand to attain a considerable and lasting peace for the joy of everyone. As the song goes, “let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me.” But just a caution, peace will remain just a dream without concrete actions to give justice where justice is due. Peace will only be an illusion without taking steps of openness to compromise, willingness to forgive and courage to dialogue as each party steps in the shoes of the other party.

4. How can we, as members of the human family, be truly happy and celebrate the coming year with a big show of fireworks 💥 when deep in our hearts we know that some if not many people are hurting in one way or another? The fact is undeniable that the existence of suffering is horrific and horrendous in some sectors cutting like a sharp knife and breaking the hearts 💕 of many. We may never be super heroes to save others, but we can help the next needy person who comes our way even with a little resources we have to ease the pain his or her within, to relieve the anguish of his or her face and to fill up his or her deserted heart with a little bit of love ❤️ and care.

5. The voices of the powers and the daily rantings has been a destructive and mind boggling cacophony of a never ending conflict of interests and issues. We go to a quiet place and seek the still small voice of God in the passing mist of the morning, in the golden sunset, in the wondering eyes of little children, in the beautiful spinning wheels of a passing car and simply rest our minds and hearts 💕 for a while.

6. The culture of fake news, violence, fear and animosity is spreading like wildfires destroying great democratic establishments of nations and peoples in significant areas in the world. While new technologies boasts of aiming for the greater good of humanity, these very technologies are used to confuse and divide a lot of people and nations. There is no compromise to truth, let us defend the truth! “Love casts away all fears,” (1 John 4:18) let us love another. Walls divide, let us make bridges of unity and mutual respect and understanding. God commanded us not to kill our brother, let us respect the sacredness and dignity of human life!

7. How about the question on personal and collective responsibility for the ills and pitfalls of the world? Is there a grain of truth in the statement, “we manufacture our own suffering “ because of many selfish and irresponsible choices we have made? It is high time for a recoup! We can reset our motto: to be more selfless and self giving without counting the cost! Think twice before speaking or acting. Promptly admit mistakes and begin anew! Let us not be too serious brooding over the past, rather let us eagerly move on to what we can still become!

8. In the best of times and in the worst of time, let us not loose our sense of wonder and amazement for the gifts 🎁 of artists, musicians, actors, poets and writers in ordinary tattered clothes who create eternal sense of beauty that transcends the perplexed situation of our world! They see better and their works penetrate and describe the psyche and sorry state of our world in one hand and the grandeur and greatness of the indomitable human spirit on the other hand! Let us not loose sight of our artists nor disregard the cries of them who are new prophets of God for our times!

9. The groans of the whole creation is deafening and disturbing. God has created the world and said, “it was good!” (Genesis1: 10) And God has made us His stewards to take care of everything He has created! However, due to abuse and irresponsible management of God’s creation we have experienced in recent years heat waves, floods, hurricanes, and the like. Species of fishes, animals and birds 🦅 are in danger of extinction. Let us be humble and honest to accept our mistakes and renew our love for creation and our commitment to take care of it according to God’s design and purpose.

10. Finally, as we accept the losses of the past year and live well in the present just taking the next right step with greater care, prudence and wisdom, we look forward with new and determined hope for the coming year. Let us embrace the hopes and aspirations of those who are poor and have less in life, not just materially but also spiritually. Let us hold our hands together and carry each other's heart and burdens, as we trudge the road to another promising year of our lives. The great American Poet, E.E. Cummings have this to say as we pause and get ready to move on in our process of becoming, in our hopes and desires for growing and in our common quest for peace, love, unity, justice and responsible care of God's beautiful creation.

i carry your heart with me

i carry your heart with me (i carry it in
my heart) i am never without it (anywhere
i go you go, my dear; and whatever is done
by only me is your doing, my darling)
i fear
no fate (for you are my fate, my sweet) i want
no world (for beautiful you are my world, my true)
and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant
and whatever a sun will always sing is you

here is the deepest secret nobody knows
(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud
and the sky of the sky of a tree called life; which grows
higher than soul can hope or mind can hide)
and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart

i carry your heart (i carry it in my heart)
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HAPPY NEW YEAR AND MAY GOD BLESS YOU AND KEEP YOU
IN THE HALLOW OF HIS LOVING HANDS!

- Benny Sagra
Bishop at Celtic Cross Old Catholic Templar Church
Archdiocesan Headquarter
Laguna Woods, California, USA
New Year's Day 2018