Bishop Leo O’Reilly’s New Year Message 2009

The first day of the New Year makes us think of New Year’s resolutions. We see the New Year as an opportunity for a fresh start, a new beginning. And even though we may not have kept last year’s resolutions, that shouldn’t prevent us making some this year. We never fully live up to the ideals and values we set ourselves, but it is still important to have ideals and to cherish values, and to be always trying to live up to them, even if we sometimes fail. Failing, or falling, is not the worst thing that can happen to us. The worst thing is not rising again. As Christians we are eternal optimists. We believe in sin, but we also believe in forgiveness, above all in God’s forgiveness. We believe God is just, but we also believe God is merciful. So, however often we fall, with his grace we can rise again and make a fresh start.

Every year the Church marks this day as a World Day of Peace. Each year for a couple of decades now the Holy Father publishes a message for the world day of peace. There is a different theme each year but they have all to do with peace in the world. The theme of this year’s message is: “Fighting Poverty to Build Peace”. It might seem like a futile endeavour – making this annual appeal for peace as the New Year begins – but it’s like the New Year’s resolutions. As Christians we continue to hope for a better world despite the failures and the wars and the conflicts. We continue to present the message of Christ, the Prince of Peace. We continue to pray for peace even though conflicts continue and new wars break out. That is all the more reason to commit ourselves once more to the work of peace.

The Pope touches on many concerns in his message:

The spread of pandemics, diseases such as malaria, TB and AIDS. The scale of child poverty – almost half of those living in absolute poverty are children.  The level of world military expenditure – governments buying tanks and guns when their people have no food. The near collapse of the world economic system due to irresponsibility and greed.

The Pope doesn’t mention making New Year’s resolutions, but he does what amounts to the same thing by calling for an ethical approach to all these issues:An ethical approach to politics on the part of those in public office. An ethical approach to economics on the part of those involved in the markets. An ethical approach to democracy on the part of everybody.

In other words, we must have ideals and values which guide our actions. When we are faced with any course of action it is not enough just to ask: Will it work? Will it make a profit? Will it be popular? Will it be convenient? The first question must be, is it right or wrong? That’s the ethical question, the moral question. It may not be fashionable. It may not be popular. But the important thing is that it is right. Maybe our resolution for this year should be to stop before making any important decision to reflect: is it right or wrong? And only do it if it’s right.

I wish you all a happy and peaceful New Year.