Transcript:
Greetings, beloved in Christ. 2025 has begun. And I’m not sure what your tradition is for marking the new year. But for me, my tradition is instead of setting forth a resolution, that is something that I should do or accomplish, I try to set forth an intention that is about who I want to be in this coming year. And this coming year, I have set forth the intention of being an encourager. Not being an encourager as an excuse to ignore the suffering and pain of this world. If any of you saw the news about the awful attack in New Orleans, you know that the suffering and pain of this world is very real. But I set the intention of encouragement as a recognition that I am called to bear witness to the light and love of Jesus Christ. Not to deny the world suffering, but to acknowledge that the word became flesh because we suffer.
And that part of my task is to be a living witness of the love and mercy and presence of a living God. To that end, I want to share a few words from one of my favorite spiritual writers, the Right Reverend Steve Charleston.
He writes, “Your faith has prepared you for this time. It has given you the tools you need to respond, to proclaim justice while standing for peace. Long ago, the Spirit called you to commit your life to faith. And now you know why. You are a source of strength for those who have lost hope. You are a voice of calm in the midst of chaos. You are steady light in days of darkness. The time has come for you to become what you believe.”
Blessings.