“The journey of faith: to seek Jesus, to encounter Jesus and to follow Jesus.” (Pope Francis) As we begin a New Year of life, so we are to begin a New Year in our spiritual life, our faith journey. To do this we need to seek a deeper relationship with Jesus, our Lord and Savior. If we presume on our old relationship, it will become more distant. We need to seek Jesus afresh. We have changed, even though he remains ever the same. We need to have a new encounter with him, a new transforming experience which spiritually reenergizes us. This, in turn, will deepen the desire to follow him and serve him in any way he desires, no matter the cost. If this pattern is not repeated

consciously each year, we will find ourselves becoming

complacent, apathetic and stagnant in our relationship

with Jesus. The flame of love will become dimmer to the point of self-extinguishing.