January 2025
Reflections of God's Goodness
We continue our celebration of the great feast of the Incarnation! God is so good to send us His only Son, Jesus. It changes everything.
Let’s take stock. Isn’t that usually what we do in the beginning of a New Year? How’s your heart?
Many of us have strong feelings when it comes to politics, world and local situations, wars and even in our relationships with friends and family. We are saddened by the many wars that are killing innocent women and children. It makes our hearts hurt.
In a recent encyclical, Pope Frances wrote about the human and divine love of Jesus in His Sacred Heart. “… If love reigns in our heart, we become, in a complete and luminous way, the persons we are meant to be for every human being is created above all else for love … to love and to be loved.” (Dilexit Nos, 21)
"This is my commandment: love one another as I love you."
Pope Francis says that if we, our countries, neighborhoods and families don’t find these situations intolerable, it is a sign that the world has grown heartless. (Dilexit Nos, 22)
Have we become immune to the sufferings of others? “It is only by starting from the heart that our communities will succeed in uniting and reconciling different minds and wills, so that the Spirit can guide us in unity as brothers and sisters. … Our hearts, united with the heart of Christ, are capable of working this social miracle.” (Dilexit Nos, 28)
So, friends, this is the challenge, nicely summed up in Colossians,
"Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if one has a grievance against another; as the Lord has forgiven you, so must you also do. And over all these put on love, that is, the bond of perfection. And let the peace of Christ control your hearts, the peace into which you were also called in one body. And be thankful."
Happy New Year! May each of us receive the grace and courage to love more deeply and draw closer to the heart of Jesus as we live out the coming year.
Blessings and Peace,
Sister Mary Ann Barnhorn, SNDdeN
Read the previous reflections:
Celebrate the Feast of the Incarnation and the New Year with reflections on love, compassion, and unity from Sister Mary Ann Barnhorn, SNDdeN. Explore how Christ’s Sacred Heart inspires us to transform our hearts and communities through kindness, forgiveness, and love. Dive into scripture and Pope Francis’ encyclical to begin the year with grace and purpose.
Prepare your heart for Advent with this reflection from Sister Mary Ann Barnhorn, SNDdeN. Explore how intentional prayer, reflection on time, and a simple mantra—“Come, Lord Jesus, come”—can deepen your connection to the true meaning of the season. Discover insights, scripture, and prayers to inspire your Advent journey.
Reflect on how we are deeply connected to God and each other, both on earth and in heaven. Through family, friends, and the communion of saints, our memories become sacred links to loved ones now in God’s presence. This November, join us in a prayer of gratitude as we remember and give thanks for the love, inspiration, and connection that unite us as one body in Christ, across life and eternity
Discover how Christian relationships, rooted in love and attentiveness, can transform the way we engage with one another. Sister Mary Ann Barnhorn, SNDdeN, reflects on the importance of listening, humility, and following Jesus to heal divisions and strengthen our witness in today's world. Let's strive to love as He loves, one encounter at a time.