Find peace by placing your life in God’s hands

The month of February is upon us and our lives have returned to “normal” after the beautiful celebrations of Christmas and the Christmas season. Please note that I put the word normal in quotation marks because the Church does not want our lives to return to their former ways. Since Advent and Christmas, our lives should have become anything but “normal;” they should be renewed by our strengthened faith and hope in the merciful love of God our Father.
 
Last month we celebrated, in quick succession, three solemnities which set the tone for this calendar year and should have set the tone for how we live our faith. The Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, the Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord and the Solemnity of the Baptism of the Lord draw us closer to heaven by drawing us into a deeper relationship with Jesus and His Church. Has that happened for you?
 
This month, we celebrate the Presentation of the Lord on Sunday, Feb. 2. This beautiful feast is very much related to the Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord. The Gospel for this Sunday will recount the fact that Our Blessed Mother and Saint Joseph bring the child Jesus to the Temple to fulfill the requirements of the Law and in the process they hear what Simeon prophecies about Jesus, and they hear the holy prophetess Anna speak of Jesus as the fulfillment of the hopes and desires of Israel and the world. Listening to what both say, ask yourself if Jesus is your fulfillment in your life or do you look to other persons or things for your true peace and satisfaction.
 
The lives of Mary and Joseph revolved about Jesus and Him alone. Were they rich and prosperous, were they famous or powerful? Not at all. However, were they truly happy and did they have peace and contentment in their lives? Yes, indeed, and all because they placed their lives in God’s hands.
 
Even though the month of February is the shortest in number of days, it can be the richest in graces. We need to do what Mary and Joseph did in their lives with Jesus. If you do what they did this year and the years to come, your life will be anything but “normal.”