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A new year, a new beginning, a chance to start over! Tradition says this is a time for resolutions to be made. We think about more exercise, a better diet, getting healthy, but what about spending more time on prayer, on picking up the Bible more often? We are not just physical beings, we are also spiritual beings. Just as it is important to take care of our physical health, it is important to take care of our spiritual health. When we take care of our spiritual self, we can deal more effectively with the concerns of the day. Every day brings us news of the chaos and confusion, the violence and fears our world is facing. If this is all we think about, even our health can suffer – headaches, an increase in our blood pressure, sleepless nights! When we turn our minds and hearts to God, we are reminded of the promises He has made. It’s not that the world has changed, but our response to the cares of the world has changed. This prayer of blessing given to Aaron for the Israelites is our prayer as well. This is a prayer that promises peace, protection, kindness and mercy. Let this prayer be our mantra for the New Year, a reminder of God’s goodness. Let’s not stop there! This prayer also gives us a way for us to be a blessing during this New Year. Just as God will be kind and merciful to us, we should be kind and merciful to others. In this way, not only will the year be a blessing for us, it will also be a blessing for others.Prayer: Dear God, let us make a new resolution for this New Year. Give us the grace to be a blessing for others as we remember the blessings you have promised to us. Amen.