Thoughts to ring in the New Year!

I wanted to end/begin the year with a joyful post, because the Good Lord knows that I have lots of controversy waiting in the queue! ;)

First, I am so grateful for all the wonderful friends I've made this year in the Bubble! "Bubble" is a fun and fanciful blog name (sometimes repeated derisively by detractors), which to me refers to community. I am in love with our little community here in cyberspace -- all those who cherish Mother Church as I do, as well as those who challenge her. I am so humbled by your presence here! Thank you!!

Second, one cannot go wrong by quoting G. K. Chesterton on New Year's Eve (or any other day of the year), so here's a fitting entry for December 31st:

With all the multiplicity of knowledge there is one thing happily that no man knows: whether the world is old or young.

Lastly, today's Gospel reading is from St. John the Evangelist, one of my all time favorite saints. He was Jesus' best friend, "the beloved disciple"; he was profoundly Eucharistic; he was the only Apostle present at the foot of the Cross; and, at Jesus' command, he took Mary into his home after the Crucifixion. John's Gospel is my favorite, and my favorite verse comes from one of John's epistles ("perfect love casts out fear" 1 John 4:18). I even named one of my sons after John the Evangelist. Today's Gospel reading is one we all know and love, and perhaps the most sublime and glorious passage of the New Testament:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God; all things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. 

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John*. He came for testimony, to bear witness to the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to bear witness to the light. 

The true light that enlightens every man was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world knew him not. He came to his own home, and his own people received him not. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God; who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. 

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth; we have beheld his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father. 

(John bore witness to him, and cried, “This was he of whom I said, `He who comes after me ranks before me, for he was before me.’”) And from his fullness have we all received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God; the only Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he has made him known. (John 1: 1 – 18)

God bless you all in 2011! Happy New Year!!

*John the Baptist, another incredible St. John! :)