Be Our Guest / Bob Zyskowski

Want to start the new Church year right? Let’s be Catholic

Let’s be Catholic.

You and me.

Let’s do what Catholics do. Or are supposed to do.

Let’s see Jesus in other people—even that person who sometimes annoys the devil out of us.

Let’s be joyful, and let’s fill others with joy, too.

Let’s go to Mass every week.

Let’s care for those who are hungry and for those who are homeless, and then go a step further and join with others to end hunger and homelessness.

Let’s insist that no one in our country will ever have to go without medical care or prescription drugs because they can’t afford them.

Let’s neither brag about our giving nor whine about paying taxes.

Let’s do stuff at our parishes. When the call goes out for help with something that sounds like we could do, let’s volunteer.

On the job, let’s amaze people whose lives touch ours because we are so darn easy to work with.

Let’s comfort those who mourn.

When we get the choice between conflict and compromise, let’s choose the latter.

Let’s be the kindest people in the building, the nicest neighbors.

Let’s get a reputation for doing things for others without expecting anything in return.

Let’s just be still at times and have a conversation with God—and let’s listen—let’s let God do most of the talking.

Let’s be the friends others call when they need help because they always know we will imitate the Good Samaritan.

When we have an occasion to really give somebody a piece of our mind, let’s be merciful instead.

This Advent, let’s not just put an Advent wreath out as a decoration; let’s gather the family each week of the Advent season and pray that beautiful ritual together.

Let’s “invite” our children, grandchildren, neighbors, co-workers to activities at our parish—the spiritual programs as well as the social ones.

Let’s remember to say grace before every meal—even at restaurants.

Let’s vote for candidates to elected office who most nearly reflect Catholic values.

Let’s say a prayer every morning when we wake and every night as we get into bed.

Let’s be known as the most humble person everybody knows.

Let’s apply Jesus’ directive to welcome the stranger to those who come to our community—and our country—in search of freedom and a better life.

Let’s say the rosary at least once a week.

When Lent comes around, let’s get ashes on Ash Wednesday morning and allow them to mark us as Catholic all day.

Let’s decide upon a Lenten sacrifice or action and let’s keep that commitment.

Let’s make time to go to the Stations of the Cross so we can walk the Lenten journey more closely with Jesus in his suffering.

Let’s not eat meat on Fridays during Lent.

Let’s try our best to live out the Beatitudes.

Let’s take advantage of opportunities to grow in our faith, to learn more about this God we say we believe in.

Let’s re-memorize the “Memorare” and pray it every day.

Let’s see if we can repeat the Ten Commandments and, if we can’t, let’s re-learn them.

Let’s take advantage of the cleansing wonder of the sacrament of reconciliation.

When the parish pledge drive comes around, let’s think not only of all the bills our parishes have to pay, but let’s reflect on all that you and I have been blessed with by God, and increase what we were thinking about giving this year.

Let’s visit with some elderly folks.

Let’s not find fault in others.

Let’s trust in God’s plan for each of us.

Let’s listen to our conscience.

Let’s be the ones who stand up for and protect life at every stage.

Let’s not value money and things, but instead let’s value being respected.

Let’s befriend someone—or a group of people—who no one else seems to want to even live near.

Let’s love our spouses.

Let’s honor our parents.

Let’s cherish our children—and everybody else’s children, too.

Let’s forgive those who have hurt us.

Let’s use our procreative abilities the way God intended them to be used.

Let’s not gossip.

Let’s love the Lord our God with all our heart and all our soul and all our mind, and let’s love our neighbor as ourselves.

Let’s tell other people why we are Catholic.

(Bob Zyskowski is associate publisher of The Catholic Spirit, newspaper of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis.) †