It is 31st December 2018. We celebrate the memorial of St. Sylvester, a Pope. The readings are from 1 John 2:18-21; and the Gospel from John 1:1-18. As we come to an end of the year 2018, it is good to look back a while and pause for a moment with gratitude to our loving God, and all those who were part of this journey. It is good to ask ourselves today, whether we are integrated or divided, blessed or burdened, grown up or stunned, altruistic or selfish, humane or cruel, satisfied or hungry, mended or broken, sinful or saintly, empowered or enmeshed, clarified or confused, moved on or mowed down, forgiven or stubborn, generous or greedy, enlightened or darkened, loved or ignored, in Christ or far from Christ, closer ever before or can’t bear the sight of it. We need to recall the moments of grace, and blessings of God as well as the most painful and unforgettable events, people and experiences not to hold against them but to entrust them back to the Lord. A divided mind and spirit destroy peace and blessings personally and in community. As we close, we must be open for renewal. The optimism that we generate by letting go of all that made us feel broken and pained gives us the power to believe in New and Blessed things ahead. The more we are stubborn and not willing to let go of the past memories, experiences, and the persons who made us to suffer emotionally, physically and spiritually, we have made up our minds not to let in Christ, the Word and the Light. It is the time to let go. It is the day we need to trash some of the silly things and selfish people from our lives. Enough is enough indeed. Even if they have been for a long time offering the pleasures we wanted, time has come to move on with our lives. Those conflicting encounters, bitter words, abusive relationships, draining friendships need to be done away with so as to allow the Holy Spirit to rekindle, renew, and to rebuild what God desires to create in us. The first reading teaches us that whatever belonged to God and Christ offers life, healing and blessing. All that is anti-Christ will drain us, weaken us and fragment us gradually and surely. We do not need to mourn over someone moving out of us or of our lives. They never belonged to us and never loved us rather they believed in some lies and wanted that lies to be accepted by all means marred with lust and pleasures. It is the last hour to move away from all that divides us from Christ and the Church. “You know that no lie comes from the truth.” (1 Jn.2:21). Anti-Christ is not just a particular person, but it is the ideology, the new-movement philosophies, and seductive and passionate and free life style that opposes God, truth, love, and family relationships. May we recognise the anti-Christ elements right within each one of us and trash them for the good times to come in our lives. Let us be open and optimistic about all that is going to embrace us as we are looking forward to enter into the New Year celebrations. The responsorial Psalm praises, “Let the heavens rejoice and earth be glad.” (Ps.95:11). The Gospel of John instructs us that Jesus, fully God and fully man as the Son of God (Jn.20:30,31), the Wisdom of the Father, the Eternal and life-giving Word (Ps.33:6) that made flesh (Jn.1:14) among us as the revelation of God to hold all things together (Col.1:17). The Good News is Jesus Christ from whom we have life in the spirit and all the gifts through the Holy Spirit. Only with God, through God and in God, we are unique, valuable, priceless, loving and lovable. The moment we disconnect from Christ, we are nothing and closed for ourselves only. There is no darkness or evil or satanic powers can overcome us as long as we believe in Christ and behave like Christ. Let us allow the light of Christ to permeate into our beings to recognise God and not to ignore our fellow human beings. May our understanding of Christ increase by the adherence to the commandments of love and sacrifice. May we find some quality time to be with Jesus to refuel ourselves as we are eagerly looking forward to embrace the New Year 2019. Nothing will go wrong with us, in us and all that we handle in our work as long as there an honourable place for God in our lives. May you have a fruitful and peace day. God bless you.