Happy New Year 2024!

Dear friends,

We thank God for all that happened in 2023. There were good and bad moments, but despite all this, God let us through to another year 2024.  On June 30, 2023, I lost my dad, and I know many of you also lost your loved ones. Those were moments of sadness, grief, and sorrow. Still, those moments were turned into joy as the Scripture says, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy” (Jn. 16:20).  This is because Christ died and rose again so that where he is, we also shall be. Our loved ones are with him. Let us not grieve over the sad events of 2023, but rather thank God for letting those events be steppingstones to our awareness of what life entails: that this earthly life will come to an end, but death is an entrance into the new life of heaven. May our loved ones intercede for us.

Thank you for your resilience, especially during turbulent times. Thank you for your prayers and all your support and best wishes. Saint Paul says, “There are three things that last -faith, hope, and love – and the greatest of these is love.” Thank you for your love translated as charity. May 2024 be a better year for us than last year because we have become more aware of our vocations to love God, serve him with all our hearts and minds, and love our neighbors as ourselves.

I write to wish everyone a wonderful New Year 2024. May the events of 2023, good or bad, happy, or sorrowful, help us to be more aware of our environment in 2024 so that our faith in Christ may be rekindled. May we live in his presence year-round, and “in season and out of season,” remain steadfast in his love. May your unanswered questions lead you to deep faith in Christ because certain things are reserved for Him, and we only need to trust in Him. Therefore, I say this prayer of blessings for you: “In 2024, may the Lord bless you and keep you: May the Lord make his face shine upon you, and be gracious to you: May the Lord lift his countenance upon you, and give you peace.” Amen

- Fr. Emmanuel Fale Lon