Dec 31 – Memorial for St. Sylvester I, pope
St. Sylvester (d. 335) was pope in the reign of Emperor Constantine I, who built the Lateran and other churches. He sent legates to the First Council of Nicaea, and was involved in the controversy over Arianism. The spurious Donation of Constantine was supposedly given to St. Sylvester.
- Patron Saint Index
1 Jn 2:18-21
John 1:1-18
“A light that shines in the dark, a light that darkness could not overpower.”
I regularly bemoan the lack of seasons in Singapore. There are hardly any natural manifestations or the passing of time in its equatorial climate. If not for the different holidays and the changing of dates in our calendars, most days in Singapore are no different from the next.
Without physical reminders of how quickly our lives are passing, we must actively manage if we are on track to achieving our goals. A personal workplan is one such tool that can enable this.
Most organisations have annual workplans that are closely scrutinised. Stakeholders and persons responsible are identified, and they are held accountable for the results. Typically, there is a semi-annual workplan review and targets are either adjusted, or dropped.
With such effective ways of setting goals and measuring performance present in the workplace, it is a wonder as to why most of us don’t do so in our personal lives. We tend to go with the flow and are in damage control mode for the bulk of the year. This is why a lot of goals, be they monetary, fitness, or personal ones remain unfinished.
When God sent Jesus into the world, he had a clear vision of how his only son was to become the saviour of the human race. However, I don’t think that many of us have such clarity of purpose for our lives. We may have very long term goals that are broad and not specifically actionable in the short term. For example, to be a good person or to find a place in heaven. But such goals make it hard for us to take daily steps to achieve them especially when they are not: 1) specific; 2) measurable; 3) applicable; 4) realistic; and 5) time-based.
I have found that having an accountability partner, and checking in on my goalsm is crucial in making sure that I see results. The road is long and progress is not often apparent, but I sleep soundly at night knowing that I am not floundering in the dark and am taking active steps towards a future that I have envisioned in my mind.
Brothers and sisters, if you are feeling the pressure of the end of yet another year and are unsure as to how to go about making a start for 2023, let the Lord in to light your path and begin your journey to becoming the person that both He, and you, desire one step at a time.
(Today’s OXYGEN by Gregory Mathew)
Prayer: Dearest Lord, help us to be clear minded about the path to take to draw closer to you.
Thanksgiving: Thank you Lord, for the gift of life. May we make the best of our time in this beautiful world you created.
OXYGEN 
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