A very tired traveler came to the banks of a river. There was no bridge by which he could cross. It was winter and the surface of the river was covered with ice. It was getting dark, and he wanted to reach the other side while there was still enough light to see.
 
          He debated about whether the ice would hold his weight. Finally, after much hesitation and fear, he got down on his knees and began, very cautiously, to creep across the surface of the ice. He hoped by distributing his weight, the ice would be less apt to break.
 
          After he made his long and painful journey, about halfway across the river, he suddenly heard the sound of singing behind him. Out of the dusk there came a four-horse load of coal driven by a man singing merrily as he went on his carefree way across the ice.
 
          Here was the traveler, fearfully inching his way on his hands and knees, and there, as if whisked along by the winter’s wind, went the driver, his horses, his sled and the heavy load of coal over that same river of ice!
 
          This story, I believe, illustrates well, the approaches each of us can take when we approach new beginnings and unknown challenges— like the start of this New Year.
 
          Like the characters in that story, some of us have the tendency, perhaps, to stand on the banks of decisions, unable to make up our minds about the course of action we need to take.
 
As a good friend often reminds me: “Between now and dead, how do you want to live?”
 
          Others stand on the banks trying to summon the courage to cross over to the side of the task or problem at hand.
 
          And there are still others, who crawl and creep through life for fear of thin ice. 

As a good friend often reminds me: “Between now and dead, how do you want to live?”  
 
          On this Feast of Mary, the Mother of God, we are given a model and example of unshakeable faith.
 
          She who faced every “river of difficulty,” by placing her life in the hands of God’s promise, is with us always as our mother, blessed of all women, blessed of God, blessed of the whole Church.
 
          Let our confidence not be shaken; let our resolve never waiver, and let our hopes not be dashed by the “rivers of difficulties” we may need to cross in this year ahead.
 
          Let us continue to remain close to Mary, as our inspiration and our hope— she who is the humble servant of the Lord, elevated by the grace of God, who brought into the world the one who is Jesus, our Savior and our Lord.