Hello Fellow Marists!

During Thanksgiving the end was near, but now the end is here! I hope that your finals have gone well and that you can spend your time off meaningfully!

I use the word "meaningfully" on purpose. So many times we find ourselves lacking the time to do things, especially when a deadline looms and the clock is ticking. Whenever that happens to me, I recall all the time I spent doing NOTHING. Maybe I was lying around watching Netflix, browsing the web, or chatting. While down time is good, we can overdo it!

This Advent season we don't just wait and do nothing. We prepare ourselves spiritually, the way we prepared ourselves academically for finals week. (Well, I hope you did.) We also await 2014 as we bring December to a close.

Soon, the talk of New Year's resolutions will begin. While the cliché "New year, new me" can become tiresome, there's something to glean from it. Consider spending the remaining days of December meaningfully by getting a head start on the "new you".

What will you do during these last days of Advent and during the Christmas season to improve yourself? As you ponder that question, remember 2 Corinthians 5:17 "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!" Hopefully the next time someone asks you "What's new?" you can answer with something different. I hope and pray that you all reach your goals this coming year.

Best wishes for a Merry Christmas. and a Happy New Year!  God bless you and keep living Marist!  

Luis Ramos

Chair, Marist Young Adults Advisory Committee