As January arrives with its familiar chorus of fresh starts and ambitious goals, today's Gospel presents us with a strikingly different model. While the shepherds rush off "glorifying and praising God" after witnessing the Christ child, Mary responds quite differently. Luke captures her response in a single, profound sentence: "And Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart" (Luke 2:19). No immediate action plan, no public declarations, no strategic next steps. Just quiet, contemplative response to what had unfolded. In a culture that equates spiritual maturity with visible progress, this approach feels almost countercultural. Modern society has made January resolutions feel almost mandatory. There's an unspoken expectation that we must emerge from December with carefully crafted plans for self-improvement, complete with timelines and measurable outcomes. Social media feeds overflow with transformation stories, and even casual conversations ...