Hey friend, welcome back! Grab that coffee, is it still warm, and let's
continue our kitchen-table conversation.
If you're just joining us, we've been reflecting on Chuck Swindoll's
powerful end-of-year message, one that's been challenging me since 1983, when I
first started listening to his teachings. In Part 1, we examined our thoughts
and treasures through a Catholic lens. Now, as we prepare to step into
2026, Chuck brings us to the heart of the matter: how we actually live out
our faith in the everyday moments that make up a life.
As a Catholic who has treasured Chuck's humor, insights, and the way he
brings Scripture to life, I'm sharing my interpretation of what I heard,
filtered through the richness of our Catholic Faith. Because honestly, there
are so many gems in his teachings that speak directly to the heart of what we
believe about transformation, stewardship, and living as saints in the world.
The Beautiful Truth: We Are Children
of God on a Journey Home
James 4:13-15 speaks to something profound when you're staring down a new
year: "Come now, you who say, 'Today or tomorrow we shall go into such and
such a town... and make a profit', you have no idea what your life will be like
tomorrow. You are a puff of smoke that appears briefly and then
disappears."
Yes, we are like vapor, brief, fleeting, here one moment and gone the
next. But here's what transforms this sobering reality into something
beautiful: We are beloved children of God, each on a sacred journey to find
our way back to Him.
Chuck is now in what he calls "the winter season" of his life,
and you can hear in his voice this profound awareness that every moment matters,
not because life is meaningless or temporary, but because every single soul
matters in God's eyes. Every breath we take, every choice we make, every
person we touch is part of our journey home to the Father who created us for
Himself.
St. Augustine said it perfectly: "You have made us for Yourself, O
Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in You."
That's what this is really about. We're not just vapor drifting
aimlessly. We're pilgrims on a sacred journey. We're God's beloved
children learning to love, learning to serve, learning to become who He created
us to be. And yes, our time here is short, but oh, how precious each soul is to
our Father! How intentional His plan for each of us!
Stephen King's words that Chuck shared take on new meaning in this light:
"Make your life one long gift to others. And why not? All you have is on
loan anyway. All that lasts is what you pass on."
Your house? Temporary. Your car? Rust and decay. Your bank account?
You're going out broke, remember? Your reputation? It'll fade. But the love you
gave, the kindness you showed, the souls you helped on their journey to Jesus Christ,
that's eternal. That's what echoes in heaven.
We're here today, gone tomorrow, yes, but while we're here, we matter.
You matter. Your life has a spiritual purpose. Your journey home is unique and
unrepeatable. God is not distant or indifferent; He's intimately involved in
every step you take toward Him.
So, the question isn't just "What am I doing?" but "How
am I growing closer to the Father? How am I helping others find their way Home?"
Living a Sacrificial Catholic
Lifestyle: The Journey of Love
Here's where Chuck's message and our Catholic Faith converge beautifully.
We're not just called to survive until we die. We're not just trying to avoid
sin and hope we make it to heaven. We're called to something infinitely more
beautiful: We're called to become saints, children of God who live
sacrificially, love radically, and pour ourselves out for others because we're
learning to love the way our Father loves us.
The Catechism reminds us: "God calls each person to holiness in the
midst of the world" (CCC 2013). Not someday. Not when life calms down. Not
when we're "more spiritual." Right now. Right where you are. In
the beautiful mess of your ordinary life.
This is your journey home. This is how you become who God created you to
be.
1. Consecrating Our Time: Living Each
Moment as a Gift
The first shift we need to make is in how we view time itself. As
Catholics, we understand that every moment is a gift from our Father, an
opportunity to grow closer to Him, to become more like Him, to help others on
their journey.
The Church gives us the Liturgy of the Hours to sanctify each part
of the day. Why? Because we're children learning to live in our Father's
presence. We're not meant to compartmentalize God into a Sunday morning slot.
We're meant to walk with Him through every moment, learning His voice, feeling
His presence, growing in His love.
Look at your calendar from the past year with gentle honesty, not
condemnation, but reflection. Where did your hours go? Now ask yourself
lovingly: Am I using this precious gift of time to grow closer to my Father?
To help others find their way to Him.
Here's what it looks like to consecrate our time as children on a journey
home in 2026:
Daily Prayer becomes our conversation with Jesus:
- Not rushed or obligatory, but
like a child talking to a loving parent.
- Morning offering: to give Him the day, asking for
His guidance.
- Pray The Rosary: prayed with Mary, our Mother,
who knows the journey and walks with us, to guide us and lead us to Jesus
as she so perfectly does all the time.
- Evening Examination of the Soul: to look back on the day and see
where the Father was present, where we heard His voice, where we missed
Him.
Mass becomes what it truly is: Coming Home:
- Participate in Daily Mass, when
possible, because Jesus is Present in the Eucharist.
- Sunday Mass is very important; it’s
not just an obligation, but a homecoming.
- Arriving early to Mass to prepare
our hearts, staying after to simply be with Him.
Time with others becomes holy encounters:
- Really present with your spouse, seeing
them as a beloved child of God on their own journey, being with them in
fellowship and ministry can be very exciting.
- Unhurried with your children, recognizing
you're helping shape eternal souls.
- Available to the elderly, the
sick, the lonely, because every soul matters infinitely to the Father.
Adoration becomes an intimate time with Jesus:
- Even 15 minutes before the
Blessed Sacrament changes everything.
- Sitting with Him like a child
with their Father.
- Learning to hear His voice, feel
His love, know His heart for you.
This isn't about cramming more activities into your schedule. It's about reordering
your life around the relationship that matters most, your relationship with
God, the Father, and Jesus the Son, who loves you, beyond measure, and is guiding
you home.
2. Living the Works of Mercy: Love
Made Visible on the Journey
Here's where our journey becomes tangible. Here's where we stop just
talking about being God's children and actually live like His children, loving
others the way our Father loves us.
The Works of Mercy aren't just good deeds. They're how we recognize Jesus
in others. They're how we help our sisters and brothers on their journey home.
They're love made visible.
The Corporal Works of Mercy as sacred encounters in 2026:
- Feed the hungry - Share a meal with someone
who's lonely on their journey.
- Give drink to the thirsty - Notice who's struggling and
help quietly, generously, as God helps us.
- Clothe the naked - Give sacrificially,
remembering we're all just pilgrims who'll leave it all behind.
- Shelter the homeless - Welcome the stranger, the
outsider, the lost, just as our Father welcomes us.
- Visit the sick - Show up. Be present. Remind
them they're not forgotten by God or by us.
- Visit the imprisoned - Whether literal prisons or
prisons of addiction, depression, or loneliness, bring hope.
- Bury the dead - Honor those who've completed
their journey; comfort those still walking the road of grief.
The Spiritual Works of Mercy as guiding lights for fellow pilgrims:
- Instruct the ignorant - Share what you've learned on
your journey gently, humbly.
- Counsel the doubtful - Walk alongside those
struggling, pointing them toward the Father's love.
- Admonish the sinner - Sometimes love means gently
redirecting someone who's lost their way.
- Bear wrongs patiently - Remember, we all stumble on
this journey; extend the patience God extends to us.
- Forgive offenses willingly - Free yourself and others,
knowing we're all imperfect children learning to love.
- Comfort the afflicted - Be present in suffering;
remind them they're never alone on this journey.
- Pray for the living and the dead - Lift up your fellow pilgrims
to the Father who loves them.
This is living as children of God. This is recognizing that every
person you encounter is on their own sacred journey home. Every soul matters.
Every interaction is an opportunity to reflect the Father's love.
And here's the beautiful truth: Our Lady models this perfectly for us.
Mary's life shows us what it means to be a beloved child of God who helps
others on their journey. She was ordinary in so many ways: cooking, cleaning,
raising Jesus, managing a household. But she did it all with extraordinary love
because she knew who she was: God's daughter, walking faithfully toward Home.
When we Pray The Rosary and meditate on the mysteries, we're walking
alongside our Mother, learning from her:
- In the Joyful Mysteries,
she visits Elizabeth, one pilgrim helping another.
- At Cana, she notices needs and
brings them to Jesus, showing us how to intercede for others.
- In the Luminous Mysteries,
she says, "Do whatever He tells you", pointing us always toward
the Father's will.
- In the Sorrowful Mysteries,
she stands at the cross, a faithful presence when the journey is hardest.
- In the Glorious Mysteries,
she's with the disciples, still guiding others toward her Son
That's how we're called to live in 2026. As beloved children who help other
beloved children find their way Home.
3. Ongoing Conversion: Growing Daily
into Who We're Meant to Be
Here's what Chuck is really talking to us about, and it's at the very
heart of Catholic spirituality: ongoing conversion. We call it "metanoia,”
a daily transformation of heart and mind as we grow closer to our Father.
This isn't about being perfect. It's about being faithful. It's about
waking up each day and saying, "Father, teach me today. Help me become
more like You. Help me love better. Help me find my way Home."
St. Paul captured this beautifully: "I die daily" (1
Corinthians 15:31). Every morning is a fresh start, a chance to leave behind
yesterday's failures and step forward with grace. Every evening is an
opportunity to look back and see where God was present, where He was guiding, and where He was calling us closer.
Living as God's children on the journey home in 2026 means:
Regular Confession:
- Not because we're condemned, but
because we're loved.
- Coming to the Father through this
powerful sacrament, being cleansed.
- Monthly at minimum, like a child
coming home to be cleaned up and embraced.
- This is where we experience the
Father’s tender love and forgiveness. Remember, we say, “Forgive me Father, for I have sinned…”
Embracing sacrifice in love:
- Not as punishment, but as
formation, learning to love as God loves you.
- Friday abstinence as a reminder
we're pilgrims, not citizens of this world.
- Fasting trains our hearts to
depend on God, not worldly comforts.
- Learning to say "no" to
ourselves so we can say "yes" to others and to God.
Cultivating virtue as we journey:
- Not trying to be perfect, but
trying to grow.
- Recognizing that holiness is
formed in ordinary moments.
- It's easier to pray beautifully
in church than to love patiently at home.
- But those ordinary moments are
where we become who God created us to be.
Holding everything with open arms and open hands:
- Remember: we're pilgrims, not
permanent worldly residents.
- We came owning nothing; we leave owning
nothing.
- But the love we give, the
kindness we show, the souls we help, that's eternal.
- "Store up treasures in
heaven, where neither moth nor decay destroys" (Matthew 6:20).
2026 can be the year you stop drifting and start journeying intentionally
toward Home.
Chuck uses the word "drift" throughout his message, and it
resonates deeply. We don't usually rebel dramatically; we just slowly drift off
course. A little compromise here. A little distraction there. Some coldness in
prayer. Growing distance from the Father's heart.
But here's the beautiful truth: No matter how far you've drifted, the
Father is calling you back. He's been waiting for you. Every single soul
matters to Him, including yours. Especially yours.
Making 2026 a Year That Deepens Your
Spiritual Life
Look, transformation doesn't usually happen overnight. The journey home
is a lifetime of small steps, daily choices, moment-by-moment decisions to move
toward the Father's heart.
But we do need to make some concrete, loving commitments as we
step into this new year:
I will treasure each moment as a gift from my Father:
- Morning prayer begins each day
with God the Father.
- Daily Rosary, walking with Mary, who knows the journey.
- Weekly Adoration to simply be
with Jesus.
- Daily or frequent Mass, when
possible, to be in his presence.
- Present, unhurried time with the
people God has placed in my life.
I will love others as fellow pilgrims:
- Practice Works of Mercy weekly, both
corporal and spiritual.
- See every person as God's beloved
child on their own journey.
- Be patient with others'
struggles, remembering my own.
- Forgive quickly, knowing how much
I've been forgiven.
- Serve humbly, recognizing we're
all traveling together.
I will embrace ongoing conversion:
- Monthly Confession to experience
the Father's mercy.
- Daily Examination of my Soul, to
see where God was present in my day.
- Fasting and penance as training
in love.
- Letting go of what I can't take
Home anyway.
- Trusting that the Father's plan
for me is better than my own.
I will let Mary guide me:
- Through the Rosary, learning to
ponder as she did.
- Through her example, learning to
trust the Father completely.
- Through her intercession, I find my way when I'm lost.
- Through her maternal care, she never
felt alone on the journey.
Chuck said something profound: "Don't think someone else ought to
be here to hear this... This is for you."
He's right. This is your journey. Your relationship with the Father. Your
sacred path Home.
Not your spouse's journey. Not your kids' journey. Not your friend's
journey.
Yours.
And it matters. You matter. More than you can possibly know.
We Walk Together, Children of God the
Father
Here's the truth that should fill us with hope and courage: We don't
walk this journey alone.
We have:
- The Sacraments strengthen us for the journey,
especially the Eucharist, where Jesus is ever-present with us.
- The Communion of Saints walking alongside us, brothers
and sisters who've made it Home, cheering us on.
- The Holy Spirit as our guide, the Father's own
presence within us, directing our steps.
- Our Blessed Mother holding our hand, she's walked
this road and knows every twist and turn.
- Two thousand years of wisdom from those who've
journeyed before us.
We're children of God learning to find our way Home. Some days we walk
confidently. Some days we stumble. Some days, we sit down and cry because the
road is hard.
But the Father never stops calling us. Never stops guiding us. Never
stops loving us.
Every single soul matters to Him. You matter to Him.
A Final Word: Your Journey Matters
Yes, we're like vapor, brief, fleeting, here today and gone tomorrow.
But oh, what a beautiful, sacred, meaningful journey we're on! We're
beloved children learning to love, growing toward Home, becoming who we were
always meant to be.
And in this brief journey, we can love deeply. We can serve
sacrificially. We can help others find their way. We can become saints.
As we step into 2026, let's walk it with:
- Grateful hearts for the gift of this journey.
- Open hands that hold everything loosely.
- Loving spirits that see every soul as precious.
- Patient trust in the Father who's guiding us
Home.
- Joyful hope because we know where we're
going.
Let's make this year count, not for earthly success, but for eternal
love. Not for temporary gain, but for spiritual growth. Not for our glory, but
ad maiorem Dei gloriam, for the greater glory of God.
Pick up your Rosary, my friend. Let Mary walk with you. She knows the way
Home, and she'll never let go of your hand.
Happy New Year. You are loved. You matter. Your journey is sacred.
Every single soul matters in God's eyes, and that includes you.
Let's walk Home together. Hope you enjoyed this bonus to end the year.
2026 will be an amazing year here on this blog.
P.S. - If this reflection helped you on your journey, please share it
with another traveler who needs encouragement. And if you've been blessed by
Chuck Swindoll's teaching like I have for over four decades, support Insight
for Living. As for me? I'll be praying my Rosary for all of us—that 2026 would
be a year of sacred growth, Spirit-led steps, and steady movement toward the
Father's heart. Our Lady of the Rosary, guide us Home. Amen.
©2025 James Dacey, Jr., OFS
