The Bucket List

Jan. 1, 2026

Interior renewal begins when we surrender our attachments and receive the transforming gifts of the Holy Spirit

By Supreme Chaplain Archbishop William E. Lori

Jan. 1, 2026

Supreme Chaplain Archbishop William E. Lori

All of us have a bucket list — things we want to do, achieve or own. For some, it may be a dream vacation. For others, to run a marathon. For still others, a new car or a bigger house.

Yes, we all have a list of things we’d like to do, achieve or own. But deep within us, there is another kind of bucket we fill. I’m referring to our interior buckets — the emotional and spiritual spaces within us that hold our thoughts, daydreams and feelings. At times, we strive to fill these buckets with ennobling aspirations, making resolutions to think kindly of others or to forgive someone who has done us harm. But often, we allow them to collect harmful thoughts and emotions instead.

Among the most common of these are anxiety, anger and self-pity — emotions that travel together and feed on one another, clouding the interior life. Without dwelling too long on any of them, let us nonetheless take a closer look at each one.

The beginning of a new year is a good time for us to empty our interior buckets and fill them anew — not with mere thoughts and feelings, but with qualities that spring from the heart of the Gospel.

First, who is a stranger to anxiety? It is more than fretting about a specific problem or loss. Anxiety is a foreboding feeling about life itself — a generalized, across-the-board fear that makes us think the sky is falling, even when it’s not. We can feel anxious when we’re overworked, when our plans fall through, when relationships falter, or simply when troubles pile up, seemingly beyond our ability to manage them in an orderly way. For many, anxiety thrives at night, just before bedtime. In the busyness of the day, we can sublimate our anxious feelings. But at night, when all is quiet and the room is dark, it strikes.

A first cousin to anxiety is anger. When anxiety gets the better of us — especially over time — we start looking for culprits. “Who did this to me?” “Who makes me feel this way?” Often, our anger turns toward those nearest us — spouses, children, co-workers, friends and acquaintances. It expresses itself in lashing out, pouting or behaving in a passive-aggressive fashion. There is such a thing as just anger (recall Jesus cleansing the Temple), but more often than not, anger has little or no basis in fact.

Feeling anxious and angry is a shortcut to self-pity. Bad things do happen to good people, and we may truly need compassion. But self-pity is different. Even without succumbing to paranoia, we start thinking people are against us — even when they’re not. We feel sorry for ourselves and believe we can do nothing right. What we touch turns, not to gold, but to dross. Self-pity becomes a form of self-inflicted punishment, often followed by self-medication — through overeating, excessive drinking or other false comforts.

The beginning of a new year, soon to be followed by Lent, is a good time for us to empty our interior buckets and fill them anew — not with mere thoughts and feelings, but with qualities that spring from the heart of the Gospel. So, in place of anxiety, let us fill our inner bucket with the peace of Christ. In place of anger, forgiveness. In place of self-pity, thankfulness. Just as anxiety, anger and self-pity reinforce one another, so too do peace, forgiveness and gratitude.

Emptying and filling our interior buckets is hard work. In fact, it can’t be done apart from the grace of the Holy Spirit, who enables us to heed Jesus’ invitation: “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest” (Mt 11:28). Jesus invites us to exchange our heavy yoke for his lighter burden. We accept that invitation when we make an unburdening confession of our sins, devoutly participate in the Eucharist, read Scripture prayerfully, fast from food, drink or technology, and go out of our way to serve those in need of our love. This is the path to inner peace and joy — during Lent and throughout the new year.

The Bucket List

Related Articles

From the Supreme Chaplain

Beyond Fear

Beyond Fear

From the Supreme Chaplain

Pope Leo’s Summons to Charity

Pope Leo’s Summons to Charity

From the Supreme Chaplain

Beacons and Builders of Unity

Beacons and Builders of Unity

From the Supreme Chaplain

Competing Desires

Competing Desires

From the Supreme Chaplain

Mary’s Heart and Ours

Mary’s Heart and Ours

From the Supreme Chaplain

‘God Truly Loves Me’

‘God Truly Loves Me’

From the Supreme Chaplain

Let’s Not Make a Deal

Let’s Not Make a Deal

From the Supreme Chaplain

The Door of Hope

The Door of Hope