How new is the new year considering that it is just the next day after the 31st of December? At the stroke of midnight, in a second the moments that happened before in an instant becomes last year with so much of ease. We attune our minds to everything new from that moment on wards.
But how much do we really hope can change with just another new day?
I think the most significant and popular activity that we do at every new year is change the calendar on the wall. That definitely signifies the start of a brand year. We then look around us and see everything with new eyes. We convince ourselves that new days have begun with a new look, new feel, new vision, new dream, new hope and new thoughts. We somehow strive hard to get this novel feeling into every part of the day. We have to do full justice to the newness part of another year.
We also do not want to transfer any of the worrisome baggage from the previous year into this new year and hope that all troubles, sickness e.t.c has gone down with the old year. After all, this year is a fresh beginning and we are deeply confident that things will work out for the better this year. Of course, this confidence can only stem from an inbuilt faith made stronger over the years that with the Lord working with us, we can achieve something different this year.
We no longer wonder whether we will make it but tell ourselves with a positive attitude that we are sure we can hold on and make it because the Lord is going to grant all these new favors to us this year. Just like a child, we look up to our Father in heaven and claim this blessing for us as our right and we know like the true and loving Father that our Lord is, He is going to cede to our prayers because He loves us so much and always wants us to be happy. We also owe this to the people who pray for our well being and hold a special place in our heart.
We all ponder at the start of the year as to what will unravel as the year progresses but in reality, we can only offer our Today to others because though tomorrow maybe written in our lives, we are not sure of what it will tell. But our Today is happening right now and it encircles us all in the band of love.
I am reminded of two beautiful New Year expressions; “For last year's words belong to last year's language and this year's words await another voice.” and “A new year is unfolding – like a blossom with petals curled tightly concealing the beauty within.”
May this year spread its beautiful wings to reveal delightful moments as each day unrolls with a new magical feeling and new outlook on life.
As I look at the number this year, the figure 13 reminds me of the date of Our Lady’s apparitions on this earth and as I have been telling everyone that this year is truly a blessed year under the loving yoke of our blessed Mother.
As we glide through this year, my prayer is that every moment, every hour, every day and every month of this year is a divine journey for us all filled with ample graces and blessings from the Savior above, the one who came to live right among us a long time ago in Bethlehem and who still lives in perpetual residency in our hearts today. He came into this world to make everything new and every new year, we renew the promise of the newness that He achieved for the world.
Maria Franco
Read more articles by Maria Franco or search for articles on the same topic or others.
