Don Aguiar

We have begun the Year of the Lord – ANNO DOMINI 2023. The marking of the dawn of a new year is no secular holiday, because time and history have been drawn into the coming of God into the world.

We keep track of our time as either BC (Before Christ) or AD (Anno Domini) to demonstrate that Christ is the centre of history, the one through whom we judge all that came before and is going to come. Beginning the New Year on 1st January, the octave of the anniversary of the birth of Christ (25th December) transforms its character. Not only does it point to God’s coming into the world as the central point of history, it also emphasizes that history has a goal!

The New Year marks the new year of the Lord, belonging to the reign of Christ the King, a period of waiting in expectation for the full unfolding of God’s Kingdom. History itself has the same focal point as Christmas, the coming of Christ into the world, which is why Advent focuses on both of these comings at once.

The history of mankind hinges on this unique divine event which gives spiritual unity to the whole historical process. History makes sense in the Incarnation, as all things before prepare for it and all things that follow are seen in light of its unfolding! (Even the challenges to that unfolding).

A monk called Dionysius Exiguus (early sixth century A.D.) invented the dating system most widely used in the Western world. For Dionysius, the birth of Christ represented Year One. He believed that this occurred 753 years after the foundation of Rome.

As part of his reform, Caesar instituted January 1 as the first day of the year, partly to honour the month’s namesake: Janus, the Roman god of beginnings, whose two faces allowed him to look back into the past and forward into the future.

According to tradition, during his reign (c. 715–673 BCE) Numa revised the Roman republican calendar so that January replaced March as the first month. It was a fitting choice, since January was named after Janus, the Roman god of all beginnings; known as the protector of gates and doorways who symbolize beginnings and endings. Janus is depicted with two faces, one looking into the past, the other with the ability to see into the future. March celebrated Mars, the god of war.

New Year’s Eve is one of the largest global celebrations because it marks the last day of the year in the Gregorian calendar, December 31, before the New Year. Count down to the New Year no matter where you are in the world is seeing in the New Year is with big fireworks displays. These take place all over the world, as different countries hit midnight.

In many cities all over the world, spectacular fireworks displays take place as soon as the clock passes midnight on 31 December. Fireworks light up the skies in hundreds of cities as 12 midnight strikes around the globe. In recent years, Sydney in Australia has been the host to one of the first of these celebrations as New Year arrives there before most other major international cities. The display takes place in Sydney Harbour, with the Opera House and Harbour Bridge making it a stunning setting.

New Year is a perfect time to make a change for the better with the tradition of making New Year’s resolutions being more common in the western hemisphere but also exists in the eastern hemisphere. This tradition involves a person making a commitment to change an unwanted habit or behaviour or setting a personal objective, a New Year’s resolution can be almost anything. However, research suggests that many New Year’s resolutions fail. Being realistic about the objectives you set and not making too many New Year’s resolutions might help you to achieve success.

Anyone who opposed lockdown or questioned the efficacy of masks ran the risk of being blacklisted and silenced. We must never again let free thought be curtailed like this.

As the New Year has come, resolutions have once again been made. Will these resolutions be able to be accomplish as, it is important to desire changes in our life? They could be big changes, utopian changes, doesn’t matter. We shouldn’t refrain from the desire of having new happy times in our existences.

Quoting Mahatma Gandhi – The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong. The world over has noticed the present ruling party in India bereft of such an attitude and the Indian public looking the other side.

It started with the ruling party controlling the media, the message, deciding what is the truth, censoring speech and silencing opposition, dividing citizens into ‘us’ and ‘them’ and calling on their supporters to harass ‘them’.

The brutal blanking out of all news related to Congress/Rahul Gandhi/ Bharat Jodo Yatra is an indication how the present ruling party has almost total control over what the news shows and what it does. Leading to the media blanking out Rahul Gandhi and almost all activities of the opposition.

New Year eve was not special like usual the last two years due to covid-19. However, this year with new opportunities coming along but also the challenges, no matter what, we should try our best to get things done nicely and wish for a brighter future. Be cool and A Happy New Year all!