Num 6:22-27; Gal 4:4-7; Lk 2:16-21
Civilizations around the world have been celebrating the
start of each new year for at least four millennia. Today, most New Year’s festivities
begin on December 31. Common traditions include attending parties, preparing
special New Year’s dishes, making resolutions for the new year and watching
fireworks displays.
Ringing in the New Year is a
cause for celebration, for spending time with friends and family, and for
offering Happy New Year wishes.
A Sage was passing through the capital city of the famous king. While he was walking, he noticed a single currency coin on the road. He picked it up. He was satisfied with his simple living and he had no use of that coin.
So, he planned to donate it to the one who is in need of it. He strolled around the streets throughout the day but didn’t find anyone such. Finally, he reached the rest area and spent a night there.Next morning, he wakes up in the morning
for his daily activities and sees that a king is going for his invasion of
another state with his war ready army. When the king saw the sage standing, he
ordered his army to be stopped. He came to the Sage and said, “Oh Great Sage, I
am going to war to win another state so that my state can be expanded. So bless
me to be victorious”.
After thinking, Sage gave a single
currency coin to the king! The king was confused and annoyed with this because
what use he has for a single coin while he is already one of the richest kings!
He curiously asked a sage, “what’s the meaning of this one coin?”
A Sage explained, “Oh Great King! I found
this coin yesterday while strolling around the streets of your capital city.
But I had no use of it. So, I had decided that I will donate it to someone
needy. I strolled around till the evening in your capital, but found no one
such. Everyone was living a happy life. It seemed that they were satisfied with
what they had. So I found no one to give this coin. But today, the king of this
state, still have the desire to gain more and not satisfied with what he
already has, I felt you were in need of this coin.”
The King realized his mistake and gave up
the planned war.
This is the new
year message for us. Learn to be happy with what we have. There are many who do
not have what we have, and there will be some who have more than what we have.
Do not always compare. Do not waste the chance of enjoying what you have in the
pursuit of what you wish to have. When our wants are less than what we have we
are happy, and we call ourselves rich. When our wants are more than what we
have we become unhappy and to try to amass more. It makes our life miserable.
New year is the perfect time to rearrange your goals in
life and work towards them. It's that time of the year which reminds us all
that even though we didn't succeed enough in the past year, there is much more
to achieve in life and new possibilities will surely come our way in the next
365 days.
Before we begin a New Year we need
to put the old year behind us. The years 2020 and 2021 taught us many new
lessons. They changed our outlooks. Transformed
our education systems and altered our views on many things. Flights were
grounded. offices remained closed. children stayed at home. Isolation and lock
down became common words. But humanity survived. We all adapted to new ways.
Only one thing remained unchanged – Our value systems. The proverb says, trust in the LORD with all your
heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge
him, and he will make straight your paths. (Proverbs 3:5-6)
For new beginning for a New Year, we must first
make peace with our past. It is also a time of reflection.
A man was asked to paint a boat.
He brought with him paint and brushes and began to
paint the boat a bright red, as the owner asked him. While painting, he noticed
that there was a small hole in the hull, and quietly repaired it. When finished
painting, he received his money and left.
The next day, the owner of the boat came to the
painter and presented him with a nice cheque, much higher than the payment for painting.
The painter was surprised and said "You've
already paid me for painting the boat Sir!"
"But this is not for the paint job. It's for
having repaired the hole in the boat."
"Ah! But it was such a small service...
certainly it's not worth paying me such a high amount for something so
insignificant."
"My dear friend, you do not understand. Let me
tell you what happened. When I asked you to paint the boat, I forgot to mention
about the hole. When the boat dried, my kids took the boat and went on a fishing
trip. They did not know that there was a hole. I was not at home at that time.
When I returned and noticed they had taken the boat, I was desperate because I
remembered that the boat had a hole. Imagine my relief and joy when I saw them
returning from fishing. Then, I examined the boat and found that you had
repaired the hole! You see, now, what you did? You saved the life of my
children! I do not have enough money to pay your 'small' good deed."
You may have repaired numerous 'boat holes' along the
way... of several people without realizing how many lives you've saved.
In the last years challenges many
people extended a helping hand to keep ups going. Let’s thank Everyone who
Repaired our boat in every way like Good Wishes, thoughts, Guidance, care &
prayers. (written by Sheethal Raghunathan)
You
may have had some really good memories about the past one, but you never know
what’s the new one is bringing for you. It’s time to be hopeful, have new
dreams and make some new resolutions for the new year in your life. It’s time
to connect with each other and make new year wishes. It’s time to move on and
embrace what’s new. The new year means a lot of new dreams and new
achievements.
Some
men were travelling on a leaky old ship, in the middle of a rough and stormy
sea. And they were actually fearful for their lives. They didn't know whether
they were going to sink or not. So one of them went in to see the captain and
said, ''Captain, are we safe?'' He said, ''Well, I'll put it to you this way.''
He said, ''The boilers on this ship are very weak and may explode at any
moment.'' He said, ''Also, the ship is very old, and she's taking on water.''
So he said, ''To be very honest with you, we may have an explosion, or we may
sink.'' He said, ''We may go up, or we may go down, but at any rate, we are
going on.'' The proverb says, “trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do
not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he
will make straight your paths”. (Proverbs 3:5-6)
And that's the way we are as we face
this new year. There may be new challenges and new demands on us. But at any
rate we are going on. We're facing a brand new year, and we don't know what
it's going to bring. So, no matter who, when or how. Just
continue to help, sustain, wipe tears, listen attentively, because we never
know when one is in need of us or when God holds a pleasant surprise for us to
be helpful and important to someone. As St. Peter says, “Cast all your anxiety
on him because he cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7).
Happy New Year
Satish