It’s 7:23 PM here in Japan.
Just a few more hours and we bid 2011 goodbye. Well, with the great suffering a lot of people, especially in Northeastern Japan, had experienced and are still going through even in this cold, cold evening, who would want to remain in 2011? Who would want to say 2011 was a great year, he’d like to let time stop.
No one.
No one likes to stay suffering. No one enjoys suffering at all. Even if one has the courage to face suffering, it does not really mean he enjoys it. In the inner cries of a sincere heart, he can only pray to the Lord to make him be free from this cross that he carries. He only carries this cross because he knows it leads to better things.
Yes, better things.
Whenever we celebrate the New Year, it is a way to tell our own hearts, a way to encourage our families, a way to show to our communities (and the world!) that we long for better things, we want to be better persons, we resolve to build a better world.
No wonder they (the Church “people”) always encourage prayer in New Year... silent prayer. More than the loud music, the parties, the booze, the noise of firecrackers... there is no other more “deafening” than SILENCE. Is there any better way to welcome the New Year than silent prayer? Don’t we all long for better things? Ah yes, better things come without the distractions, without the decorations, without the externalities. Better things will come from within.
As you welcome the New Year, STOP. Keep quiet. Pray.
We long for better things. Let us immediately opt for the One who is far better than food, far better than wine, far better than any noise, any laughter, any boom.
It’s 2012. We are for the BETTER!
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