December has come to an end. All our Christmas decorations will be gradually taken down and the Christmas spirit will slowly subside. The holiday season will end and we would be back to work and our children will return to school. We say goodbye to 2017 and the New Year is waiting to welcome us. How did the past year go?

As we step into the first week of 2018, I encourage you to take time to reflect on several issues and look ahead with eager anticipation. The New Year is a great time to take stock of the year we’re leaving behind and look forward to the year that is to come.

We have completed the Year 2017 successfully, with God’s grace. Firstly, we thank God for the goals achieved and for the well organized events that took place. These have made our year 2017 better than we had anticipated. Secondly, we express our gratitude to the people who have played a part in our success and acknowledge them. Thirdly, we appreciate being able to allow ourselves to continually learn, strengthen, add value to, and grow in our faith life. We were not stagnant in our growth, but we have become smarter, more informed and have further developed our abilities. Fourthly, as we conclude the year 2017, we realise that it was a tough year, as well as a spirit-filled year for us – making us true to ourselves.

As we leave 2017, now is the time to forget and forgive faults, failures and misfortunes of the past, and pray that all these experiences and insights lead us to more meaningful goal-settings for the year ahead. In 2018, we are going to face another challenging year at our schools, colleges, work places as well as at home. We need to prioritize our relationships within our families, church community and society at large. It will be a year in which we need to reflect and discern more, pray hard and get to know ourselves better as we build our relationships with one another and with God.

What does the New Year hold? In this year of 2018, we should take on many roles and commitments in our schools, colleges, work places and family lives. How can we show up in each of these places as true students, spouses, friends and leaders? We must find ways to do better and we should make time to give more meaning to each task that we commit to, and be authentic and obedient as we set goals on how to achieve each commitment we undertake. 

Today is the day that we should think seriously about our goals, intentions and commitments for the year ahead. As we put all our thoughts and reflections in place, start writing down our goals which should be specific. Keeping our goals and priorities in mind, we need to remind ourselves of the need to back these up with strategic planing, commitment and action in order to see the fruits at the end. It is going to be a powerful year, with big goals and big changes within us, as we look forward to a promising year filled with hope of peace, love, joy, good health, good life and prosperity. 

You would have received a multitude of New Year greetings and wishes. I just want to say, let’s have a fresh start and be happy this New Year. May all your dreams come to reality and all your efforts produce great achievements. 

WISHING YOU A SUCCESSFUL AND GLORIOUS NEW YEAR! MAY 2018 BRING JOY, PEACE AND HAPPINESS TO YOU AND YOUR ENTIRE FAMILY.
GOD BLESS YOU ALL!

Fr. George Packiasamy