Centre your New Year’s resolution on family and prayer

Towards the end of each year, you will hear people talking about making a New Year’s resolution. A New Year’s resolution is a tradition, usually when a person resolves to change a bad behaviour to accomplish a personal goal or otherwise improve their life.

Whatever one chooses as a resolution, the ultimate goal is to make a better life for oneself in the new year.

Some typical resolutions are quitting smoking, eating less junk food or developing a positive habit – such as committing to a more prayerful life, making more family time and getting everything in order, starting an exercise programme, volunteering in their community, or recycling more.

According to Wonderopolis, the tradition of New Year’s resolutions dates all the way back to 153 B.C. January is named after Janus, a mythical god of early Rome.

Janus had two faces — one looking forward, one looking backward. This allowed him to look back on the past and forward toward the future. On December 31, the Romans imagined Janus looking backward into the old year and forward into the new year. This became a symbolic time for Romans to make resolutions for the New Year and forgive enemies for troubles in the past.

The Romans also believed Janus, could forgive them for their wrongdoings in the previous year. The Romans would give gifts and make promises, believing Janus would see this and bless them in the year ahead.

And thus the New Year’s resolution was born. In Fiji, with various breakdowns in some family units and a society that is now being threatened – if not already – by new hard drugs, resolutions should be centered on family and prayer.

Because if you thought 2019 was bad, as the saying goes, “you ain’t seen nothing yet.”

An event that took place in Vanua Levu where a church group burnt traditional artefacts and pictures of Jesus Christ. Villagers were told not to pray to these pictures.

But these photos are symbols or reminders to mainly Catholics who have copies in their homes.

These are part of the problems in Fiji, which could escalate if heads of families do not take the bold step in addressing the problems beginning at home.

Families need to enter into a more prayerful life this year and make that the top most resolution for 2020. If we do not heed the signs of where society and some of our children are heading, then, as the saying goes, “woe betide you” – be warned.

As you read this, make the resolution that you will make Fiji a better place, a place the late Pontiff Pope John Paul II said “the way the world should be.” Happy New Year and Blessings on all families in Fiji.