Editorial
"I Am the Alpha and
the Omega, the Beginning and the End"
The movement of time is
cyclic . Completion takes place where the beginning and the end meet. When
the earth, revolving round the sun, finishes its cyclic movement, a year
is completed. When the earth reaches the same point after one rotation,
a day is completed.
The movement of the new
creation begins with the Incarnation. The cyclic movement of time will
be completed with the second coming of the Son. "He is the image
of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation, for in him all things
in heaven and earth were created...and in him all things hold together"(Col
1:15-17).
When everything is reconciled
with Christ, redemption takes place. When what is redeemed is presented
to the Father, it becomes eternal. "The creation itself will be set
free from its bondage to decay and will obtain the freedom of the glory
of the children of God"(Rom 8:21).
The last moment of December
31st slides into the first moment of January 1st. So tells the clock. Our
birthday, the New Year, both remind us of the eternity which is the union
of the beginning and the end. Any moment can be the point of time when
this eternity can be attained. This is possible because the soul of man
is made in the image of God who is from all eternity. Man may be called
upon to begin eternal life any moment. When the poet sings of "the moment
of eternity, the moment when heaven is opened, the moment when God and
man are united on the altar of sacrifice," he is singing of the eternal
potentialities of this life-giving, present moment.
"If any one is in
Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see everything
has become new" (2 Cor 5:17)! May the New Year help to remind us
of the point of time when we have to discard the old and put on the new
man. Let us forget the past and go forward towards the goal before us,
trusting in the mercy and grace of the present moment, and enter the year
1998.
We pray that every moment
of this New Year may be a movement that opens the door of eternity!
Our sincere and loving
greetings for a grace-filled New Year to the readers, benefactors and collaborators
of Vachanolsavam.
- Editor