“January” comes from the Latin Ianuarius, a name derived ianua which means “door.” To celebrate this door into a whole new year, many cultures still observe the custom of opening all the doors and windows to the house on New Year’s Eve, especially the front door, that good fortune, health, and happiness may come in.

As the door opens into this New Year, may we open
our hearts and minds and lives to all the promise
of what lies ahead. From the LA poet,
Amanda Gorman, in “New Day’s Lyric:”

“May this be the day
We come together.
Mourning, we come to mend,
Withered, we come to weather,
Torn, we come to tend,
Battered, we come to better.
Tethered by this year of yearning,
We are learning
That though we weren’t ready for this,
We have been readied by it…

Be bold, sang Time this year,
Be bold, sang Time,
For when you honor yesterday,
Tomorrow ye will find…”

As followers of Christ, in the joy of Christmas we remember how Jesus promised: “Ask and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks, receives, and everyone who searches, finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.”

Let us ask, search, knock, and walk through the door of this New Year together…where tomorrow we will find.