*forgot password? … just forget it

(headnote: It's been exactly 2 months since my last post. congrats to my successful hiatus mode. So, this is my Christmas & New Year post to share for everyone and anyone.)

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According to the widely used solar calendar introduced by Gregory XIII, today is Saturday, 5th day of January, 2008 CE. And that makes January 1st to be a "New Year". But if we're to observe another calendar system based on lunar or cycles of moon phases, Chinese people know that their "New Year" or Spring Festivity will be on the 7th of February 2008 CE.

But the mark of the first day of new year is not limited to these dates alone. This celebration has it's religious origin, and in Islamic culture, Muharram 1st (or the first lunar month in their calendar) will be on January 8th 2008 at sundown.

Aside from these calendars, Jewish or Hebrew date of reference celebrates their Rosh Hashanah or "beginning of the year" at sundown on 29th of Elul (or in Gregorian terms will be 29th of September 2008 CE). Tishrei 1st is the start of the year 5768.

Based on my little knowledge, Jews were refering to Ezek. 40:1 where we can read the phrase "beginning of the year", thus the name Rosh Hashanah which literally means "head of the year".  But if you are meticulous enough, we can see that the verse did not exactly say "first day of the year", am I right?

Now, in Christianity, which apparently has it's roots in Judaism, also observes the lunar system of dates. It's basically the Hebrew calendar. Because the Jews (or Israelites) were undoubtedly the first to be called in the Bible as "chosen people of God", only until when their transgressions made God to leave them (2Chro.15:3).

But the reckoning of time, days and months are still based on lunar. And if we are to ask the Biblical reference when is the "first day of the year" supposed to be, it's definitely not on the 1st day of Tishri, which is the seventh month of the Hebrew calendar!

The first day of the "first month of the year" set by God himself to his people (Exo.12:2), which is Aviv or Nisan 1st, is the more correct date to celebrate New Year! And that date will be on sundown of April 5, 2008.

It was also called the "Passover", because it is when the Israelites' houses were "passed over" by the last plague in Egypt during the time of Moses. The angel of death took the lives of the male firstborn of Egypt and spared the Jews. It's a clear act of salvation worth commemorating.

While terror and mourning filled the houses of the Egyptians, the Israelites were having their quick supper (eating only unleavened bread) with peace.

Actually, "Paskua" is the Tagalog word for "Passover". In Spanish, "Paskua" is called "Paz" or "Pax" in Latin. These are other words for "Peace". So, if you still can't see the resemblance, the Tagalog word "Pasko" comes from Paskua, because the Christmas (Dec.25th), in the real essence of that day should be peaceful indeed. But sad to say, "The First Noel" when the angels announced the "good news" to the shepherds that a new king is born (Jesus Christ) is obviously not on December 25th. The day when Christ was born in a vacant manger can never be on a December, because shepherds and their herds were out in the field grazing for grasses to eat. Obviously, a time or season when pasture is abundant and not a field of snow. Sheeps nor cattles eat snow or ice. It's just very illogical to concur on a cold winter night that was sooo deep!

Besides, the much coveted "World Peace" is far from reality even during this yuletide season (Dec. 24  - Jan. 6). The Pax, Paz, Paskua, Pasko, or Peace can't be felt in this times. Contrariwise, it makes people go RESTLESS — shopping for gifts and other sale items at low low prices, etc.  Even people who are deprived of that luxury of wealth to spend, but still hopes to enjoy the idea of false happiness that "Christmas is a time for giving to others, but most often, for yourself – new apparels, new gadgets, new tastes, new lover, new everything," – may even resort to all possible means just to make that day a "merry" one.  It can also ignore the fact that stealing and other crimes will not justify their dreams of having a merry Christmas.

I cannot mention all those untoward things during the yuletide celebrations. We all have our innate morals to discern them. But one thing I'm sure you'll agree with me — despite the given warnings against dangerous firecrackers or paputok, or against gun-firings and intoxicating liquors — Philippines is still one of those nations where hospitals, doctors and nurses, and even firemen are at full alert for the expected accidents. Expected because they all knew from the very beginning that injuries and deaths will surely need their quick assistance.  They just don't know exactly when and how many casualties there will be.

Thus, this is my goodbye to the 365.25 days of year 2007. 

I thank God for all things I have and I don't have, and for everything else I'm not even aware of.

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(footnote: *I gave that particular title to this post because one of my reasons why I was in my hiatus mode of blogging is … yeah, you're right … I forgot my password, and it's just now that I was able to hack and gain access again to my account.)