There is, frankly, much we might like to forget. But we can’t, nor should we, for it is all part of the luggage that accompanies us on the connecting flight to 2022. Leaving it behind only leaves us less equipped to deal with the challenges of the new year.

Still, any new year should be viewed as a kind of reboot. On Jan. 1, we all wake up to a fresh calendar year, full of promise and hopes and the unknown. Some things might be out of our control — how many waves can a pandemic have? — but how we deal with whatever life hands us is well within our control.

Christmas is the season of hope, when the birth of Jesus fills the world with His promise of salvation, lifting our spirits and strengthening our resolve to do what we can to make the world a better place, each in our own way. With that in mind, we look to the future with renewed prayers of hope. Here are a few:

• That the journey toward truth and reconciliation with Canada’s Indigenous peoples be sustained and strengthened in 2022. Undoubtedly, the promise of a papal meeting with Indigenous representatives early in the new year and the prospect of the Pope visiting Canada loom as defining events in this journey. There are no shortcuts for this mission, nor for our continuing responsibility to listen, learn and contribute to healing.
• That voices of reason and justice rise up to challenge and quash Quebec’s discriminatory Bill 21, which bans the wearing of religious symbols by public servants such as teachers and police officers while on the job. The law is an assault on religious freedom that cannot be ignored. While the federal government has opted not to challenge the law (and cling to voter support in the province), we applaud efforts by some municipalities to aid the fight in the courts.
• That we as Catholics continue to speak out for the sake of the unborn. We cannot be deterred from the mission, even as laws are being enacted to curb demonstrations and free speech.
• That our faith lives be rejuvenated as we continue to deal with the pandemic. After suffering through church closures and limited attendance, parishes must find ways to continue reaching out to serve its members while engaging those who have fallen away from regular church-going.
• That the Synod on Synodality lives up to its promise creating a path forward for the Church that has been built from the voices of all Catholics. As the phrase is defined, Pope Francis is committed to having us all “walking together on the road” as the future is sketched out. It has come as a critical moment in Church history and cannot afford to fail.
• That the energy spent on expanding euthanasia in this country be matched with equal force in greater resources for palliative care.
• Finally, that your personal wishes may find fulfilment in the coming year, and good health and blessings accompany you through 2022.