In very ancient days, the year began on March 1, along with spring planting in Europe. Back then, September really was the seventh month of the year. However, Julius Caesar, deciding he, himself, needed his own month, converted the fifth month, Quintilis, to “July.” Later, Sextilis was set aside for his heir, Augustus Caesar. The Julian calendar, lasting in Europe until its revision by Pope Gregory VIII in 1582, changed the first month of the year from March to January, a name based on the Roman god, Janus.
This god has two faces, one looking forward, the other backward. Janus is the deity for doorways, as well as for beginnings and endings. Millennia later, the month bearing his name remains two-faced. January 2022 is an excellent example of a two-faced month.
At the beginning of both 2020 and 2021, I commented on that plague called “COVID-19.” At the start of the contagion, there was no need to designate the viral strain as alpha. Little did we believe we would see the days of “omicron.” Now, we wonder if the time of “omega” may ever arrive.
Yes, there was a time when this country, or at least the then-current President, believed the virus would be completely gone in a few months. After all, Chinese products never last long; surely this would be equally true for his “Hong-Kong” virus. On the other hand, it was also the time when many believed our own democracy would never end, would never even be challenged. That belief coexisted prior to January 6, 2021, less than three weeks before the inauguration of Joe Biden, who, many believed, had stolen the election from Mr. Trump.
A year ago, I wrote my impressions of what should have been only a short-lived nightmare. Surely, in my waking hours, there could not be an insurrection and the storming of the Capitol building by flag-waving citizens, weaponized against Capital policemen, who defended the building and the Congress from physical attacks. These defenders were crushed by the arrival of men and women seeking to eliminate the Vice-President of the United States so that he could not lead a Congress that would certify an election which would not return Mr. Trump to the Oval Office.
On this January 6, 2022, there are increasing numbers of people who believe there was no insurrection in Washington, D.C., a year ago. Those seen in video coverage and in photographs were merely happy, peaceful tourists desiring to see Congress in action, doing the right thing.
Political investigations continue to review the matter before reaching any conclusions on what happened and what should be done, if anything, to prevent any recurrence of overzealous tourists entering the Capitol building. It is difficult to say whether the country will continue to be influenced by the “Big Lie” or by the “Real Truth.” Perhaps the designation will depend upon which historians survive. I, myself, am reluctant to comment on how so many individuals can take the wrong side in what should be factually based observations, made within a two-faced political system.
On this January 6, 2022, there are almost three-hundred-million people, worldwide, who have had confirmed cases of Covid-19, regardless of its Greek-lettered strain. There are approximately fifty-eight million confirmed cases in the U.S. and almost five million in the state of Texas. The number of deaths in the nation is rapidly approaching one million, those in Texas about seventy-five thousand.
These numbers continue to increase despite the fact that there are vaccines which can reduce both the incidence and the severity of the viral onslaught. However, many people refuse to receive a vaccination against Covid-19. They maintain the vaccine, itself, is harmful, that it may promote the spread of the virus. In addition to avoiding the treatment, they protest against vaccinations being mandated by federal authority, in any manner similar to the one used for other public health diseases.
The unrelenting spread of the coronavirus has resulted in a lack of personnel for transportation systems and for health care facilities. Given the number of infected teachers, many parents with school-aged children need to address educational policy about sending students to classes in person or using on-line instruction. I, personally, am thankful I do not need to make such decisions for my children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Even college students have their own educational issues for their in-person or virtual learning. Social life for everyone continues to have questions about appropriate behavior for us individually or in groups.
Meanwhile, here at Eagle’s Trace we, once more, have limited services as a result of under-staffing because of the increasing numbers of those with coronavirus symptoms. Residents may go maskless, others must wear masks in public areas. Residents can gather for some events, but not for those in which active social contact might result. A New Year’s Eve dance had been considered but finally cancelled. Wine clubbers can drink only in small groups in the living room with its open-bar, indicative of continuing strange times.
Throughout the Archdiocese of Houston, questions continue to be addressed about the appropriate responses people should take. Cardinal DiNardo has allowed a full return of the Sunday liturgy – with or without a required mask or social distancing, depending upon the individual’s preferences. Communion is distributed with only consecrated hosts, not with the chalice of consecrated wine. Karen and I have returned, with masks, to Saturday evening mass at Epiphany of the Lord, but are more willing to participate in a streamed service than we would have once considered.
We still limit our shopping in the real world to Kroger’s. We avoid shopping malls, but there are indications many customers have returned. Without Amazon-dotcom, Karen would not have received any Christmas presents from me. She, herself, prefers telephoned orders from Land’s End or other specialty catalogs. Fortunately, the two of us have not been impacted by “supply chain” problems, which have influenced on-line orders as well as empty displays in those stores surviving two years of economic hardship because of COVID-19.
We did manage to celebrate a Christmas Day dinner with most of the family at Del Pueblo, our favorite Mexican restaurant, with its exceptional Margaritas, along with a gift exchange at Ken’s house. We are trying to return to a “new normal” much like the “old normal.” However, it’s unlikely that anything will truly be normal for months to come, if ever.
January, as well as Janus, continues to have two faces. January 6 may become like September 11 or December 7 and be called another day of infamy. On the other hand, on the other face, January 6 is also the true Feast of the Epiphany, the celebration of the arrival of the three wise men who followed a star to Bethlehem, some two-thousand years ago.
January 6 may continue, over the years, as a “manifestation,” a showing forth of the Prince of Peace. I, myself, can continue to hope and pray that the face of Rebellion, of Confusion, of Division, of non-Civility may be hidden, and the face of Peace, of Reason, of Unity and of Civility may be revealed, at last.