The repetitive cry emanating, usually from the back seat of the car, is guaranteed to test the patience of the most tolerant parent. It speaks of the desire for the tedium of the journey to be over and the destination reached. It is full of hope that the future will be better and that the present ordeal will soon be over. The phrase underlies the Moriarty Tribunal as it seeks to root out corruption. It has been attacked by those it is investigating and the war of words continues into its 14th year. We are not there yet! There has been a move to stop the investigations into clerical sex abuse after the report on the Cloynes dioceses. The length of time and the pain produced by the Murphy Report on the Dublin dioceses has prompted some to cry “enough”. The hope is that lessons have been learned by the church without the need of further exposures. But we are not there yet! The repeated underestimating of the banking bailout has rattled the money market. Despite Governmental assurances that the astronomical amounts now pledged are sufficient we may not be at the bottom of the debt yet. It seems that the only certainty is that today we have entered a New Year and we can say with some confidence that we are in 2011! Those reading the Bible for a motto text for the year will be conscious that we are not there yet. Even looking at the world through rose tinted spectacles there is a long way to go before we can speak about peace and justice. The all prevailing sin that puts man instead of God at the centre of our decisions empties lives of their real purpose and meaning. Instead of having a reason for living we end up with the flat earth view that excludes the God dimension and the tedium of life’s journey is exacerbated by the absence of having any destination. For many the universe is empty; there is no place to go to. The words of Jesus to questioning Thomas gave him point and purpose for living; “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (Saint John Chapter 14 verse 6) The Bible catalogues many who took that advise and encourages us to; “lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God”. (Hebrews chapter 12 verses 1/3) Are we there yet? Not quite but for those who trust in Jesus ability to “save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through Him” the journey is as good as over.