Patrick Pearse Word on the Week 19th March 2016.

As we approach the 100th anniversary of the ‘Easter Rising’ it seems appropriate that we look at the man who perhaps more than any other has become its figurehead. From humble beginnings, born in a stonemason’s shop next door to our church premises in the street which later took his name, he became a high achiever.
His mother, a strong Catholic from Co Meath, was a powerful influence in his life. His father, a Unitarian from Birmingham, apart from providing them with a middle-class upbringing (he had 2 sons and 2 daughters) does not appear to have influenced Patrick to join the family business, despite the optimistic sign ‘Pearse and Sons’ above the door!
Patrick would have been taught the Irish language by his mother and his teachers at the nearby Christian Brothers School in Westland Row. His love for the language led to joining the Gaelic League and editing their newspaper.
He contended that the language was a vital component in national identity and founded a boy’s school along bi-lingual lines. In addition to teaching academic subjects there was an emphasis on Celtic mythology such as the heroes in the Ossian Cycle.

In March 1914 Pearse travelled to New York where his fundraising efforts were aided by a local Kill man, John Devoy. The latter worked on the principle of “England’s distraction is Ireland’s opportunity” and arranged for the Germans to equip the secret Irish Republican Brotherhood with a ship load of guns in time for the 1916 rising. The Germans kept their side of the bargain but their ship, the Aud, was intercepted and, while being escorted into Cork harbour, was scuttled by the captain.
Pearse’s ability with words led to his stamp being put on the Proclamation which, in addition to aspiring to freedom from British rule, sought to create an Ireland where all people could be free to accomplish their potential regardless of their wealth, class or religion.

There seems to have been a desire to tap into the pre-Christian myth of redemptive violence. The choice of Easter, the belief in the sanctifying power of bloodshed and the need for human sacrifice would appeal to the religious.
But there is no parallel here. Jesus did not make himself head of a Zion state. “My Kingdom is not of this world”. He did not instruct his followers to seize control of Jerusalem, killing anyone who resisted (St John Chapter 18 verse 36).
There has been a deliberate confusion between the un-mandated seizure of political power with its attendant loss of life and the death and resurrection of Jesus where the only injury was the cutting off of an ear which was promptly healed (St Luke Chapter 22 verses 50-51).

There is a total distinction between the Prince of Peace (Isaiah chapter 9 verse 6) and the bloodshed that is carried out in his name. In taking his leave of his disciples Jesus said “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid” (St John Chapter 14 verse 27).

This peace is not merely between people but can also be between you and God. And that reconciliation takes place when we bow the knee to the one who shed his own blood that we might experience his freedom and our true potential “For in Jesus all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross” (Colossians Chapter 1 verses 19-20).

It has fallen to the least well off member of the European Community to bear, proportionally, the greatest burden of the Refugee Crisis. They flow from Afghanistan to Syria in an attempt to escape from the culture of death which characterises many of their homelands.
It has been a happy coincidence that the Greek Isle of Lesbos is a mere four miles across the Aegean Sea from Turkey giving the refugees their best chance to reach Europe. In fact 600,000 have chosen this route with an eightfold increase this January over last January’s figure.
This speeding of the flow has been stimulated by the European states discussing how to stem the refugee tide. The people smugglers operating from Turkey charge exorbitant fees, sell them fake lifejackets which don’t float and load them into unseaworthy boats. It’s a miracle that only 4,000 have died on the crossing.

The bulk of the refugees come from Syria where the fighting is now in its 5th year. A partial truce came into force recently which has curtailed the aerial bombardment and allowed some respite to those of the population who haven’t the means to flee. Unfortunately this has been offset to some extent by ISIS using sulphur mustard gas loaded into artillery shells. This may be part of the legacy of ‘Chemical Ali’s’ hoard from the days of Saddam Hussein. The gas, which is banned by the Geneva Convention, burns the skin, the breathing passages and eyes. The targeted people have no means of defence against this evil.

In Bible times St Paul headed in the same direction. He would have sailed past Lesbos on his third missionary journey as he travelled to Troas then, in answer to the Macedonian call to come over and help them, sailed for Greece landing at Philippi.
It would not have been so crowded in those days! This was the route the Gospel took when it arrived in Europe!
It started innocuously in a prayer meeting outside the city gate, by a river, run by a woman called Lydia with her household. They believed the Gospel and were all baptised in the river (Acts Chapter 16 verses 11 – 15).
It was in Philippi that Paul and Silas landed in jail for delivering a demon possessed girl thus depriving her owners of the money she earned for them!
In prison that night there was an earthquake which miraculously freed the chained prisoners. The jailer thinking the prisoners had escaped was about to kill himself when Paul restrained him…”and the jailer called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas. Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house.

He took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family. Then he brought them up into his house and set food before them. And he rejoiced along with his entire household that he had believed in God” (verses 29 – 34).
St Paul’s trip to Greece was no tragedy and our prayer should be that for many coming looking for a new life in Europe they may find it in Christ, be delivered from the past like the girl and given something to rejoice over similar to the jailer and his family.

The similarity between the dumping of the Fine Gael Coalition in our Irish election and the sweeping victory in the super-Tuesday primaries for the republican candidate Donald Trump was the electorate’s disbelief in the much vaulted economic recovery. For a large section of the voters it hadn’t happened!
Here in Ireland politicians will spend their Easter holidays working out possible permutations of TD for a Government that will last perhaps a year or two. Their deliberations will be interrupted by the Patrick’s Day trips abroad and the 100th commemoration of the Rising.
In the US there are few, if any, obstacles in the path of ‘The Don’. With November 8th in his sights the small matter of Republican nomination scarcely merits a mention. It now is a foregone conclusion.
His popularity lies along three fronts. He is anti-establishment which taps into popular complaints and enables him to amuse his following by name-calling those in authority. Secondly he uses an insular form of nationalism to attack immigrant groups easily defined as Mexicans, Muslims and illegals (largely Irish) few of whom have the vote.
His other accomplishment is that of an entertainer! He can warm up an audience with his apparently off the cuff remarks whilst using up the time thereby requiring little of substance to be said in his speeches.
Endeavouring to establish his evangelical credentials he produced the Bible which his mother gave him and declared himself to be a Christian. Asked if he had ever had the need for forgiveness he said he had never asked God for forgiveness!

Then we have Trump as defender of the faith. “We are going to protect Christianity. If you look at what’s going on throughout the world, you look at Syria, where there if you are a Christian, they’re chopping off heads. You look at different places and Christianity, it’s under siege.”
Trump stressed how “very, very proud” he is to be a Protestant – “Presbyterian, to be exact” – and said the 70 to 75 percent of Americans who claim to be Christians must band together to push for change since “very bad things are happening.” He promised to “knock the hell out of ISIS” and that, “If I’m president, you’re going to see ‘Merry Christmas’ in department stores. Believe me.”
The ‘Trump Card’?
At this distance it would seem to be the Joker! While in politics it is possible for a comic to pull the wool over the eyes of the voters there comes a day of reckoning especially for those who play fast and loose with God’s word. “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account (Hebrews chapter 4 verses 12-13).
Jesus said: “I tell you, on the Day of Judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned” (St Matthew Chapter 12 verse 37).
Perhaps it’s not too late for Trump to reflect on the matter of forgiveness and turn from being the Joker to look for the King’s forgiveness by putting on the garment that Jesus supplies! (St Matthew chapter 22 verse 11-14).

There is a saying that “there is nothing surer than death and taxes” the truth of which came home to Thomas Slab Murphy this week. The coupling of the two ‘fears’ gives to the taxation system the aura of certainty!
He has been described as an ordinary person without any flamboyance or style which one might associate with the £1 million found on his farm by the Criminal Assets Bureau in 2006.

The circumstances which brought him into the tax net are interesting.
It was in 2005 when the CAB and its Northern equivalent were involved in talks with the Garda and Revenue that reference was made to the £12 million in property in Manchester linked to his name. Murphy appeared on national TV with his solicitor who read out a statement stating that Murphy was a farmer. Previously he had described himself as having no occupation and therefore had no need to make tax returns.

It was this public declaration of his occupation that enabled a case for tax-evasion to be made against him. The trail of legal challenges were finally brought to a conclusion, with a guilty verdict and sentencing of 18 months imprisonment, yesterday.

During the trial the prosecution focussed solely on farm income and the Judge treated him as a cattle dealer. His income from selling cattle in the local marts, along with legitimate Government grants going back over the years of non-disclosure, formed the basis of the case against him.
Dealing with Murphy’s other assets will have to wait for another day.

Prior to sentencing yesterday Murphy went with three friends to the local polling station to vote in the general election. Some reporters and photographers were there. While Murphy was voting one of the occupants of his car went to the reporter’s car and told them they could not take photographs. In South Armagh/North Co Louth (Murphy’s farm straddles the border) intimidation flourishes!

Writing to the church in Rome (Romans Chapter 13) St Paul points out that the authorities are ordained by God. He was not so much concerned with their ungodly behaviour as to ensure the Christians obedience to their laws.
“Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.”
The Apostle then says pay your tax, and this to a government who was likely to misuse it! “Because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing.”
He adds that because you have put your trust in Jesus and had your life turned around, trust him daily – “So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armour of light. Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarrelling and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.”

This gives great hope for the Slab Murphy’s and George Morrison’s of this world. Whatever the “works of darkness” may be by God’s grace they can be forgiven in Christ.

To Kill a Mocking Bird Word on the Week 20th February 2016.

Two deaths this week call us to stop and reflect. One is the author, Harper Lee, who wrote the novel “To Kill a Mocking Bird”, the other is our much loved Church Member, Ann Browne.

The novel written by Harper Lee in 1960 deals with racial inequality back in 1930ies in a small town in south Alabama. It captures the network of relationships as seem through the eyes of 6 year old Scout as she becomes aware of the racial injustice and the corruptness of the world around her.
She lives with her older brother Jem and her widowed father, Atticus Finch who is a white man and a lawyer.
In the film adaptation the part of Atticus was played by Gregory Peck in a performance which won him an Oscar. In it the local judge gives him the task to defend the black man Pat Robinson against the charge of raping a white woman. The case against Robinson is demonstrably false (he was even physically incapable of such an act) never the less the jury sentence him to death.

Atticus and the children are then subject to the jibe of loving the blacks because their father had earlier prevented Robinson from being lynched and then defended him at his trial.
Atticus is a quiet but courageous man. When a rabid dog enters the town the streets are deserted and, although it was not his job to do so, he shoots and kills the dog. The children get air rifles for Christmas and tells them to shoot all the bluejays they want but not mockingbirds. The latter do no harm but sweeten the air with their song as they sing their hearts out for us! There is a parallel between the innocent and harmless Pat Robinson and the mockingbird.

Harper Lee wrote an earlier book in the 1950ies called “Go Set a Watchman”. In it The Atticus figure, has aged and become a racist. The theme is one of disillusionment as she discovers the bigotry of her home community. Scout, now in her 20ies, is disillusioned by all that she sees and hears. In particular in her idealism she had idolised her father and now she calls him a hypocrite.
He overhears her remarks and the conclusion is that the South is not ready for full integration yet.

The publishing of Lee’s first book 60 years after it was written (and when she had become blind and deaf) would seem to have more to do with commercial greed than recognising the author’s wishes.
It seems likely that the first book was the draft of the Mockingbird with the characters given a makeover!

It is in the novelist’s domain to be able to rewrite history! You own the manuscript which you have created and you can make the characters do your bidding. It is possible to change your mind and, with a little help from your editor, progress the hypocrite to an upstanding man. Unfortunately in “Go Set a Watchman”, Atticus regresses from being an idealist who stood up for what he believed, to being a fraud in his daughter’s eyes.

St Peter would have wished he could have rewritten history! From the pinnacle of his profession, “Though they all fall away because of you, I will never fall away.” Jesus said to him, “Truly, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times” (St Matthew Chapter 26 verses 33-34).
So when St Peter was challenged the third time, “After a little while the bystanders came up and said to Peter, “Certainly you too are one of them, for your accent betrays you.” Then he began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear, “I do not know the man.” And immediately the rooster crowed. It happened right on que! How he must have wished to be otherwise…we know this because “he went outside and wept bitterly” (Verses 73-75).
Jesus was crucified for this sin on behalf of St Peter whose grief over his sin had led to repentance and restoration (St John Chapter 21 verses 15-17). But not for Peter alone but for all who emulate Peter’s grief and come to Jesus (1 John Chapter 2 verse 2).
The church of Jesus Christ has never lost a Member through death! Our sister Ann Browne is today in the place where there is no stain or wrinkle – the church of the redeemed in the glory (Ephesians Chapter 5 verse 27).

It was revealed this week that last September scientists heard the universe make a noise. Up till now what we knew of it was gleaned from what we could see with a telescope. Now we can hear!
The hearing aid is an L shaped vacuum tube each leg being 4 KM long and having a laser beam inside.
The gravitational waves it is listening for were created by two burnt out stars colliding. These are popularly known as black holes which, apparently, are star tombstones!

The waves they create are invisible but were predicted by Einstein as part of his theory of relativity. As the wave passes through the cosmos it distorts time space, like the ripples created by a pebble falling into a pool, squeezing and stretching the fabric of the universe. When it passes the end of the L detectors it briefly changes the length of one of the legs by a tiny fraction and the apparatus emits a ‘chirp’!
This ‘chirp’ is too low and deep for humans to hear, (it is a B flat note, 57 octaves below middle C), and comes from the sound waves that moved out from an explosion caused by two black holes colliding and becoming a supermassive black hole in the galaxy NGC 1275.

So, provided you have the gear, astrologists can now hear as well as see what is going on in the galaxy! There are plenty of these black holes resulting from the death of stars so we can expect lots more excitement from our science buffs. If you will pardon the pun – watch this space!

It may becoming more apparent why, in the creation account in Genesis, it is recorded “He also made the stars” (chapter1 verse 16). The stars are part of the creation that St Paul tells us is groaning under the curse as it waits for the last person to be redeemed (Romans chapter 8 verses 22-23).
St Paul goes on to develop the cosmic dimension of salvation when writing about Jesus. “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.”

Then addressing his readers he adds, “and you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister”(Colossians chapter 1 verses 15-23).

How great is our God? The Psalmist, King David, was in no doubt when he penned Psalm 19.
“The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.
Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge.
There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard.
Their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world.
In them he has set a tent for the sun, which comes out like a bridegroom leaving his chamber,
and, like a strong man, runs its course with joy.
Its rising is from the end of the heavens, and its circuit to the end of them, and there is nothing hidden from its heat” (verses 1-6).

Our gracious God permits scientists to make discoveries but the greatest discovery of all is that He loves and in Jesus has shown us the depth of that love. Put your trust in Jesus.

The starter’s gun has been fired and the race is on. The favourite was not as quick off the mark as some of the other old hands but they all picked up speed as they reached the first jump. So commenced election 2016 this week.
The first hurdle has the misleading name of “fiscal space”. One or two of the front runners fell at it when they discovered it had been misnamed! The alleged surplus of €10.1 billion (over the next 5 years) has largely been spoken for, committed, if not yet spent.

In recognition of the turbulent international money markets the government has created a rainy day reserve of €2.5 billion and with the type of weather we have been experiencing the name of the fund is well chosen! Of course the existence of this cash provides a mouth-watering incentive for rival parties to multiply promises of utopia ahead (if you vote for me!).
Some questions that might be put to prospective TD’s might help us to avoid being tongue tied when they come to the door or when we meet them on the street.
1. To what extent can you support freedom of conscience? The Asher’s Bakery case has gone to appeal at the request of the Attorney General for Northern Ireland.
2. How do you propose to deal with the spread of substance abuse with special reference to alcohol?
3. What is your attitude to abortion – in particular would you revoke the 8th amendment? (The 8th amendment grants equal right to life of the unborn). Its repeal would pave the way for a relaxed attitude to abortion leading to the danger of it becoming delayed contraception.

For those who feel led there may be an opportunity to ask a more personal question, namely what do they think about Jesus Christ? Experience indicates that you get a brief summary of their religious history but if you return to the question asked there may be an opportunity to testify. If Christians don’t speak for Christ we can hardly expect secular people to do so.
The Bible indicates that governmental authority comes from God and those in power are there by his authority. Their task is to govern well (Romans Chapter 13 verses 1-7). For this they need our prayers and this is exactly what St Paul wishes us to do.

“I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Saviour, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all people” (1 Timothy Chapter 2 verses 1-6).

Salvation is for all. None can say that they belong to an excluded people. The reason Jesus came was to give his life a ransom for many – St Mark chapter 10 verse 45.

This election will soon be over but the Biblical election has eternal implications and there is only one who is the way – Jesus Christ. Put your trust in him.

The Banking Inquiry into the Irish banking failures, which arose in the years 2008-2010, reported this week after almost a couple of years of work and at a cost of €6.6 million. Their blockbuster, rushed out before the Dial was wound up for the next general election, ran to 600 pages.
The result has been underwhelming! This is largely due to the absence of names and consequently blame is spread fairly evenly across the land. The only exception was the taking to task of the President of the European Central Bank. He cost us €9bn but what’s that when we were in debt to the tune of €160bn when you add in our “normal” borrowings to run the country!
It is said that he prevented us from defaulting on the bank’s bondholders (the people who give the banks their money to lend) as they were ‘banking’ on Ireland to honour their bonds. And with a little persuasion from the President of the ECB our Government got us, the taxpayers, to pay the debt in full.
Of course the joy of unlimited money, full employment (provided you were good at laying concrete blocks) and little or no regulation, made us all a bit light-headed.
Our 6 banks were embroiled in proportion to the size of their CEO’s ego! The bigger the ego the bigger the mess! The rigour of normal banking in assessing loan worthiness was set aside in the competition for clients spurred on by the ready availability of money.
We were not alone in this race to the bottom but when the crash came only Greece were beneath us!
“The love of money is the root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs” (1 Timothy Chapter 6 verse 10). There is little doubt that money has many lovers! It becomes more attractive when it belongs to other people and you have the pleasure of spending it!
This soon becomes a game where the lenders (the banks) go after new borrowers (largely the builders/developers) offering loans of up to 100% of the project on little or no security.

During the boom years the government had never had it so good and discouraged the regulatory authorities from doing their job, not that it took much to discourage them. None of us like to be unpopular! It takes principled people to stand against the tide and there were few of them around.
It reminds me of the night Jesus was betrayed. The disciples had run off with the exception of Peter who probably had wished he had joined them! The good times were clearly over and the truth of “I will strike the shepherd and the sheep of the flock will be scattered” (St Matthew Chapter 26 verse 31) had become all too apparent. This was a prophesy Zechariah made about 550 years previously which Jesus applied to himself. No one stood by him all kept their distance.
The Eucharist had just been inaugurated in the upper room in Jerusalem when Jesus asked the disciples to eat and drink the symbols of his actual flesh and blood which were about to be made a sin offering for many (verses 27/8). With perhaps the taste of the bread and the flavour of the wine still on their lips the disciples were immediately in need of the forgiveness which was to be actualised on the cross.
Criminally negligent bankers and us ordinary sinners can give the last word to Zechariah “On that day there shall be a fountain opened for the house of David…to cleanse them from sin and uncleanness” (chapter 13 verse 1) and by God’s grace it is still open today.

Kill a Christian Word on the Week 23rd January 2016.
One of the softest targets to be presented to the Islamic State Militants is the Christian minority living in the lands which ISIS have conquered. To the observer they have no one to take their side. No big brother with nuclear capability. They appear to be alone.

Unlike Islam where the aim is to have an Islamic State where every citizen is a Muslim, Christianity is blind to borders and not allied to any State. The Kingdom of God exists wherever God’s people are present. In fact it is the salt and light illustration Jesus used to describe his followers that is so helpful in describing the Christian calling (St Matthew Chapter 5 verses 13-16).
Salt, thinly sprinkled, stops corruption and adds flavour to food. Indeed it is universally in demand. Light dispels darkness but in order to do this it must itself be in a prominent position. This places the followers of Jesus in very vulnerable situations, counteracting corruption and revealing Jesus. They are a thorn in the flesh of wrongdoers who may prefer to get rid of them rather than change.

Of course it is not only Christians that are being targeted but any minority group that can be identified. As ISIS has grown in strength its basic beliefs appear to have been redefined so that even any Muslim transgressing their rules is in danger. It is fear of falling foul of them that has created the waves of refugees fleeing the fighting in the Muslim hot-spots and pouring into Europe for safety. Some have stopped in large camps in Jordan and Lebanon where conditions are barely adequate to sustain life.

It was in one of these camps that Miriam a 12 year old Christian broadcast a message of forgiveness on the SAT7 TV network. She understood that the offer of forgiveness did not depend on those requiring to be forgiven but on the work of Jesus on her own heart enabling her to trust in him and to forgive the people who had wronged her and her family.

There was nothing like it broadcast before and the clip has been watched many times since it was first aired in 2014. Miriam was interviewed again recently and continues to serve the Lord in a school on the camp where she has been reunited with her class-mate Sandra from whom she had been parted from when she fled Syria.

The killings are carried out in the name of Allah. Jesus predicted this when he said “the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God” (St John Chapter 16 verse 2). He was preparing his people for the persecution that was to characterise this Gospel era.
ISIS are said to offer Christians a choice; convert to Islam or die! This is the ultimate meaning of Jesus challenge to his disciples; “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it” (St Matthew chapter 16 verses 24-25).
Persecuted Christians need our prayers to remain faithful in the face of unbridled evil. Pray that the Lord will sustain them and work miracles of grace among all who ask for the reason for the hope that lies within them. “Do not fear what they fear, do not be frightened, but in your hearts honour Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that you have (1Peter Chapter 3 verses 14-15).

The last day of the year, known as Hogmanay in Scotland, marks the end of one year and the birth, at midnight, of the New Year.    This is traditionally observed by celebrations spanning the whole gambit from church services to bonfires in the town square.

The practice of “first footing” where neighbours call on those who live next door, bringing with them a new year’s gift, has largely died out.   The ideal was to have a tall, dark and handsome man as the first person over your threshold on New Year’s Eve who would exclaim, “A guid new year to ane an ‘a”.    This greeting would be reciprocated and if the man was of the required description then good fortune was said to come your way for the year.

I am not sure that anyone believed it as the interest focussed more on the gifts.   Originally this was a lump of coal which was handed to the householder with the saying “Lang may yer lum reek wi either fouk’s coal”.   The notion being that with many friends you would get a lot of coal for your fire which would keep it going for a long time!   With changes in heating the coal became replaced with a lump of fruit cake but toast with the “nip” of whisky lives on!

With the advent of television the last hours of the old year became compulsory viewing.   In the early days of TV the programmes were very good bringing out home-grown talent to perform well known music and songs.  Sadly as these artists died off they were not replaced.   TV now goes for the spectacular with iconic bridges or castles floodlit for the occasion the cameras’ global outreach affording views of celebrations in time-zones earlier that our own.

Then there is the climax, usually in London, with the nonsensical countdown to midnight.   Then follows the anti-climax with a badly sung ‘Aul lang syne’ by people who don’t know the words!  

God’s clock doesn’t major on minors but records anniversaries of events in the history of Israel each event recording his faithfulness to his people.   It records too that when Jesus came into the world the time was just right (Galatians Chapter 4 verse 4).   We might think it was a bad time with King Herod in a murdering mood but imagine what it would have been like to have the infant Jesus in the Middle East today!   No, God’s timing is perfect.

Also perfect was Christ’s sacrifice for sin on the cross.   Unlike the High Priest who annually entered the holy place with the blood of others now once in these last days he (Jesus) appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself (Hebrews chapter 9 verses 24- 26).    Now, there is no repetition but the event is remembered as a central part of our worship (St Luke Chapter 22 verse 19).

So this year, long after the New Year’s resolutions have gone, let us remember we have a great High Priest who has opened a new and living way for his people and let us go into this year with confidence that he is faithful (Hebrews Chapter 10 verses 19-23) .