Today’s sermon was delivered at an informal ‘breakfast church’ gathering. It encourages us to join the Jesus justice pilgrimage throughout 2012.
This is the 'formula', or perhaps the 'symbol' that is used to mark the lintels of many doorways at the start of this New Year. This is an old European tradition that comes from two sources: 1] the Hebrew Testament story of the Passover event that told of God protecting the people who followed the leadership of Moses (Exodus 12 on the night before the Exodus from Egypt), and 2] from a much later date, originating within paganism and magic seeking protection for the house and home.
However, many Christians in various parts of the world now use the 'formula' especially during the first week of a New Year in the lead up to Epiphany on January 6. Each year there is a subtle change to the ending but the symbolism remains the same.
The '20 ( ) 12' numbers at the beginning and end represent the New Year, reminding the people that their God is not only with them at the beginning and the end of each year, but is constant throughout the year. It is a symbol of remembrance of the Presentness of God throughout the past year and the hopeful recognition of the Presentness of God being with them throughout the New Year. The '+' that links each part of the 'formula' is a reminder that, for Christians, it is Jesus the Christ who opens to us the God experience and that knits all of life together throughout the year.
Moving on from the New Year, the 'formula' leads us into the Epiphany where these initials 'CBM' represent the unique Matthew chapter 2 story of the Three Magi visiting the baby Jesus. Like a jigsaw, the pieces begin to fall into place: the three Magi are traditionally named as Caspar, Balthasar and Melchior (C, B, M). But the full jigsaw puzzle picture of the 'formula' is only completed with a link back to Jesus the Christ where 'C, B, M' is a short form of the Latin phrase "Christus benedicat mansionem" meaning "May Christ bless this mansion." It is a wonderful link between the past, the present and the future!
None of us need reminding that the date today is the 1st January so today is the first day of the first week of the first month of the New Year of 2012. Regardless of what yesterday or even the past year brought to each one of us, as we step into this New Year we need to remember the magnificent words of Ecclesiastes chapter 3 vv1-8:
"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace." [NIV]
Although, as a pacifist, I have trouble with references to there being a time to kill and a time for war this passage from Ecclesiastes is a timeless reminder of the reality of what life is all about. It is also a reminder that today, as is every day, a new start for everyone.
Those who know me well recognize that I am a slave to my diary. Therefore, perhaps the greatest gift that I received in the lead up to this past Christmas was the 'death' of my electronic diary! Fortunately everything was backed up on the home PC but I have decided to go back to the good old paper diary and continue to use my PC as its back up. I am not being a Luddite but perhaps the next bold step will be to give up my wristwatch - but then again, perhaps not!
Although my 'dead' electronic diary is of no use at all, the back up on the PC still tells me how I spent almost every waking hour over this past year [and much longer too!] However, no matter how it is recorded, the diary that ended yesterday is of little use to me now other than to help me to remember. The new diary for this New Year of 2012 is already 'full'. In fact, its contents look a lot like the old diary!
There is nothing wrong in planning for the future, but I need to remember that no matter what my plans may be, I cannot know for sure what is in the future. I cannot be sure of even what will happen later today although my diary tells me what I have planned to do. This moment is the only moment that I have any control over. This is always the moment when I have to decide what I am going to do with the choices with which I am faced.
As a slave to my diary I have to constantly remind myself of the 1902 quote attributed to American historian and author, Alice Morse Earle, "The clock is running. Make the most of today. Time waits for no man. Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift. That's why it is called the present."
This 'present' is a gift that constantly comes to each one of us in the Presentness of God.
I have not made New Year resolutions for decades because past experience is that I cannot keep them for very long! However, I go into each new day wanting to choose to follow the justice example of Jesus rather than choosing to go my own way. And just like those New Year resolutions of the long distant past, I often fail to keep my intention. But this I know: this is the moment that counts. And it is the sacred Spirit that comes to each one of us every moment of every day in everybody whom we meet.
To paraphrase the challenging words of John Bell's song, "Jesus Christ is waiting": God comes to each one of us in friends and strangers; where there is no justice; where people have lost hope; where people suffer and need healing; where people long to be loved but only receive hatred.
Why do we so often look for God in the big things when all we need to do is to look around us? God is in the beauty, the awe and wonder of Creation. God is in all those whom we love and in those whom we prefer to avoid. God is Presentness within and about each one of us.
And so, as we set out on the exciting journey of another New Year let us listen to the sacred Spirit experienced in Jesus, inviting each one of us to go on an exhilarating pilgrimage of justice together. We finish today with the blessing for the marking of a doorway to which I referred at the beginning of this talk.
Leader: May peace be upon this house and with all who live here.
Response: And may peace be with all who visit here. Today, the sacred is made known to us! At each and every moment this home is a holy place because the Presentness of God is always here. Amen.
Copyright ©: 2012, Rev John Churcher. All rights reserved. Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION ® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.