How have we reached the last day of 2022 so quickly? Where’s this year gone? Today a lot of people ponder what the year has brought them - joys and sorrows, celebrations and disappointments, surprises, missed opportunities maybe, plans that never happened. For some, this year has brought huge change. For me, it’s not been the easiest of years. A fabulous sabbatical was the highlight, getting Covid and latterly costocondritis and bleeding ulcers losing half the blood in my body hence two hospital stays were the lowlights. Juggling eight churches and responding to expectations some long out of date when ministers had less to sort continues to be a challenge.
People will be gathering tonight in different ways to see out 2022 and ring in 2023. Others won’t bother. It’s a hard night if you are on your own and one to ignore and go to bed early on. We will join the tribute acts in the market square tonight then share in a city watch night service and then Councillor Sid, the Mayor of Ripon will countdown to the new year from the town hall balcony.
Brian Bilston has released a new poem today reminding us the year never quite goes as we plan…
This was the year that was not the year
I repaired the bathroom tap
And emptied out the kitchen drawer
Of a lifetime’s worth of crap.
This was the year that was not the year
In which I launched a new career
A West End hit eluded me
As did Time person of the year.
This was the year that was not the year
I became a household name
Action figures weren’t sold of me
I wasn’t made a dame.
This was the year that was not the year
I spent less time on my phone
Nights of passion did not happen
In boutique hotels in Rome.
This was the year that was not the year
I didn’t get that much done -
Much the same as the year before
Much like the one to come.
I guess there was much pondering after the Christ event that first Christmas. Mary was sore afraid an angel had come, but later she thought deeply about what everything meant; Joseph lost sleep tossing and turning on several occasions; shepherds on a hillside responded to the story by making a journey; Simeon waited patiently in the temple for salvation and Anna devoted herself to prayer. That year became different because of one moment of divine intervention. Like we wonder what the year past has brought us or bruised us with, the Christmas characters are deep thinkers and ponderers. Quite rightly, because life has been shaken for ever.
If you ever watched the mad Vic Reeves Big Night Out in the 1990’s, with Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer, Vic would periodically go on a live video feed on the show "to our Swiss counterparts, the Ponderers", who were blond shirtless versions of Vic and Bob with giant strap-on chins to aid their pondering. Brilliant!
Whatever a year brings, however we end it, we need to remember we are held every day through it. We are not alone. This morning we heard Pope Benedict had passed away. He was a ponderer! Let’s hear and heed his words from 2013 as we let this year go soon and anticipate another.
“The splendour of the face of God, shining upon us and granting us peace, is the manifestation of His fatherhood: the Lord turns His face to us, He reveals Himself as our Father and grants us peace. Nothing can take this peace from believers, not even the difficulties and sufferings of life. Indeed, sufferings, trials and darkness do not undermine but build up our hope, a hope which does not deceive because "God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit which has been given to us.”
A happy day of pondering to us then! Happy New Year everyone when it comes.
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