Reepham Benefice

The dawning of a new year is a time for reflection and hope. Many people reflect on the year past, on how they might have done things better, on achievements and disappointments, and perhaps what they need to change in their lives.

The hope is that the New year will be an even better one than the last year, less mistakes made, more things achieved, and somehow a better life than before. We only have to turn on the television in January to be bombarded with advertisements calling us to eat less, get fit, and the like.

Whilst ensuring that we take care of our bodies, it is equally important, perhaps even more important; to ensure that we keep our spiritual lives fit and healthy. We have just experienced the most wonderful recollection of God coming down to earth at Christmas, and all the hope that this brings, and it is all too easy to let that message slip away into the box marked “Christmas decorations” , to be brought out again in 12 months time. If we are to be fit and healthy in our spiritual lives, we need to make the message of Christmas something that we live out every day of our lives, joy, hope, and love.

Who knows what the New Year brings, and where we will all be in a year’s time? If we live the message of Christmas, at least one thing will be certain, we will reach the end of this year a little closer to God than when we began.