Soon, the coming year...

My calendar reminded me yesterday that there are two days left for the year to end. “What does 2018 have in store for you..?” Yes indeed, I ask myself, what does 2018 have in store? The year has flown by, too quickly for me; it hardly seems possible that it has been two years to the day since I saw my father last.

In between the then and now I have seen the passing away of those close to us; and grief, well let’s just say, has been a shadow, persistent and haunting, except failing to disappear with the coming darkness. There have been moments too, some fleeting, others not as much, when the shadows danced in close rhythm to the beating of my heart. Apparitions from the past, not quite real but still as potent; there is no dread or anxiety now, but the memories remain, acrid, albeit like the wispy mists of home, shadowy, present and yet not quite.

To be honest, the past couple of months have been a frenzy of activity so much so that I have not had time to look around and realize that the days have slipped us by and that the New Year will soon be upon us. Everywhere in my city, there has been clamour and lights and daily messages screaming from the papers to join some party or the other.

To me today is laundry day just like every other Saturday and the weekly grocery shopping that needs to be cleaned and kept away. Today was also the day I put away the decorations and generally tidied up, wrapping all the ornaments carefully to be used again, hopefully, the coming year.

And so I look at my phone again and the customary messages from family and friends that this year will soon be over and wishing me all the best for the one to come. So what do year endings actually mean?  And why do we spend so much time (and money) welcoming the new one?

I think in order to do that, we need to look at the week that has past. December 25^th to be precise. A lot has been said and it is my fair assumption that a lot more will continue to be said about this.

The date for starters – who chose this date? Why do we celebrate Christmas on December 25^th? Others on the celebrations and the decorations – why do we need to spend so much on decking up the halls if you will. I kind of agree with that one – on the not spending part. Christmas time after all is a huge money making industry; but that is another debate for another time.

Should Christmas be celebrated at all? Why can’t we say Merry Christmas? So much diatribe and debate and endless discourse. So if I may I would like us to look at two things this evening.

First, the discourse; there has been a phrase going around a lot over the past few years – the “war on Christmas”. So much discussion on what should and cannot be said, why the décor, why the splurging, the near riots on pre-Christmas sales, the endless partying and presents. I think in all of the noise and bling we have all forgotten what Christmas truly means. And who the central figure of Christmas is.

If Jesus walked the earth today, He would not be offended if someone forgot to give Him a present or forgot to invite Him for a party (I mean it is His birthday after all). He would certainly not be offended if someone failed to wish Him a Merry Christmas and most definitely not be angered if they chose to work on that day.

What would pain Him and I believe it does, is when He sees people in pain, in anger and anguish, living in isolation and perpetuating the hurt inside to others around them when all He wants to do is to wipe it all away. He wants us to know He has been there and done that and that He did rise again. Why? So we could all get a chance at a better life. Eternally.

Life as they say is short. It is also beautiful. We, however, choose to fill it with all sorts of complexities that are totally unnecessary. All we need to do though is just look at one single picture. A king who chose to be born, not as a warrior or a statesman, but as a baby. Of a carpenter. In a manger.

And so the second question of the day, so why do we celebrate Christmas on December 25^th? Exactly seven days before the New Year begins? Ever thought of that?

Let us start with January 1. Every single one of us waits for the New Year as an opportunity to start anew. There are resolutions and promises that are made, never mind if we renege a few days later. We look back at the days that have passed and sigh with relief that the bad ones are over and hopefully we get the coming year to have better ones.

So why December 25? The date truly does not matter, but somewhere through the passages of time, whoever chose it or however it came to be chosen, one cannot deny that it was chosen, so close to the New Year.

God chose to send His Son to be born, to live among us and to die for us. Once and for all, so that our slates may be wiped clean. So that we have a chance to start all over again. So that we no longer need look back at the sin that so easily ensnares us or the weights of our troubles that so heavily weighs us down.

New Year I think, at least for me, begins with December 25^th, the day He came to us.  So instead of bickering why December 25^th let us say why not? It gives all of us the time, a week to be exact, (so much significance, the 7 days, but like I had said earlier, another time, another place for a discussion on that) to reflect as we wait upon the advent of the New Year to decide - what can we do?

While browsing through the internet to look at Christmas messages I found one that reached out and tugged at my heart – “Each one of us is an innkeeper who decides if there is room for Jesus”.

So even as we prepare for New Year’s Eve and reflect on the year gone by, I believe that message seems more relevant than ever. Each one of is an innkeeper who decides if there is room for Him.

So what about the New Year? It is a day like every other. And it can be a day like no other. Just like every single day we have in our lives. 

Each morning is a new beginning. 
24 hours filled with possibilities. 

To do good. 

To be kind versus being right. 

To decide if we have room. 

To make a choice. 

All up to you.

Happy New Year folks. May the Light be with you. Always.