It’s the end of the year. Today is the last Sunday of the church year. In a sense, it is New Year’s Eve.
There is a profound disconnect this time of year between the church calendar and the secular calendar. In our secular lives, the holidays are coming. This is not a time to pause. Both anticipation and stress are building. Momentum is hurtling us forward into the holiday season. On the secular calendar, the new year comes after the holidays.
How do we mark that transition that comes December 31? Do we look back, reflect on the past year? Certainly the media will present us with infinite lists of the “top ten” occurrences of the past year… the top ten political stories of 2011, the top ten sports events, the top ten movies… But in terms of individual personal reflection, it doesn’t seem we do much thoughtful looking back.
New Year’s Eve's perspective on the past seems to be a whiff of nostalgia as people sing Old Lang Syne (does anyone actually know the words?) and a lot of drunken amnesia.
And we look to the year ahead with a determination to “wipe the slate clean; get a new start.” I’m just gonna put the past behind me and starting today I’m gonna be a new person.
Year’s End in the church is different. We commemorate New Year’s Eve every year with reminders of judgment. These last two Sundays of the church year always hold up before us the images of judgment… both the judgment that comes to us in this life and God’s final judgment that lies ahead of us all.
We are reminded that the slate of the past cannot be wiped clean by amnesia or denial or our own deliberate resolution to “put the past behind us.” Only God’s mercy and forgiveness can restore and renew our souls.
As we look back and reflect upon our lives and our past actions, the church reminds us to turn to God and seek forgiveness and reconciliation. And coupled with that process of reconciliation, the church talks about “amendment of life.” That’s the forward-looking part of spiritual renewal. Amendment of life. That’s what Christians call New Year’s Resolutions.
Many of you know that the annual convention of the Diocese of Chicago just concluded. St. John’s was represented by a great group. We met with others from throughout the diocese this Friday and Saturday. Part of convention is the Bishop’s Address (find the entire address here). In the context of his address this year, Bishop Lee gave us all a charge. Over the last few years Bishop Lee has articulated the diocesan mission with these words: Grow the church; form the faithful; change the world. His charge is cast in that format. These are great New Year’s Resolutions.
Bishop Lee’s charge to every member of the Diocese of Chicago:
Grow the Church… Everyone talk to one. I want every member of this diocese to have at least one meaningful conversation in the next year with someone about their life and God. This is all evangelism boils down to. We’re good at conversations and evangelism happens one conversation at a time. If you find the prospect of discussing our faith with someone daunting, fear not. The website will have a variety of resources that will help you to meet this challenge—and quite possibly even enjoy it. It might be as simple as sharing with a coworker a defining moment in your life. Throughout the year we’ll be publishing your faith stories, and you will hear more about that in the new year.
Form the Faithful… Everyone study one. I ask every member of this diocese to read one verse, one part of a chapter of the bible every day. Use Forward Day by Day, the Daily Office lectionary, an online resource such as the Speaking to the Soul blog at Episcopal Café. Join a bible study group—a great bible teacher in our church Verna Dozier used to say, “No one should read the bible! They need to study it!” Let’s read, mark, learn and inwardly digest the scriptures.
Change the world… Everyone help one. Let every member of this diocese choose one person, one cause, one agency, one outreach activity to support. I am talking about something that goes beyond the money we might toss into the red bucket outside the grocery store (although that’s great), and involves you personally, something that involves relationship, something about which you need to learn something.Talk to one. Study one. Help one. Great resolutions for the new year.
