I had a number of interruptions, as I tried to gather my thoughts this week. It was one of those occasions when putting my thoughts in order was more difficult than usual. I wasn’t sure exactly where or how tho begin… until I remembered a recent conversation with someone who wanted to talk about a concern. When I arrived I asked “Where would you like to begin?” to which this person replied, “I think I need to go back to the beginning.”

It struck me that this is exactly what we do, within the secular and Christian worlds, at this time every year…. We go back to the beginning!

Now, we can’t wipe out the past. Today and tomorrow build on the foundations of the past. But, the fact that people make New Year resolutions and promises (about “turning over a new leaf”) is indicative of our occasional desire to clear out the debris, to start again, fresh and clean… rectifying the failures or mistakes of the past… and refocussing.

As Christians, striving to follow our Lord, we are constantly focussing on His life and His teachings, along with the inspired writings of the people of God, leading up to and immediately following the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. We don’t forget that Jesus was born, lived, ministered, died and rose again… but, each year we begin at the beginning again. We await His coming, we celebrate His birth and we journey, with Jesus, to Jerusalem and the Cross.

Each year, however, we come with our past understandings as the foundation on which to build. Then we join the journey, as it is shared, from the perspective of the early evangelists… Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. This year we see, predominantly, through the eyes of Matthew, who is usually credited with writing for a Jewish audience, in order to show that Jesus is the promised Royal Messiah… the fulfiller and fulfilment of God’s will as it is disclosed in the Old Testament.

This week, we jump from the beginning of Jesus’ life to the beginning of His earthly ministry… He, the sinless one, is baptised in the river Jordan, in solidarity with sullied humanity. Life begins in humble surroundings then, despite the richness of exotic/royal gifts, Jesus begins his ministry by this ritual cleansing. He begins as he will finish, showing the way for fallen humanity, rather than lording it over us.

By His death on a cross, Jesus paid the price for our sin and made it possible for us all to start again. As the water is sanctified in our baptism service, the priest prays for those being baptised… “May they die to sin, rise to newness of life and continue forever, through Christ our Lord…”  Because of Jesus we can go back to the beginning, “wipe the slate clean” and start afresh through confession and absolution.

Many Blessings,

Reverend Shan