19/02/2015

Good morning, and if you are Chinese, can I wish you a Happy New Year. Today marks the start of a new year for the Chinese, though as far as I can see what year it actually is, isn’t certain: four thousand six hundred and fifty two? Or four thousand seven hundred and twelve or thirteen. But then Christianity is as uncertain about the date of Jesus’ birth – anything from 4BC onwards. 

The Chinese New Year apparently has more than a little in common with Hogmanay in Scotland. They both involve thoroughly cleaning the home before the New Year begins and family gatherings to welcome it; they both go on for about three days; and they both involve eating dumplings and cake. 

One of the churches I worked in employed a firm of specialists to help with an area of the church’s work. The expert sent in would have been delighted to know that today marked the Chinese New Year because he used any excuse like that to take a day’s holiday. “It’s the Chinese New Year tomorrow, I won’t be in”. It’s the autumn holiday in Achiltibuie – I won’t be in”. And so on. Even Yom Kippur. It wasn’t exactly conducive to a regular pattern of work, but in a way there was an important religious truth behind it. 

There are stories in the Bible about how some places were declared holy, just as days became holy - to show that any place could be special and any day could be full of intensity, “earth crammed with heaven and every common bush aflame with God”.

A great bible scholar has described life as continuing and “abiding astonishment”. One of my favourite poets, the Scot Douglas Dunn describes us as having, if only we would realise it,

“a rendezvous

to keep with the transfigured commonplace”.

Loving God, grant us just now and again moments which evoke an ancient wonder. Amen.