Well, 2021 has finally arrived. During the past few weeks I have heard many people mention that they could not wait for the new year. But now that it is here, everything has not magically changed with the turning of the calendar. It is still dark and cold outside and the news of the pandemic has got worse, not better. So how do we keep our heads up?
Maybe we can reflect on the messages that we listened to throughout the Christmas season. The great light came into the world! In the past year I have certainly been inspired by the many people who stepped into the darkness when they saw a need in their own community. I was touched by the generosity I saw all around me. From food deliveries to people checking on neighbours and vulnerable friends and relatives, I witnessed many acts of kindness.
Then the Gospel from this past Sunday recounted the Magi following the star and being told in a dream to return by a different route. Return by a different route! That may be the message that we need to hear.
This pandemic is not over yet. There are still great needs out there. When my friends and family are all doing fine, maybe it is time for me to look a little further. Perhaps now is the time to leave the comforts of the people I know and understand and work to encounter and understand those who are different from me. In walking a different route, I may be able to make a real difference in someone’s life as well as my own. There may be someone who is lonely or hungry or feeling other pressures, hoping and praying that someone will hear his or her cry.
But what different route should I take? The Church gives us some good guidance. Fratelli Tutti, Pope Francis’ most recent encyclical, is full of ideas. Pope Francis has boldly written down a vision challenging us to care for each other as brothers and sisters, recognising our common humanity and treating everyone with dignity. It also calls us to respond to the many people in need due to a wide range of circumstances.
Justice and Peace Scotland just so happens to have a very similar vision for our Church.
My parish has a Justice and Peace group that I have joined with others to pray, learn and share ideas over the years. If you are interested there may be one in your area too. It is a place where you can find support and friendship with others who also want to make a difference. But if not, there are many ideas and resources on the Justice and Peace Scotland website to get you started.
So my challenge to myself, and maybe you too if you are interested, is this: Take a step, no matter how small, and start walking along a new route that will make the world a better place in 2021.