Sunday, January 2, 2000
Sunday, January 2, 2000
My soul languishes for your salvation; I hope in your word.
And yet there is a sense in which, because Christ has come into the world, this year is potentially
"year one" for each of us. Year one of a new life. Year one of a new beginning. Year one of a new
creation. A year of hope.
(Psalms 119:81
NRSV)
I understand that the Japanese have an interesting way of keeping track of the passage of time.
Each time a new emperor takes the throne, the calendar starts all over again at "Year One." For
example, in 1990 Japan's emperor Hirohito had been in power for 66 years, so it was year 66 on
the Japanese calendar. That's not true, of course for Christendom. The coming of Jesus Christ
signaled a break with the past--darkness became light, despair became hope, condemnation
became grace. As William Barclay puts it, "Even the calendar tells us that with the birth of Jesus
Christ history started all over again." So this is not "year one" or even "year one hundred." Rather
it is the two thousandth year of our Lord.
Loving God, my I take full advantage of the hope that is before me. Amen.
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