Well, we have made it to a new year, 2013, but it seems that we came to the end of 2012 with some real pains and concerns as a nation. There was the destruction of Hurricane Sandy, the political unrest in Washington over the fiscal cliff debates, and, of course, the intense sorrow over the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School.
We always start the New Year as though we have a new beginning, and yet, perhaps this year we have struggled with searching for a basis for such hope. I was reading about the history of Jewish liturgy this week and about the mindset of the Jewish New Year. In the Jewish liturgy, the New Year’s worship service was always longer and the emphasis of the celebration was the kingdom of God - its meaning to all people, its acknowledgement that God will reign and the acknowledgement of all creation of God’s dominion.
I could not think of a better emphasis to begin our New Year, nor a better basis of hope for 2013. Truly then - Happy New Year!
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