New Year

​The Gospel passage for today may not be the sort of story we want to hear amidst parties and holidays. It’s a fascinating but harrowing account, told only by Matthew in his gospel, of how God watched over the early years of the life of Jesus – and of how wrong humanity sometimes gets it, as shown by the jealous reaction of King Herod.

Opening Prayers
Let us pray.

Resolution time.
Expectations for the year,
Optimism: Full.
Optimism vs.
War, Natural Disasters,
Greed, Hate, Poverty.

Against this darkness
What hope do we have to help
Build your kingdom here, Christ?

My hope is in you.

You share our sorrows, worries,
weep with and love all.

Born in a manger.
Taught peace, love, understanding.
Crucified on that cross.
Kyrie eleison.
​
What can I change,
I am only one person, yes?
Today, as I pray, help me to
Begin with loving friends.
Love one another.
Love as a community.
Support each other.
Build your Kingdom here Lord.
Help me to love as you would
Each and every day.
Amen.
Opening prayers written 1 by Tim Annan-Hood

Lord’s prayer
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your Name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us. Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours. Now and for ever.
Amen​

Hymn: 83 STF – Praise my soul, the King of heaven

Readings:
Isaiah 63:7-9 – Click for reading
Matthew 2:13-23 – Click for reading

Response to the readings
The Gospel passage for today may not be the sort of story we want to hear amidst parties and holidays. It’s a fascinating but harrowing account, told only by Matthew in his gospel, of how God watched over the early years of the life of Jesus – and of how wrong humanity sometimes gets it, as shown by the jealous reaction of King Herod.

For so many families, this was the end of a part of their story, and we lament and wail with them – as we do when we hear of violence against children continuing today; as we do when we consider the statistics about baby loss here in the UK and recognise the many tidal waves of grief which are always lapping at our shores. Herod himself
dies next and so God once again alerts Joseph to the possibility of return to Israel – although there is still a threat around, so Joseph heads to the north, to Nazareth in Galilee.

Perhaps we haven’t been caught up in a massacre ourselves – although tragically they still happen all too frequently – but almost all of us have known heartache and loss… and yet there is something within us which wants to be able to keep hoping in a ‘Happy New Year’.

As you look back at 2022, although there will have been tears, I hope it wasn’t an unmitigated disaster. Where might you join with the prophet in not just calling to mind, but ‘recounting’, talking about, telling others about, God’s goodness? It is a surprisingly powerful antidote to the kind of low feelings which sometimes hit after the
excitement of Christmas is over and the series of sugar-rushes tails off… God’s love and pity are not to be doubted, God seeks to lift and carry us all in the same way as the people of Israel were carried and held throughout their life of disaster and triumph.

Some questions for reflection [maybe this week you could find a time to discuss these with someone you trust, or start a conversation with a friend around these issues. Perhaps it will help take a conversation about New Year’s Resolutions more seriously.]

1. How do you feel about the coming year – for you, your family, the world?
2. Does the way in which God protects Jesus from the massacre disturb you?
   How do you respond to this part of the story?
3. Is there any value in making a decision to ‘recount the goodness of the Lord’?
   Can you do that now?
4. Think a little more about what God’s glory means in relation to our life here and
   now. Is the idea that ‘there is stuff going on at a level we can’t imagine or see’ helpful or not?

178 STF – Long ago, prophets knew Christ would come

Blessing
I am a part of the family of Christ, the people of Christmas, living the incarnation story in my day to day lives,
I am a guardian of the greatest story ever told: the story of a God come to be amongst us,
As I step out into this week, God of the incarnation,
Show me how to live that story, share that story, make that story real for each and every person who I meet, including myself,
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.

This worship at home service is reproduced here by kind permission of ​The Vine at Home and is compiled and produced by twelvebaskets.