a new year

Many of my blogging colleagues are writing resolution/goal/prediction posts about what 2011 will bring. I find them interesting and some are even funny, but on this 9th day of Christmas, as I slowly ease my way back into the regular routine of life, I'm just not ready for goals and predictions.

I'm ready for new beginnings.

Jesus' earthly ministry begins in earnest at his baptism, an event that the Church remembers this coming Sunday, the first Sunday after the Epiphany. We remember the strange interaction between Jesus and John; you know, the way that John is so very uncomfortable with what he's being asked to do. How can he, a mere man, baptize Jesus, the Son of God?

Despite John's protestations, Jesus gets baptized, and, in the verse just beyond or pericope, is led by the Spirit into the wilderness, to be tempted by the devil.

What this experience says to me, on the chilly, slow moving, first Monday in 2011 is that I should take heart because Jesus ministry was slow to get started too. As we remember the genesis of his earthly ministry, and look at our own new beginnings, it is important to remember that change doesn't happen all at once. It takes some thought, maybe some argument, probably some time in the wilderness, and a whole lot of prompting by the Holy Spirit.

And so, as 2011 begins, I look forward to following the Holy Spirit toward all sorts of new beginnings, and the first will be this Thursday, as we celebrate the first St. Paul's Epiphany Party (our first). Then, we'll see what happens next.

Come Holy Spirit.