An opinion piece in today's Wall Street Journal (January 1, 2011) occasions a quiz: What's the most popular, best sung song every year seconds after midnight New Years eve, at least in the English speaking West? If you said "Auld Lang Syne" the chances are good that you are right. Untold millions break out into kisses and song with those old lyrics. What does it mean anyway? Penned in 1788 by Robert Burns, poet laureate of Scotland, it is written in Scottish dialect. The title literally means "old long since." It is a song of reflection as it poses a question and then answers it:
"Should old acquaintances be forgot and never brought to mind?" In other words, should we forget old friends, beloved family, even the mere casual acquaintances over the years of our life and along the path of our journey? Heaven forbid. There is much virtue in remembrance. Those memories are precious, valuable, and help form the essence of who we are today. They render spiritual value by their examples of loving kindness and grace. Instead, we will toast them and never forget them. We will raise a cup of kindness in their memory. We are better persons for passing that cup of kindness on to others going forward with all the promise that our kindness and grace shared will have an impact on others and form new, precious memories in the future.
Therein too lies that essence of the Gospel as Good News, in the remembrance and promise. Should our acquaintance with God's grace and favor in the past, along the journey, be forgotten? What virtue is there in remembrance of his amazing grace? We reflect and remember that in his essence as holy love seen in Christ Jesus, we remember God is faithful and by our faith in his faithfulness we know that the future holds great promise. We enter the new year a people of hope in possession already of a Divine Yes! The Apostle Paul says to us what he said to the Ephesian faith community: "Now unto him who is able to do immeasurably more that we ask or imagine . . . Glory!" (Eph. 3:20&21). Blessings abundant in this new year be yours as you meet new acquaintances, renew old friendships, and remember God's grace and faithfulness!
Therein too lies that essence of the Gospel as Good News, in the remembrance and promise. Should our acquaintance with God's grace and favor in the past, along the journey, be forgotten? What virtue is there in remembrance of his amazing grace? We reflect and remember that in his essence as holy love seen in Christ Jesus, we remember God is faithful and by our faith in his faithfulness we know that the future holds great promise. We enter the new year a people of hope in possession already of a Divine Yes! The Apostle Paul says to us what he said to the Ephesian faith community: "Now unto him who is able to do immeasurably more that we ask or imagine . . . Glory!" (Eph. 3:20&21). Blessings abundant in this new year be yours as you meet new acquaintances, renew old friendships, and remember God's grace and faithfulness!
JSR
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