Letter from Clare

The month of January is well named after the god Janus, the doorkeeper, and many New Year traditions are centred around the opening of doors and the welcoming of guests, as well as the new year and all that it might bring. In Scotland, where I spent my childhood, the practice of first footing was and still is very important, the first person over the threshold traditionally carries a piece of coal, to represent warmth and well being in the months to come. The traditional food to eat, is a delicious concoction called “Black Bun”, which I’ve never seen south of the border, but if anyone has a recipe, Id be interested in seeing it.

 In some parts of the world the tradition of first footing has been incorporated into a Christian ritual of house blessing, where the Church community move from house to house, sharing in its hospitality and praying for those who live there. It’s an idea, which Id quite like to establish in our villages, how do you feel?

The symbolic opening of a door to welcome a person in is an image that is rooted in the Scriptural description in Johns Gospel of the Christ, the Messiah, Jesus says, “I am the door”. Those words suggest to me a picture of a God who is an open, welcoming and receiving God, a God who is the opposite of the image that is contained in the saying “the door was shut in my face”.

The God of Epiphany is a God who welcomes the shepherds and the wise men, the simple and the learned, the rich and the poor, those from the East and those from the West, a God who opens himself up to receive all of humanity and creation. For me that is an inspiring image to start a new year with, especially in our world that is experiencing a greater degree of fracturedness and dividedness, than it has done for a number of years.

It is a vision of God which has implications and challenges for our own living, to be open, rather than closed people; for our homes to be places of welcome and hospitality; and for our spiritual lives, to open our hearts and minds and invite Christ to come in and dwell. I found a prayer of William Temples, which seemed to be most appropriate for the New Year.

We pray you, Lord, to purify our hearts, that they may be worthy to become your dwelling place. Let us never fail to find room for you, but come and abide in us, that we also may abide in you; for as at this time you were born into the world for us, and live and reign, King of Kings and Lord of Lords, now and for ever. Amen

Clare

The Open Doorway

The closed door locks in our deepest fears.

Shuts out the thief, the maimed, the stranger,

Protects us both from light and danger,

Saves us from the unwelcome guest

Who may demand attention, disturb our rest.

Threaten and claim our most precious lives.

But closed doors seal us in our own tight fists.

Unlock our hearts, draw back the bolts

Roll stones away-

For the open doorways wide embrace

Welcomes all unafraid and undismayed

And so makes possible movements of grace.

                                                 Jyoti Sabi India