"And I said to the man who stood at the gate of the year:
“Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown.”
And he replied:
“Go out into the darkness and put your hand in the Hand of God. That shall be to you better than light and safer than a known way.”
So I went forth, and finding the Hand of God, trod gladly into the night. And He led me towards the hills and the breaking of day in the lone East."
As we enter into the New Year 2023, from all in the C&SI team we wish you a blessed, peaceful and healthy new year.
On the podcast this week we continue our reflections in this Christmas Season on hope with reflections from Noirin Lynch and Jane Mellet. They are both thought provoking (as always).
In addition we have our regular reflection on the Sunday gospel which this week is the reading for the Solemnity of Mary the Mother of God.
We have an extended saints of the week this week as this weeks liturgical calendar is a tad complex depending where in the world you are sitting and how (and more importantly when) the feast of the Epiphany is celebrated where you are. Hopefully we won't confuse too many people.
As we publish of course, the news has broken of death of Joseph Ratzinger (Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI) and we will have a special podcast next week look at the personal history of the 265th successor to St Peter but also examining the contribution of this great theologian to Christian thought.