How faithful have we been through 2021 with the responsibilities entrusted upon us on personal, family, community, nation, region and global bases?
This was the question asked by Reverend Dr Atkin Zaku in his New Year’s Day sermon at the St Barnabas Provincial Cathedral this morning (1st January 2022).
Speaking to the hundreds who congregate at the cathedral to welcome 2022 in church, Reverend Dr Zaku said while people celebrate the New Year to reflect on the doings of 2021 and their aspirations for 2022, January 1st is the Naming of Jesus (under the Anglican liturgical calendar).
Whatever responsibilities we are entrusted with in 2021, Reverend Dr Zaku said these are all given responsibilities entrusted to us by none other than the Name Jesus.
“So have we done them with the authentic power and authority under the Name Jesus?
“If we have done so we would have been corrupt-free, injustice-free, would have been slavery-free.
“The sin of corruption does not involve national issues alone, that involves what we normally termed as millions or thousands or hundreds of dollars or ill-decisions of high levels.
“The sin of corruption involve as little as 10cents within our own families. The little decisions we make in the affairs within our communities that interferes and denies improvement and progress of community life socially, religiously and economically,” Reverend Dr Zaku said.
With the responsibilities we have, Reverend Dr Zaku also asked have we done them with total love, mercy and grace?
“If we have done so, we would be a family and community of social, political and economic abusive-free.
“We would be a family and community of hatred-free.
“We would be a family and community of discrimination-free.
“We would be a family and community of acceptance and toleration of each other,” he said.
He said there are many more to be said but at the end of the day after reflecting the past year 2021, we would be able to see our failures and weaknesses and make new resolutions for the New Year 2022.
“But we cannot do these if we forget the Name Jesus.
“Today we are called to a New Year resolution, to seriously consider and reflect on the Name Jesus with all our hearts, with all our souls and with all our bodies.
“There is no half-truth in the Name Jesus.
“There is no half-power in the Name Jesus. There is no half-life in the Name Jesus and there is no half-love in the Name of Jesus.
“Total life, love, power and truth is found and can only be found and experienced in the Name Jesus,” he said.
“This comes to us with God’s blessings – a promise in return for our pronouncement of his Name. Only then as God commanded Moses to bless the people as read in the book of Numbers 6:22-27 can also be applicable to us.
“That blessing sounds through the words: ‘May the Lord bless you and take care of you. May the Lord be kind and be gracious to you. May the Lord look on you with favour and give his peace’.”
The New Year’s day service at St Barnabas Cathedral concluded with a family breakfast.
