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minister's blog: December 2008 - Dublin in Chicago

Dear Friends

In November, my wife and I went to Chicago to see the play “Dublin Carol” by Conor McPherson, starring William Petersen (who played Gil Grissom in the TV Series CSI: Crime Scene Investigation) in the Steppenwolf Theatre.  The highlight of our trip was getting to meet Mr Petersen after the performance – but that’s another story!

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William Petersen as John Plunkett

“Dublin Carol”, described as a twist on the Dickens story “A Christmas Carol”, is the story of an alcoholic undertaker, John Plunkett, estranged from his family for many years until one Christmas Eve when his daughter reappears to tell him that his wife is dying of cancer, and asks him to organise the funeral.  He is made to face the ghosts of his past, confront his present, and along the way help his young assistant to face the future without making the same mistakes.

The fact that the play is set on Christmas Eve is significant as it is the day when we anticipate the birth of Christ, the dawning of the Saviour.  The calendar of the play and the life of John Plunkett await that moment as the characters open the doors of the Advent Calendar to arrive at the day of Christ’s birth when the promise of redemption is delivered.

This year in Church, our Christmas theme is “Christmas is a Godsend”, and as we approach the day of our Saviour’s birth, and on into 2009, I’d like for us to reflect on our own lives.

New Year has traditionally been a time for reflection over the  year that has passed, as we resolve not to make the mistakes we made during the past twelve months, and make promises to do things we didn’t get done.  As Christians we should also be reflecting on our Christian faith, to see how much we’ve grown, or not.

I hope that we can look back to the time, over 2000 years ago, when, in that quiet stable the Son of God was sent to this world, so that thirty-three years later on that bleak hill Jesus Christ gave His life for us.  How have we repaid his love for us, His sacrifice? 

I hope we can look back to that moment, for some many years ago, when we consciously realised what it was that He had done for us, and we gave our lives to Him.  How have we lived up to that commitment?  I remember a fifteen year old boy attending a Bible Class weekend away at St Ninians, Crieff, kneeling by his bedside and asking the Lord into his life.  I also know in the thirty-seven years since how that boy turned out.  Would Christ be pleased with us?  Now is the time to put the past behind us, give ourselves afresh to him, and ask Him to do with us as He pleases.

The beginning of a new year brings a sense of anticipation as we wonder what God has in store for us during the year, with its possibilities, difficulties, triumphs and tragedies.  No-one has really any idea about what 2009 will bring, but God knows the future, we must simply trust that he will lead us through.

The future however belongs to us, but it depends on what we make it.  As the play “Dublin Carol” ended, the audience were left to wonder what John Plunkett was going to do – return to the bar and his drinking, or start to rebuild his relationship with his family.  2009 brings with it the possibility of a new start for all of us, and it could be a new and meaningful start to the rest of our lives as we begin a relationship with Jesus.

May God be with you.

 ©Clackmannan Parish Church of Scotland, April 2009