HAPPY NEW YEAR 2012!

The Man At The Gate

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 into the hand of God
That shall be to you
Better than the light
And safer than a known way!” 

So I went forth
And finding the hand of God
Trod gladly into the light. 

- by M. Louise Haskins
The prose was used at the funeral of Her Majesty the Queen Mother on 2 April 2002.
Her husband, King George VI, started his Chrismas address to the nation in 1939 with it also.

Thank you to Canon John Jordan for forwarding this most appropriate
piece for this first day of a New Year.