Do you still make New Year resolutions? If not, why not?

Some used to make them but stopped because they found that, after the first few weeks of January (or days maybe?) they were not keeping them. As a result, the resolutions made them feel guilty, so they no longer tried.

If that is your situation, or if you have stopped for another reason, let me encourage you to begin again. And try to make your resolution challenging, a little stretching, and achievable.

We have just been celebrating Jesus' birth. That is about the light of hope in a dark world. I was speaking on Christmas day about some of the ways in which joy and peace, love, justice, and abundant life are born in God's world now.

The birth in the stable all those years ago is to make possible the birth of light and love in each of us now. God wants that light of His love to overcome all the darkness that is present in His world.

The whole of society is crying out for it - a new world is needed. That needs you and me to play our part. God gives us His present of Himself, but we have to receive it. We have to say "Yes" to Him. You have to want His love to be at work in you, born and growing in you. God never forces Himself upon you against your will. That would be unloving. And He can't be unloving because He is love.

And so to the resolutions. Are you working for the light of love to overcome the darkness? That is what we all need to resolve to do. We can not do it in our own strength. We need God's help. We need Christ to be born and live in us. We need Christmas to continue in our lives and homes.

So if you have not asked Christ to be born in you or stay growing in you, do. Do ask Him. Make that your first resolution. And if you have already done that, think about where God could use you to bring a little more love or kindness into a situation or relationship. Then resolve to ask Him to help you do exactly that.

That gives lots of scope for all of us to make plenty of New Year resolutions, and (let us hope and pray), keep them. And so, on to a very happy, joyful and blessed New Year.

Anthony Priddis, Bishop of Hereford