Hebrews 4:1ff. Through obedient faith, directed especially towards Jesus, we enter into our “rest” – a state of fulfilment that echoes God’s celebration of creation, on the seventh day.

Mark 2:1ff. A crowd gathers round Jesus, at his lakeside home …

by Brendan Hoban in the Western People

Apart from the turkey sandwiches, one of the tedious sides of the post-Christmas season is answering the question, ‘Well, how did you get over the Christmas?’ Every year that question haunts us at every turn, even though we have a number of predictable answers to bat it away. Like, ‘Sure you wouldn’t think it was Christmas at all’; ‘Nothing to watch on the television’ and ‘Isn’t it Christmas all the year round now’ - though that latter remark may be losing its sheen.