The Eighth Day of Christmas. A Blessing for the New Year

Dear fellow pilgrim,

On this first day of the new year we greet you warmly. You might have arrived here weary or happy, burdened or hopeful, or may be with some of all. How ever you did, you are welcome here.

“You are a God who sees me.” (“Du bist ein Gott, der mich sieht…”) is the Bible text for the 2023 (Gen 16:13) which welcomes pilgrims all over the world into the new year. Don’t we all long to be seen? Truly and deeply. As the one who we are and who we long to become? To be seen in the depth of our heart is the healing balm this new year wants to offer you.

And so today, at the beginning of the new year and at the 8th day of Christmas and at the first Sunday of the year we invite you to walk into this new year with hope and courage.

Because it is a good tradition around the globe we will indeed welcome the new year with a new year’s walk. We awoke to spring like temperatures here in Berlin and are now looking forward to fill our lungs with fresh air and probably also jump into some p…