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Today is indeed the day after the day before. At this time of the morning, I may not be able to remember exactly who sent me which gift, but the impressions made on me by the eleven carol services I attended throughout Advent remain vivid. Advent is a season of reflection before embarking on Christmas itself. It reminds me that if Christmas is going to be about more than one day, then I need to allow its message to actually permeate my life. That Christmas is about more than a day or a season is often lost in the indecent amount of food and alcohol we consume. Its message of love, joy and peace, gets lost in the blur of one party after another, and the madness of Black Friday and cyber Monday. Small wonder that some people simply can’t wait for it all to be over. Well the day is over so- , what next, do we go back to our normal day to day routine, untouched by the experiences we have had or might we use this time as a springboard for the New Year which is looming. For one of my colleagues, this will have indeed been an unforgettable season. The Revd Libby Lane was announced as the Church of England’s first woman bishop - a moment of absolute joy for those who had prayed and worked tirelessly for it. We’d be mistaken however, if as a church we think we are done! There’s so much more to come, as the ministry of women becomes established within the leadership of the Church. As the Chaplain to Parliament I’m aware of some significant dates ahead of us in 2015. We’ll be celebrating the 800th anniversary of Magna Carta and the 750th anniversary of the Simon de Montfort Parliament; both contributed to the foundations of our parliamentary democracy. As we prepare for these commemorations we need to make sure that we don’t just focus on the celebrations on “the day, ” but build on the legacy that we have received. And then in May we have ‘the General Election, a day that will come and go in no time, and which - like Christmas – many will simply be wanting to wish away. And again this is not just about ‘the day.’ It’s about how politicians represent and respond to the needs of those whom they serve in-between elections; for service is at the heart of their calling. On the day that she heard she would be giving birth to Jesus, Mary sang a song of celebration, but it was also a song of expectation. The shepherds, the angels and a cute little baby - those may have been the details of the day – but it was a new future that was coming.