The period between Christmas and New Year is a pause, a week of stillness, a winding down, a well-deserved rest. This week is metaphorically a silence, a time to be still, to reflect. Such moments— whether they be a few minutes, about the space of half an hour, a full day or a period of days—are moments of awe and reverence. Our lives are full, they bustle with activity, expectation and responsibility. It is important to take moments of silence and stillness to adjust, to recalibrate, to realign with the world. Sometimes this is after a big, important event, sometimes it is given to us by routine, such as the sabbath. This particular moment in Revelation is of the former kind. The seven unopenable seals have been opened, the future has been revealed. Of course there will be silence. How else to respond? We need time to absorb and process extraordinary events; we need to prepare for whatever is expected of us next. The angels have work to do, God's work. Such work cannot be taken lightly.

At this time of year we have work to do too, a rearrangement, a take-down, a clean up, and a whole year ahead to plan for. But not today. Today is our moment of stillness, our quiet time. For some it will be a few hours, perhaps a day or two. I plan for the full week, seven slow, calm days, home with my family, enjoying the fruits of our labour, the outpourings of our love. Soon we will make a great noise, trumpets blaring, but not today. Today is simply a pause.