We look forward to the event. But we aren’t so good at looking beyond it.

In Advent, we anticipate God’s inbreaking into the world. And then, when Christmas comes, we celebrate like crazy. We go to church, give each other gifts, play festive music, and eat really, really well.

And the Christmas season culminates with Epiphany and the baptism of our Lord.

And then? It’s the question we ask after baptism, confirmation, ordination—what’s next?

This is the paradox of goal-setting and accomplishing. Of wanting to change and then changing. You did it! What’s next?

We don’t have to know. But we have to acknowledge to ourselves that there is an after. And that’s when the magic happens.