Goodbyes

We've had a spate of funerals in the past three months - my brother Colin on 19th September, Cathy's mother-in-law Marian on 18th November (Colin's birthday!) and our friend from Kennington days, Bert Brown on 25th November.   Colin having professed himself to be a non-believer, his service was somewhat muted: conducted by Revd Talisker MacLeod from the church my sister Margaret attended for many years, she steered a delicate path between atheism and Christianity.   Some commented on her unusual Christian name but the history of the MacLeods shows it to be entirely appropriate.   Marian's was even less religious - no prayers except the Lord's Prayer, no priest but an "Independent Minister", who spoke very well about the way Marian had enriched the lives of so many people and will live on in our hearts.  Bert's was the most "orthodox", conducted by Deacon Beverley Miles.   Bert was a World War II veteran and two poems reflected this: at the start of the service -

"When you come to the end of a perfect day and you sit alone with your thoughts,
While the chimes ring out with a carol gay for the joys that the day has bought,
Do you think what the end of a perfect day  can mean to  tired heart ?
When the sun goes does with a flaming ray and the dear hearts have to part?
Well, this is the end of a perfect day, near the end of the journey, too,
But it leaves a thought that is big and strong with a wish that is kind and true.
For memory has painted this perfect day with colours that never fade,
And we find at the end of a perfect day the soul of a friend we’ve made."

And at the end .......

“Miss me, but let me go.......”

"When I come to the end of the road and the sun has set for me,
I want no tears in a gloom filled room - why cry for a soul set free?
Miss me a little, but not for long, and not with your head bowed low,
Remember the love that we shared - miss me but let me go
For this is the journey we all must take and each must go alone
It’s all part of the Maker’s plan a step on the road to home.
When you are lonely and sick of heart, go to the friends that we know
And bury your sorrows in doing good works - miss me, but let me go."

May they all rest in peace.

All Saints 2011

A lovely service on 30 October in a small, ancient country church seating about 75 - there were about 80 of us! How appropriate that it falls so near Remembrance Sunday - we all sang lustily "For all the Saints" which I always confuse with "O Valiant Hearts".
Next is All Souls - but I will not be praying FOR my loved ones, I will be asking them to pray for me, and to forgive all the opportunities I missed to demonstrate my love for them whilst they were still with us.   My brother Colin was my most recent loss: he was exactly a year and four days younger than me and we grew up almost as twins.   He was heartbroken when I had to leave him to go to school, so Mother had a word with the headmistress and he was allowed to start with me.   Later that first morning Mother heard a tapping at the front door and there was Colin - he had walked home from school, only about a quarter of a mile, no busy roads, but Mother was surprised to see him.   "What are you doing here?" she asked.   "I've finished" said Colin.   "What do you mean, 'finished'?"   "I've learnt everything" he said with confidence.   He was like that: he used to say - in fun of course - "If I had a fault, which I haven't, it would be modesty".   May they all rest in peace.

Intercessions (Bidding Prayers)

After age 80 I thought I'd "done my bit" so I withdrew into the shadows, but I was badgered into leading the prayers so eventually I agreed.   I thought I just had to read out what the Vicar had written - but, no - "It's your job to  write them".   Oh, my - what have I let myself in for?   In spite of war and public service I was almost voiceless the first time but I'm getting bolder.   In fact, the Vicar has to remind us that we're talking to Abba (Michael Wenham once addressed him as 'Daddy' to show the true relationship).   So last Sunday I prayed first for the Church - "We pray for ourselves, Father - your Church - keep us ever mindful of the task your Son has set us - to proclaim your Gospel of love throughout the world.   And as you have called us to your service, make us worthy of that calling."   And so it went on, to "current affairs" - Norway was much in mind but I wanted to convey to Our Father that it wasn't His fault.  "Abroad, we pray for our brothers and sisters in Norway: we know,  Father, that you have taken into Your loving arms those who have died in that terrible man-made disaster; please comfort those who mourn, heal those who are sick or in any way distressed and bless those who care for them."   It amazes me how calm I feel AFTERWARDS!

The Church Militant here on Earth

I tend to think of the "Daily Telegraph" as the "Daily Catholic Herald" because they are so Papist in their views - which, I suppose, is why they don't publish my letters unless I am praising the Pope!   So here's the latest one:      
"I can assure "Anglican leaders" that the Church of England will NOT be dead in 20 years (Article, July 13): we have Christ's own promise; hopefully, though, many of those "Anglican leaders" will be - and we might then have younger, more dynamic bishops (including women) who will fight tenaciously for the Church Militant here on Earth."

I think of the pathetic way the Archbishop of Canterbury appeared on a platform with the Archbishop of Westminster and did not point out that, just at the Church of Rome welcomes Anglicans, so the Church of England welcomes EVERYBODY.   Now I feel better.

Blessed John Paul II

In January 1979 my wife and I visited Rome.   Inevitably, one highlight  was to be attendance at the Pope’s weekly General Audience in the Paul VI Audience Hall - a huge building that can hold over 6,000 people.   Like any other theatre it has a stage at one end and the usual procedure is for the Pope to enter from one side and take his place on the centre-stage throne.   To get the best seats you must  arrive hours before His Holiness: alas, we didn’t and found ourselves at the very back of the hall with the stage almost out of sight in the far distance.   Then there was a sudden commotion and the great door on which I was leaning swung open - and there was the Pope!   Because he was “new to the job” (he had only been elected three months before) he had decided on a whim to break with protocol and enter the Hall through the back door - and thus I was the first person he saw: he made straight for me and shook my hand!   I am not one of his flock but it was a very moving - yet puzzling - encounter.   Although it was the Pope’s face I was looking at, I had the feeling that the eyes looking at me were those of Jesus Himself - and He was pleading.   Pleading?   Later I saw it as a “let me out!” cry: here He was, trapped in all the ceremonial of the Church of Rome when He wanted to be out among His people.   Oh, well: we Anglicans are not the only Christians to have funny notions from time to time.   I still cherish that moment.

Easter 2011

What an Easter it has been, spiritually and meteorologically!   On Good Friday we had an ecumenical Stations of the Cross, conducted to great approval by the Anglican vicar; on Saturday we broke our Lenten fasts; on Sunday we had a magnificent service of Holy Communion; and today we had a picnic (in the churchyard, almost!) at East Garston, near Lambourn.   In the churchyard itself was the most wonderful Easter Garden I have ever seen.   I don't deserve such happiness.........

Cuts

It is right that Christians (and others) should 'look after' our weaker brethren - helping lame dogs over styles and that sort of thing - but we should do it with our own resources, NOT WITH BORROWED MONEY.   That's the reason our national finances are in the mess they are today.   So no-one should say "Not us!" - we must all play our part to live within our national income - it is only legitimate to question how and when the cuts must fall.