From the Rector

February 2012

When she was a guest in Dictionary Corner on the TV show Countdown, the British former politician Ann Widdecombe told the story of how, when she was an MP, an angry constituent phoned to tell her that his daughter’s pencil case had been stolen at school. Miss Widdecombe expressed polite sympathy, but asked how it concerned her.

“Its standards,” he said, and proceeded to hold forth about declining morals. Wondering whether he had financial worries, she asked whether he was able to replace the missing items. “Oh, that’s no problem,” replied the man, “I can always get more stationery from the office.”

It is so often easier to spot what is wrong with other people than to see the errors in our own lives.  I have always found the passage Jesus teaches on passing judgement during his Sermon on the Mount very challenging:

“’Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your eye?  How can you say to your brother, “Let me take the speck out of your eye,” when all the time there is a plank in your own eye?  You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your own brother’s eye.’” (Matthew ch7 v3-5).

In a short while we will be entering the season of Lent, an opportunity for us, as it were, to remove the “plank” from our own perspectives.  It is a period in our lives where we can have a “deep clean” and reflect on our own attitudes.

Lent, as many of you are aware is the period the church’s calendar from Ash Wednesday (22nd February) to Easter.  The traditional historical purpose of Lent was the preparation of the believer – through prayer, repentance, almsgiving and self-denial – for the annual commemoration during Holy Week of the Death and Resurrection of Jesus, which recalls the events linked to the Passion of Christ and culminates in Easter, the celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Now we will still have a Lent course which helps with this preparation for Easter - an opportunity for reflection and growth.  Lent provides a period when we can look closely at our lives.  However, the disciplines of prayer, repentance and self-denial are quite remote from much of our present day living.  Society is very much geared up for the fast-lane and people are trying to cram as much in to their lives as possible, ensuring they make the most of life. In doing so, we can neglect our souls which need attention.  Inevitably a time comes in everybody’s life where they feel the need to pull-back.  What they were striving for and what once they once rushed to and fro for, seem less attractive and a slower and more relationship based life is now sought.  I think this is the reason why television programmes, such as “Escape to the Country” are popular and appealing. 
Usually a couple decides they have had enough of city life and feel a need to go and live the countryside.  They cite various reasons for this change and then are shown several idyllic houses within their budget (which tend to be outside the budget of most people!). 

The idea of the programme is that this move to the countryside will provide them with an attractive, comfortable environment, peaceful and secure living conditions where they hope to find a sense of inner-fulfillment.  However, when we try and fill our lives with ‘wholesome’ things all we are doing is effectively sticking plaster over the ailment.  This ‘ache’ this ‘call’ is partly a reflection of their greatest need which is a personal relationship with God.  The real need, and this comes from our being created in the image of God, is to enjoy friendship with our maker.  “Our souls are restless till they find their rest in thee.” (Augustine)

Lent becomes a time to search, to discover, to get in touch with our real selves and maybe to hear and to listen to that gentle call of God on our lives.