Hello again.
What did you do over the Platinum Jubilee weekend? Did you attend events or watch services? I want to hear all about it – drop me a line! It all makes excellent sermon material! (Naturally, you will not be quoted in person, or held up to public ridicule during any church service or sermon. And all replies will be treated with the utmost village confidentiality and respect, which means, I’ll give it to about lunchtime before EVERYONE knows!)
Naturally, I jest. You can trust me. I am a man of the cloth. And an accountant. And I’m also quite good with puppets.
Talking of which, did you see the Hascombe Village Fete Punch and Judy show? My three-year-old was transfixed by the Victorian colour, melodrama and violence of it all! Doesn’t do them any harm at all, in my humble opinion… far too protective, parents these days. There were no safety assessments when I was rolling around in the dirt and the woods at the age of seven. As one of our church wardens tee shirts boldly declares: ‘It’s not MY fault if they left me unsupervised!’
I hope many of us will have some good memories of the long weekend, as I do. From Her Majesty’s wonderfully engaging sketch with Paddington Bear, to Prince Louis holding his ears during the flypast (never do a live show with children or animals?) to England actually winning a test match (I am unsure which causes more anxiety or stress – winning or losing? Discuss!)
I missed all the rocky horror show rock concerts and trooping of the colour parades (too busy with church stuff) but I bet they were spectacular also.
Did we all need cheering up? Yes, absolutely. From years of Covid and lockdowns, to environmental disaster messages (not minimising those – but it’s hard work sometimes!) to bitter disputes in national and European politics, to crazy rising prices, and then the ghastly Ukraine war and its global implications.
Did we need something to cheer about? Well, judging from the millions who tuned in and turned out for the celebrations and events, dead right we did.
So, what happens when the parades are over? Back to work, back to difficulties, back to nothing to cheer about?
Well, I suppose that’s rather up to us. The Christian message is one of hope in despair, light in darkness, and life out of death. We are a resurrection people, and Easter is our song.
The message of the Bible is that there is new life in Christ precisely to carry us forwards into Monday mornings, when God can be a living reality of light and hope in the everyday.
Christians, of all people, believe in transcendence – that is, being changed from one degree of glory into another. Through faith in Christ, Monday can be even better than Sunday! Let’s pray, and give it a try. Feedback please.
Of course, it can work the other way. For example, how do you turn an ordinary bed into a sofa bed? Simple. Just forget your wife’s birthday.
And if that doesn’t get me into trouble, nothing will.
Have a lovely week, everyone.