Cogges Parish newsletter October 2004

From the newsletter ...

Don't let it pass you by

There is a modern disease that has, as yet, no known cure.

Many clever people have worked tirelessly to find a remedy, but none have proved effective.

This disease is particularly prevalent around Christmas when it seems to afflict mothers and grand mothers more than most. The disease -- 'hurry sickness'. One would think that at least all the amazing technological and scientific advances would have bought us a little more time and space for re-creation and restoration. Just think of all the amazing time saving advances that ought to have enhanced our personal time: two in one shampoos (no need to rinse our hair twice), drive through takeaway food (allowing us to eat in cars as nature intended), food scanners in supermarkets, 5 items or less check-outs (why do they always have the longest queue?), broad-band internet access (now we can go 'online' in five seconds instead of twenty -- trouble is, we stay online twenty times longer!)

Our world has become the world of the Red Queen in 'Alice and Wonderland: "Now here, you see, it takes all the running you can do, to keep in the same place. If you want to get somewhere else, you must run at least twice as fast as that!"

So here is the question for you, "Have all the amazing time saving ideas increased your own personal time? Have they enabled you to find another day on the golf course or a fourth session at the gym or an extra night at home with your family?" Can you at least say honestly that you have a general sense of more time and increased well-being?

The American sociologist, Robert Banks notes that while western society is rich in goods, it is extremely 'time poor'. He says that, in contrast many societies in the two thirds world are poor material possessions by our standards, but they are rich in time.

And from about now I would say you are accelerating towards Christmas as the hype encourages you to do, and the pressure to feed the materialistic appetites of your youngest increases. To live this way, waiting for Christmas, means we will miss much along the way and feel let down if 'the day' doesn't live up to its promise.

In the middle of all the hurry and the preparations and the dead-lines we can choose a different way -a way of proper preparation. As we eagerly pull another fifty pounds from the 'hole-in-the-wall', we could choose to meditate for a moment on the words of a carol churned out from the high street speaker, 'Hark the herald Angels sing, "Glory!" to the new born King' or 'Hail the heaven-born Prince of Peace! Hail the Son of righteousness! Light and life to all he brings, risen with healing in his wings' or 'Peace on earth and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled'.

Your preparations could begin with the lighting of the first candle at the start of Advent or while you watch your five-year-old grandchild perform in the school nativity or as you listen to carol concerts and 'scratch' performances of Handel's Messiah.

The wonder of Christmas is found in the meaning that God attaches to it and not the slant fed to us by the slickest of advertising campaigns. In the birth of Jesus, God has come near to bring light into our darkness and hope into our emptiness.

We would love you to begin your preparations for Christmas with us this year -- we've tried to gear our celebrations in the benefice towards the whole community -- with something for everyone. You'll find a programme of events in this issue and posters on the Priory gate, Church Office and in our local schools.

Wishing you a meaningful Christmas and much peace from all of us at St Mary's.

Andrew Sweeney

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