...to round off the Year of Faith. The Blessed Sacrament carried aloft beneath a canopy held up by four very study young men, who responded to an appeal at the end of Mass and tackled the task of getting the whole thing through the church door with vigour...a large flock of people, Sunday School children wearing brightly coloured crowns studded with glitter etc and with hand-written messages like "Jesus in our king"...all preceded by a loud ringing of the bell and a great Cross and much swirling of incense, and candles held in those useful glass thingummys on poles, so they don't putter out. We sang "Hail Redeemer King Divine - all eight (or it is ten? haven't got the sheet with me) verses again and again...this actually worked better than trying to cope with different hymns, and the volunteer stewards in day-glow jackets kept us moving...down the Borough High Street...Workmen at the War Memorial (being dismantled for repairs) stared a bit but none removed their helmets or showed any interest...
Only a few years ago, a religious procession with servers and a cross and loud singing, would have meant some passers-by pulling off their hats and/or crossing themselves. Now, at least in The Borough High Street, you get indifference, except for lots of people snapping on mobile phones. It's as if people can't enjoy reality, only a picture of reality...
After Benediction, a gathering in the Parish Room with some delicious snacks and fizz...
An afternoon visit to a beloved elderly relation. Yesterday at Towards Advent I was given a copy of Johnann Christoph Arnold's new book "Rich in Years" which has some wise and helpful thoughts on this subject. The Alliance of Pro-Life Students is distributing it around...warmly recommended...
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