
So why is any of this important?...
And the colouring is both FUN and meaningful This week as I always do on the second Wednesday I visited the four retirement villages and nursing homes for which our parish is responsible, to take communion to the Anglican residents. ( And by the way, if that is something you would like to help with please let me know- my current team of two would be happy for additions!) When we went to Salem, as we went from room to room, we discovered that the current craze for adult colouring in had taken hold. Some of the pictures that had been filled in were just beautiful and a real expression of the heart and soul of the person. One lady told us how peaceful and prayerful it made her feel. Another spoke of how, unable to sleep, in pain and unable to concentrate on anything, she had taken up her coloured pencils and found herself in a very short time in a much better place and able to relax and sleep. When I looked into the faces of those residents I saw that they were lighter, brighter and filled with a new sense of joy and purpose. Such a little thing! Yet the sharing of that brightness and colour and the sheer joy of human creativity seemed to bring a new joy and gentleness to the whole place.
Which brings me to our reading from Phillippians. ' Let your gentleness be known to everyone'. Gentleness is so important and yet as people of faith we can be so rough with ourselves and others at times. Think of the things that we know that we must treat gently - new born babies, little chicks and the eggs they hatch from, delicate fabrics, fine blown glass. Already in your body I bet you can feel the softening and the reverence that is needed to handle those things with care. What if when we looked at another person - whether someone we know, or a stranger, or even someone on the news, no matter who they were or what they were doing, we consciously sought to hold them with the same soft and gentle gaze we usually reserve for the new born and the butterfly. Just imagine if we all did that, what a difference it would make in the world. Now of course we are not going to manage it all or even most of the time. But by the grace of God we can start to practise. When we are standing in line at the checkout, let's show some gentleness to the sales assistants and our fellow customers especially at this busy time. When we feel ourselves stretching and straining to achieve all those things we tell ourselves simply must be done - let's practise just turning that gentle gaze on ourselves and letting things be.
As the letter to the Philippians says, echoing the words of Jesus, 'do not worry about anything' - for worry is the opposite of trust. When we truly trust God, then we can be gentle with ourselves and others, and from that flows peace - God's peace that surpasses our understanding. For it is a peace that allows for joy amid the sorrow and striving of the world; a peace that comes unbidden in the midst of all our demand for control and reward; a peace that cannot be taken from us, no matter the outward circumstances of our world. And this indeed a cause for rejoicing. So on this Gaudete Sunday I am going in conclusion to invite you to sing with me the little chorus based on this passage from Philippians, Rejoice in the Lord always.
Rejoice in the Lord always
And again I say rejoice
Rejoice in the Lord always
And again I say rejoice!
Rejoice! Rejoice!
And again I say Rejoice!
Rejoice! Rejoice!
And again I say rejoice!
Penny Jones, for Advent 3 Year C, Sunday 13 December 2015