James Davy, Blackburn Cathedral's assistant director of music, considers the usefulness of February 29 as a time to reflect on our own experience of Lent so far.
Today is a special day. It comes around only every four years - an 'extra' day in the year, then?
Well, not quite.
It is simply absorbed into our busy calendar and endless round of commitments, deadlines and activities.
advertisement
If it were really an extra day, we could simply repeat a calendar day and use the 24 hours for our own purposes.
At this midpoint of Lent, as Christians, what should we consider using some (if not all) of that time for?
Perhaps on this 'extra day', it would be an opportune moment to catch up on where we are.
Lent is a part of our Christian journey, and not time out'; it is not a period in which we should act differently, only to return to the way we were before.
Should we not hope (even expect) to reach Easter Day somehow changed from the person we were on Shrove Tuesday?
Dare we even to hope to be improved, renewed by our Lenten devotions, and particularly through our sharing with Christ in his return from the wilderness to the events surrounding the consummation of his ministry in Holy Week?
When we recite the text of the Easter Anthems "as in Adam all died, even so in Christ shall all be made alive", will we be conscious of having died to sin at all?
It is a bit late at that point to wish that we had used Lent more creatively to help God (as much as we can) to fashion a better person in us, alive to God and his resurrected world.
All that is a long way off, but halfway through Lent as we are, it is worth remembering that Lent is a period of change; there is no one single moment where everything falls into place and we can relax until Easter.
That said, why not use a moment - five minutes, if that is all you have - on February 29 to take stock of your life - not just the spiritual parts either - and see; are you on the right lines?
There's still time to take up a Lent book, attend Wednesday night Compline or catch up on the series of sermons exploring the Eucharist and our relation to it (at the 9 & 10.30 am services on Sundays).
No, Christ didn't pop back from the wilderness for a quick break halfway through, and I'm not suggesting a furtive trip to the biscuit tin, but it would do us good to see where we are, where we would hope to be by Easter Day, and whether we might need to re-centre our aims to achieve our hoped-for change.
I suspect that given an extra 24 hours, preferably with good weather, we would be inclined to use it to get away from the stress and anxiety of day-to-day living, even just for a moment.
So why not do that, and following the suggestions of Sophie, Tom and other bloggers, pop into the Cathedral today and take stock of your life.
Posted by: James Davy, Blackburn Cathedral on 12:03pm Fri 29 Feb 08
Perhaps I should have added that comments would be very welcome from readers who might have taken the opportunity to reflect on their Lent journey, if they would like to share them. So far the comments section seems to have been something of a closed shop.
Perhaps I should have added that comments would be very welcome from readers who might have taken the opportunity to reflect on their Lent journey, if they would like to share them. So far the comments section seems to have been something of a closed shop.
Posted by: Joseph Yossarian, Accy on 12:13pm Fri 29 Feb 08
My lent journey will mostly be spent on the M6, I suspect.
Today, in particular, my journey will be one of 29th Feb "girlfriend avoidance...."
And there is absolutely no need to enter gods house to take stock on one's life; I shall take stock of mine from the top of Coniston.
My lent journey will mostly be spent on the M6, I suspect.
Today, in particular, my journey will be one of 29th Feb "girlfriend avoidance...."
And there is absolutely no need to enter gods house to take stock on one's life; I shall take stock of mine from the top of Coniston.
Posted by: simplysimon, Burnley on 3:28pm Fri 29 Feb 08
Dear James,
If a Man is Breathing, he is right on target with his Life. He is right there on the money. Taking stock and making endless modifications and changing his outer circumstances is of no benefit to God.
I often wonder how, you me or anyone can be of any benefit to God. Unless God is a bit helpless and if God does needs our help, then it makes me wonder just how All-Powerful an All Powerful God is.
When I was about seven years old my dad stole me a bike. He was Theif. It was my first bike. He obviously wasn't a very good theif as I had to wait seven years before he got round to finding me one. It was just after he stole me the bike that he went to prison. It was about that same time that I realised he was not a very competent thief.
I had never had a bike. I had seen other People riding bikes. It looked like fun. It was a nice bike, a new bike all shiny and silver and blue with one wheel at the front and another one at the back. It even had a lights! I didn't know that much about Life but I knew it was definitely a bike.
I knew what the pedals were for and I knew what the saddle was for and I knew that having a bike was a more or less normal thing to have. A lot of other People had Bikes.
But there was some thing missing. Something that I did not understand. Something that I did not know. The bike was complete in every way, but there was still something about that bike that made it incomplete.
It was my Knowledge of how to ride that bike that was missing. There was something that the bike could not do for me. Something my Dad couldn't show me. Something that no-other person on the face of this earth living or dead could actually show me.
Other People could give me the theory, the instructions, the Knowledge that they had. They could tell me how how to ride the bike, but there was something very simple, but very Vital that they could not tell me. Something that no amount of bike manuals and no amount of instructions and no amount of study could ever, ever teach me.
Before I could get any benefit from having the bike. I had to discover something. I had to discover it for myself. No body else could discover it for me, and although many others had discovered it. Their Discovery was of absolutely no benefit whatsoever to me.
Balance was important. I knew I had to be a ble to balance. but even that knowledge wasn't enough. It was something more than balance. I had balanced things before. I knew about balance. Balance was only the visible part of the equation. It was something more than just balance. And I needed to Know what that something was. I really needed to Know!
Dear James,
If a Man is Breathing, he is right on target with his Life. He is right there on the money. Taking stock and making endless modifications and changing his outer circumstances is of no benefit to God.
I often wonder how, you me or anyone can be of any benefit to God. Unless God is a bit helpless and if God does needs our help, then it makes me wonder just how All-Powerful an All Powerful God is.
When I was about seven years old my dad stole me a bike. He was Theif. It was my first bike. He obviously wasn't a very good theif as I had to wait seven years before he got round to finding me one. It was just after he stole me the bike that he went to prison. It was about that same time that I realised he was not a very competent thief.
I had never had a bike. I had seen other People riding bikes. It looked like fun. It was a nice bike, a new bike all shiny and silver and blue with one wheel at the front and another one at the back. It even had a lights! I didn't know that much about Life but I knew it was definitely a bike.
I knew what the pedals were for and I knew what the saddle was for and I knew that having a bike was a more or less normal thing to have. A lot of other People had Bikes.
But there was some thing missing. Something that I did not understand. Something that I did not know. The bike was complete in every way, but there was still something about that bike that made it incomplete.
It was my Knowledge of how to ride that bike that was missing. There was something that the bike could not do for me. Something my Dad couldn't show me. Something that no-other person on the face of this earth living or dead could actually show me.
Other People could give me the theory, the instructions, the Knowledge that they had. They could tell me how how to ride the bike, but there was something very simple, but very Vital that they could not tell me. Something that no amount of bike manuals and no amount of instructions and no amount of study could ever, ever teach me.
Before I could get any benefit from having the bike. I had to discover something. I had to discover it for myself. No body else could discover it for me, and although many others had discovered it. Their Discovery was of absolutely no benefit whatsoever to me.
Balance was important. I knew I had to be a ble to balance. but even that knowledge wasn't enough. It was something more than balance. I had balanced things before. I knew about balance. Balance was only the visible part of the equation. It was something more than just balance. And I needed to Know what that something was. I really needed to Know!
Posted by: Simplysimon, Burnley on 3:34pm Fri 29 Feb 08
On this planet, there are some People who really, really, really, feel they need to Know!
Religions can do nothing for them. They need to Know! and they Know they need to Know.
On this planet, there are some People who really, really, really, feel they need to Know!
Religions can do nothing for them. They need to Know! and they Know they need to Know.
Posted by: James Davy, Blackburn Cathedral on 4:16pm Fri 29 Feb 08
Thank you for an interesting comment, simplysimon. I must take you up on your first comment and say that it simply isn't true. Is Robert Mugabe right on target with his life? How about a serial killer? A person who tortures animals for fun, or the people who have according to a recent news item have apparently burnt an Italian mayor alive in his car? I think most people would consider that there is more being 'right on target with your life' than simply breathing.
To take further your point about Knowing, I think it's a little wide of the mark to say that we can learn nothing from others. Admittedly, there are somethings we must find out for ourselves, but part of our human nature is that we are all given different gifts, and it is up to those with particular specialisms in their own fields to teach the rest of us, and we can be receptive to the teaching or not according to our willingness to acceopt the underlying message. This is a key factor in the current troubles of the Anglican 'Communion' at the moment.
Readers of these blogs will have noticed that the tone of Christian message has been presented without hectoring, from personal viewpoints and with genuine conviction. Why? Are they not people who[quote]really, really, really, feel they need to Know![/quote] I know that I am. Yet, you say [quote]Religions can do nothing for them[/quote] On the contrary. Religious thinkers and philosophers down the ages have found that the quest for knowledge has taken them towards a deeper personal understanding of God (if we can claim to have one at all). It may be perceived from an objective viewpoint that they are still no better off, but are they any worse off?
The broader point is this: Christians and those of other faiths believe in their God, and his love for the world. If others do not, what is that to us? We can attempt to show them the pathway that we choose to walk, and their response is their own. Equally, those who do not believe in a loving God need not be troubled by those of us that do. For surely, if there is no God, it doesn’t matter whether or not we believe in one. Let's have more discussion on these comment pages, please.
Thank you for an interesting comment, simplysimon. I must take you up on your first comment and say that it simply isn't true. Is Robert Mugabe right on target with his life? How about a serial killer? A person who tortures animals for fun, or the people who have according to a recent news item have apparently burnt an Italian mayor alive in his car? I think most people would consider that there is more being 'right on target with your life' than simply breathing.
To take further your point about Knowing, I think it's a little wide of the mark to say that we can learn nothing from others. Admittedly, there are somethings we must find out for ourselves, but part of our human nature is that we are all given different gifts, and it is up to those with particular specialisms in their own fields to teach the rest of us, and we can be receptive to the teaching or not according to our willingness to acceopt the underlying message. This is a key factor in the current troubles of the Anglican 'Communion' at the moment.
Readers of these blogs will have noticed that the tone of Christian message has been presented without hectoring, from personal viewpoints and with genuine conviction. Why? Are they not people who
really, really, really, feel they need to Know!
I know that I am. Yet, you say
Religions can do nothing for them
On the contrary. Religious thinkers and philosophers down the ages have found that the quest for knowledge has taken them towards a deeper personal understanding of God (if we can claim to have one at all). It may be perceived from an objective viewpoint that they are still no better off, but are they any worse off?
The broader point is this: Christians and those of other faiths believe in their God, and his love for the world. If others do not, what is that to us? We can attempt to show them the pathway that we choose to walk, and their response is their own. Equally, those who do not believe in a loving God need not be troubled by those of us that do. For surely, if there is no God, it doesn’t matter whether or not we believe in one. Let's have more discussion on these comment pages, please.
Posted by: Simplysimon, Burnley on 5:02pm Fri 29 Feb 08
Religion is not able to make everyone 'good' it does not transform every Robert Mugabe into a Mother Theresa. It does NOT stop violence and killing or oppression. It has not solved POVERTY.
Inventing a 'TARGET' whether it is a religious one or a non- religious one is not going to change anything. Believing is not going to change anything. Simply by substituting Knowing with believing is not a solution of any kind. It is a compromise, a cop out.
When I am talking about Breathing I am talking about enjoying the Serenity and the Knowledge that comes along with it. I am not presenting it as an Intellectual remedy that will solve the problems that Religion has failed to resolve. Breathing did not create the problems.
With regard to my point about [bold]Knowing.[/bold] Just because something is Invisible does not mean it does not exist. It does not mean it is impossible to Discover it.
My analogy about the bike is about The Visible Balance. This can be seen by others when I am riding the bike.
But until that Moment comes when I Discover the [bold]Invisible Sense[/bold] of Balance. Nobody can see that. Even when I am doing something other than riding the bike. I never lose it once I have Discovered it.
I might lose the bike. But I do not lose the Knowledge I need to ride a bike. That Knowledge is Fundamental, but it still has to be Discovered.
With regard to God. I am not sure what you mean by a deeper personal understanding of God. It seems to suggest some People have a shallower one than others.
Either you know what God is or you don't.
Religion is not able to make everyone 'good' it does not transform every Robert Mugabe into a Mother Theresa. It does NOT stop violence and killing or oppression. It has not solved POVERTY.
Inventing a 'TARGET' whether it is a religious one or a non- religious one is not going to change anything. Believing is not going to change anything. Simply by substituting Knowing with believing is not a solution of any kind. It is a compromise, a cop out.
When I am talking about Breathing I am talking about enjoying the Serenity and the Knowledge that comes along with it. I am not presenting it as an Intellectual remedy that will solve the problems that Religion has failed to resolve. Breathing did not create the problems.
With regard to my point about Knowing. Just because something is Invisible does not mean it does not exist. It does not mean it is impossible to Discover it.
My analogy about the bike is about The Visible Balance. This can be seen by others when I am riding the bike.
But until that Moment comes when I Discover the Invisible Sense of Balance. Nobody can see that. Even when I am doing something other than riding the bike. I never lose it once I have Discovered it.
I might lose the bike. But I do not lose the Knowledge I need to ride a bike. That Knowledge is Fundamental, but it still has to be Discovered.
With regard to God. I am not sure what you mean by a deeper personal understanding of God. It seems to suggest some People have a shallower one than others.
Posted by: Simplysimon, burnley on 5:18pm Fri 29 Feb 08
A lot of Religious People constantly use the word God. I am not so sure any of them have any Knowledge of what, who, where God actually is.
I get the impression that People have put the word before the ACTUAL! It's been going on for a very long time!
The word WATER, to my Knowledge, has never, ever, ever, quenched any ones THIRST! there is nothing wrong with the word Water. AS LONG AS THE THIRST IS QUENCHED!
religion has fallen into the realm of nice sounding spiritual words. I don't want words. I want to Know God!
Can Religion show me The Eternal God? If it cannot do that. It should move over and stop presenting itself as a way to find God.
A lot of Religious People constantly use the word God. I am not so sure any of them have any Knowledge of what, who, where God actually is.
I get the impression that People have put the word before the ACTUAL! It's been going on for a very long time!
The word WATER, to my Knowledge, has never, ever, ever, quenched any ones THIRST! there is nothing wrong with the word Water. AS LONG AS THE THIRST IS QUENCHED!
religion has fallen into the realm of nice sounding spiritual words. I don't want words. I want to Know God!
Can Religion show me The Eternal God? If it cannot do that. It should move over and stop presenting itself as a way to find God.
If you liked this article and would like to share it with others on the web who might be searching for good content we've made it easy for you to do it.
At the bottom of all articles, you'll see links to six sites. These sites - commonly called 'social bookmark' or 'social news' sites - have large communities of web users who share and rate interesting, useful and fun things on the web.
Clicking the links will automatically add the address of the story you are reading to one of these sites, letting you share it with others. Each site will ask you to register to share stories. Registration is free and once a member, you can store, recommend and search for stories that interest you.
Print
Email this
Comment
