Religious | Pilgrim's Perch

Looking for the Light

November whirls in with wind, rain and a shortening of the days. A new lockdown has placed certain restrictions on us and that is hard for many of us. The season of remembrance has come and nearly gone – All Saints, All Souls, Remembrance Sunday.

Poppies against skycaps — Poppies for Remembrance

It has been hard, being denied the opportunity to remember and give thanks for all those who have given so much in the past. With the waning of the year and with less freedom our thoughts turn more introspective. We recall, we remember, we give thanks for all those who have been dear to us, who have influenced our lives and who have enabled us to continue living in this beautiful, peaceful country. We have our share of problems – but we have so much to value, too, and for which to be thankful.

Thomas Hardy wrote in The Return of the Native:

‘When the curfew is sounded throughout Nature a spontaneous Promethean rebelliousness rises up in us to light a fire against the darkness and chaos.’

Light is so important at this time of the year. The Hindu festival of lights, Diwali, involves the lighting of clay lamps to ward off darkness and to signify the triumph of good over evil. Muslims have just celebrated the birth of the prophet Muhammad and the Jewish people celebrate the First Day of Hanukkah shortly – another celebration that involves the lighting of lamps. Through all these traditions runs the theme of light – light that shines in darkness and drives away bad things. War is remembered, but in a way that makes people yearn for an end to all wars. In 2000 a millennium prayer was formulated that might be used by people of all backgrounds and which is still so valid today:

‘Let there be respect for the earth, peace for its people, love in our lives, delight in the good, forgiveness for past wrong, and from now on, a new start.’

Michaelmas

The 29th September marks the feast of St Michael, the Archangel, or greatest of the angels – guardian against evil and darkness. This day is also known as Michaelmas and is used by many universities as the name of the autumn term. It is one of the quarter days, when rents used to be paid and debts settled. It comes close to the autumn equinox, when days and nights are of equal length. In the northern hemisphere summer will be fading, autumn draws on and the earth faces the onset of winter. Michaelmas coincides with a time of energy different to that of spring, when everything is bursting into life. Now, as fruits ripen, leaves turn colour and fall, the earth seems to draw in on itself. Energy is focussed inwards and downwards; plants close down their growing cycle and instead rebuild reserves for the next cycle of flourishing in the following year.

Picture of St Michael defeating the devil — St Michael defeats Satan

Legend has it that St Michael fought – and won – a battle against Satan, casting him out of heaven. Satan fell to earth – and landed in a blackberry bush. He was so incensed that he spat on the blackberries, cursing them and giving rise to the belief that it was bad luck to pick and eat blackberries after this date. Instead they should be left as food for birds and other wildlife at a time when natural food supplies were fading.

Fruit of the blackberry bush — Delicious fruit – but watch for the thorns!

The Michaelmas Daisy flowers at this time – one of the last blooms of summer. The colouring is warm, gentle and glowing – a symbol of light in the fading gloom, just as indoor lamps and fires will guard against the darkness and chill of approaching winter.

Pentecost – a special birthday

Ask a lot of folk what the three key festivals in the Christian year are and most would probably have no difficulty naming Christmas and Easter – but the third? With its strange name, ‘Pentecost’, maybe it doesn’t quite slip off the tongue so neatly.

The word comes from the Greek word meaning ‘fiftieth day’ – because it falls fifty days after Easter Sunday – this year on 31st May. It is a celebration because it marks the birthday of the church – the body of Christ’s people. After he had ascended to heaven, Jesus told his disciples to wait in the city for the Holy Spirit, a sign that God would still be with his followers, despite his physical withdrawal. He tells them that they will be ‘clothed with power from on high…’ (Luke 24:49.)

...clothed rom on high — …clothed from on high

The church’s birthday at Pentecost goes largely unnoticed – and how sad that is. We’re told that ‘churchgoing’ is in decline; at the moment, of course, it is almost impossible due to coronavirus restrictions but there are many green shoots of growth and renewal, especially with the vast array of social media and technological communication resources available. ‘Streamed services’ abound; radio and TV have found inventive ways of ensuring that a pattern of worship and reflection is possible. Enforced isolation means that people have found different ways of reaching out to others and there are many heart-warming tales of communities rediscovering links with neighbours through offers of shopping or simply easing loneliness with a chat. So many ways of ‘being church’; of loving God and neighbour; of seeking a more meaningful life enriched with the power and presence of God.

Sun shining in glory above white clouds — Glory from on high

On that first Pentecost the followers of Jesus probably had no idea how the gift promised by Jesus would appear. They had been told to go to Jerusalem and wait. But at last they were rewarded as the Holy Spirit came to ‘inspire’ his people – to breathe new life into them and make their lives all the more joyful. The Holy Spirit appeared as tongues of fire above the head of each disciple and they found they were able to speak in many different tongues, making the message about Jesus available to all people.

It is the same for each one of us today. God does not abandon us at Ascensiontide, when his Son returns from earth to heaven. Instead, God sends a new comforter, or strengthener. In the words of one of the chants from the Taize community in France:

‘The Lord restores you. God does not push you away. The Lord comes to meet you.’

God is with us for all time. The Holy Spirit comes to build up those who love him. And that is truly a birthday we need to celebrate.