The Impossible (and Unnecessary) Choice The ever-popular BBC radio programme Desert Island Discs concludes each episode by asking its celebrity guest to choose just one luxury and one book for their imaginary far-away exile. They will already have The Bible and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare available - as if that wouldn’t be enough. I struggle to decide what book I’d choose: perhaps it might always be “the one I’m reading at the moment”. For many of us a favourite book is at once companion, doorway into another world, glimpse into the mind of its author, source of delight and more besides. For many years I foolishly pooh-poohed those (like my dear wife) who, as I thought, escaped everyday reality by reading novels. I wanted to deal with reality, things that matter. But mercifully, I now know better. My more recent cumulative experience of numerous readings of books such as Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, Tolstoy’s War and Peace, Hilary Mantel’s trilogy Wolf Hall and Marilyn Robinson’s four (so far) superlative Gilead novels, have transformed my understanding. There’s not much that beats a good book - other than a good friend with whom to endlessly enthuse, discuss and share one’s favourites. ‘Mind you’, quipped Professor C S Lewis, ‘a book’s no good to me until I’ve read it two or three times.’ Well, goodness knows how many times I’ve read parts of The Bible and still I wouldn’t want to live without that very close to hand. I confess, I’ve yet to make a proper start on Shakespeare, so a challenge awaits. However, for sheer absorption, imagination, profound insight, tears and laughter, give me Tolkien’s masterpiece. But, oh what a relief … I don’t have to choose! The Rev’d Dr Richard Hines Rural Dean for Wisbech Lynn Marshland richard.hines@outlook.com
Counting the cost of Christmas In late October, the popular BBC R4 consumer programme You and Yours asked how much listeners planned to spend this Christmas? It signalled the start of our annual national anxiety fest, as once again we heap countless unrealistic expectations upon each other. All will be focussed on ensuring at great cost that for one or two days in mid-winter everything will be ‘just right’, everybody warm, reassuring, peaceful and generous with each other. Truly, the year that soon draws to a close has brought many grim events – some of which continue to weigh heavily upon our collective human heart. The desire to blank out the darkness and despair is understandable. But an authentic Christian celebration of Christmas offers a realistic way of acknowledging that pain, expressing prayerful yearnings for justice and peace, and renewing the rich experience of shared communal blessings and joy. When, as the Gospel declares on Christmas Eve, ‘the Light shines in the darkness but the darkness has not overcome it’, it speaks of a conviction that the Eternal Creator God entered our time and space in Bethlehem, was born as Jesus to live, suffer violence and be killed - but also be raised by Resurrection from death. This was and remains the great Sign, Promise and Hope that God has, in our place and on our behalf, overcome humankind’s great enemy (death), and so turned a corner in human history. Our share in that unshakeable Hope and new life remains to this very day for each to receive. By listening carefully to the traditional Christmas readings in church, on radio or TV, and to the best Christmas carols, this enduring message can be heard again, strikingly and memorably expressed – and, in one sense, it’ll cost us not a penny. The Rev’d Dr Richard Hines Rural Dean for Wisbech Lynn Marshland richard.hines@outlook.com
Jesus said, ‘I came that all may have life, and have it abundantly.’ This year, the National Health Service, marks 75 years since it was first established. It was started because the government at that time believed everyone should be able to get healthcare - no matter how much or little money they had. Since earliest times, Christian doctors and nurses, inspired by the example and teaching of Jesus, have been at the forefront of efforts to alleviate human suffering, cure disease, and advance knowledge and understanding. It was Christians who began to change society's attitude towards the sick, disabled and dying. In AD 369, a man called Basil in Caesarea founded a 300-bed hospital. This was the first large-scale hospital for the seriously ill and disabled. It cared for victims of the plague and was the first of many built by the Church. It was not until the 18th century that the Christian hospital movement re-emerged. It reminded Christians to remember the poor and needy in their midst. They came to understand afresh that bodies needed tending as much as ‘souls’. New institutions were built by devout Christians for the 'sick poor', supported mainly by voluntary contributions. And Christians were at the forefront of the dispensary movement (the prototype of general practice), providing medical care for the urban poor. Indeed, modern nursing owes much to Christian influences. For centuries the majority of nursing, like most medicine, was carried out by monastic orders in their own hospitals. In many ways, the Christian faith and medicine are natural allies; medicine offers people unique opportunities to express their faith in practical caring for others, embodying the command of Christ: 'whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me'. The Rev’d Dr Richard Hines Rural Dean
The little and large of meeting others As I write I’ve just logged off from a world-wide live-streamed Christian Conference. I’ve been watching thousands of mostly young attractive men and women, gathered in different venues in many nations around the globe, all linked up to the one Conference, based in the Royal Albert Hall. Wow! What a facility the internet is, and what extra-ordinary possibilities it offers for a certain kind of inter-personal communication! But I logged off early because it left me somewhat unmoved and feeling decidedly out of touch. I prefer the small-scale or one-to-one possibilities. I’m happier when I meet someone in the most ordinary of circumstances, where we can listen to and talk with each other, simply and quite privately – rather as I sense Jesus liked doing in his day. Amazingly, Jesus was criticised for taking so much interest in ordinary everyday people, irrespective of their supposed reputation or gender or age or faith tradition. But he had such gentle insight into and sincere concern for others. It was, as we say, ‘meat and drink’ to him. Indeed, he sometimes forgot to eat and drink because he was so preoccupied with others’ needs rather than his own. The first wise vicar who supervised me taught me by example that each and every person has their unique story and God’s infinite love and goodwill is as much for that one person as for another. That’s why I’m content to leave my large-gathering Christian friends to their internet style of meeting, and may God richly bless them. Meanwhile, I ask Him to help me go on noticing and enjoying the person next door, beside me in the queue, or who finds themselves standing alone somewhere – and, perhaps in that way, may He bless us too. The Rev’d Dr Richard Hines Rural Dean
Easter Believing It may come as a surprise to hear a Christian minister insist that no-one witnessed the resurrection – but I hasten to explain. Many witnessed the death of Jesus. Several watched his dead body placed in a rock-tomb and saw a large stone rolled in front as a seal. And on the third day following, some women, then later some disbelieving men, and finally a group of eleven together were initially stunned, then overwhelmingly thrilled, to see Jesus – evidently raised from death. They touched him, heard and saw him, and spoke with him. But I repeat, no-one witnessed his actual resurrection. Only a small pile of neatly folded graveclothes found in the tomb powerfully suggested what had happened. Every word of the New Testament part of the Bible was written after these events, and after the transforming experience at the festival of Pentecost when, fifty days later, the risen Jesus, by God’s Spirit, came to be present with the inner-most being of Christian believers. Still today, the same gift of a new life is given. That’s why Easter and indeed every Sunday (each ‘a little Easter’) can be such joyous occasions. Do join with us this Easter! The Rev’d Dr Richard Hines Rural Dean