St. Swithin, Sabbath and Winchester Cathedral

Friends, the blog this week is pretty silly; read only if you have some time on your hands -- which is the whole point ~ we need to have "time on our hands" -- we need time to rest -- really rest. In fact, if we are to really rest we need "too much time on our hands:" if there's no wiggle room (the too much) then we'll probably be stingely measuring out the little time we think we have, which is anxiety producing, not relaxing. The blog (click on the title, above) is an essay on the meaning of the words to "Winchester Cathedral," especially the line "oh-bo- DE-O -do-de-do –duh," definitely the result of having too much time on my hands that evening.



"Taking time" is related to the concept of "Sabbath." The sermon last Sunday tried to get at the importance of observing "Sabbath" in a way that works for us. The season of summer lends itself to observing Sabbath: the remembrance in childhood of that first day of summer ~ no school, nothing to do but relax and enjoy. But even now I used the word "importance:" far too serious for relaxing. Relaxing has to include fun, somehow: Mircea Eliade wrote a book called "Homo Ludens," the point being that to be human is to "play." Worship is in a way, play. In liturgy and prayer we step out of chronos time (by which we keep track of tasks that need to be done), and into kairos time (as in "it's time to make a change"). Sabbath is stepping into kairos time.




What does this have to do with St. Swithin Day? He was a laid back saint, presiding over the building of a cathedral, but not by double checking the architect's plans and the books, but by sitting outside (where he later wanted to be buried (not under the Altar)), "so as to encourage the workmen." So last Sunday we tried follow suit: Exultemus, a new band arrangement of "Winchester Cathedral" with a proper essay on the lyrics, water fights (those who wanted to dig up Swithin's bones had trouble with the rain, twice), picnic, music, Society of Creative Anachronisms. It's good to have too much time on our hands -- at least now and then. Be sure to look at the photo gallery from our website. ~ GKS