THE HEART OF THE MATTER

We hear a lot these days about ‘hyper-active’ children. But children are not the only ones who try to do too much. Very many of us find ourselves bound to a kind of treadmill. So many claims are made on us – work, parenthood, caring for elderly relatives. The list appears to be endless. We never seem to stop.

It is very odd, but the advances of new technology do not necessarily help. In fact, the more wonderful the technology at our disposal, the more we find to do. It is a kind of vicious circle. And at work life for many people seems to get more and more impersonal. We may wonder who really is in charge. Even in the voluntary sector, there is often a complex network of committees – so that deciding to make a comparatively small change uses up a vast amount of time and energy.

Being too busy, getting caught up in ‘management-speak’, losing out on ordinary human relationships – these are all symptoms of something seriously wrong in our society. To put it rather bluntly, we know we are meant to be persons and not machines. Yet we find it very difficult to break free from our circumstances.

This month, on September 8th, many Christians keep a Feast that speaks very directly to our condition. On September 8^th, Catholics, Eastern Orthodox Christians and Anglicans celebrate the Birthday of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This day reminds us of the importance of Mary. Twice in the early Chapters of his Gospel, St Luke writes of how Mary ‘pondered in her heart’ the amazing things that God was doing in her and through her. Seen in this way, Mary reminds us of the need to stop being so busy and instead spend time ‘pondering’. Mary calls us back from our hectic, superficial, over-active lifestyle. By looking to her, we can find how to get back in touch with ourselves again!

Father Denys Lloyd

Parish Priest of the Parish of Our Lady and St Joseph, Sheringham and Cromer