I have to admit (rather shamefully) that I did not go to church over Christmas, or since. The intention was half there on Christmas Eve but, filled with a superb beef casserole, preceded by a gin and tonic (or two), accompanied by a decent red wine (or two), and followed by a pint (or two) of Palmers Bitter at the local pub, I reckoned that I would probably present a less-than-dignified version of myself – both at the 11.30pm Carol Service and at the ensuing 8.00am BCP communion service on Christmas morning. By the time that the morning Eucharist was underway at 10.30am, so was my breakfast, and that was really my last chance.
Full of remorse I have determined to surprise the Rector in 2006. In a similar vein to my already declared intention to blog more, so shall I pray more. I’ll pray for my family, for world peace, for personal success and well-being, and (to the discomfort of the republican-minded Rector) for the Royal Family, and our proud nation. I’ll also be more patriotic and treasure the Nelson plate given to me for Christmas by my mother, and I’ll look forward to the 2006 Last Night of the Proms, as well as England beating the Pakistanis in next summer’s Test series. The last item will probably feature in my prayers repeatedly, but I won’t hold it against anyone if Messrs. Mohammad Yousuf, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Shoaib Akhtar and their team-mates produce some rather sublime cricket.
*My friend the Ayatollah (once spiritual leader of millions of book club members when he headed up BCA’s Literary Guild) drew my attention to the rather nice line “Sudden Prayers Make God Jump”. It makes a good bumper sticker, a poster, and in 2002 an album released by Jonesy.
