Eye - 10 March 2023

From Gracing the airwaves to All our senses

Gracing the airwaves

‘God, thank you for revealing the comic essence, the absurdity, of experience. Thank you for showing me the spirit which comedy represents – and for accepting those moments where we “tie down the angel in us” and succumb to comic relief.’

Comedian and Quaker Pope Lonergan delivered a series of Prayer for the Day contributions on BBC Radio 4 last month.

Starting on 18 February, he reflected on a range of themes over the course of six days – comedy, Quakerism, addiction, tolerance, rituals, and care workers.

For those who, like Eye, are still in the ‘land of nod’ at 5:43am, you can join Pope with his first prayer here: www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m001j4lf It is available until 18 March.

Beware, you may be quizzical, as the prayers are attributed to ‘Hope Lonergan’. Perhaps a Freudian slip of a BBC finger?

All our senses

The children of Polmont Meeting recently created this colourful work of art to reflect on Quaker faith & practice 21.24.

Jessica Paterson, who led the session, told Eye that it ‘has always been one of my favourite passages, for the imagery and the sentiment’.

She was inspired to make it the focus of an activity because ‘I think it’s important for young children to start hearing and enjoying passages from Quaker faith & practice – much as children from a more traditional Christian background (or no religious background!) are familiar with Biblical stories and concepts.’

The passage shared with the children, penned by Bella Bown, read: ‘All our senses are given to us to enjoy, and to praise God. The smell of the sea, of the blossom borne on the wind, of the soft flesh of a little baby; the taste of a ripe plum or bread fresh from the oven, the feel of warm cat’s fur… these are all forms of thanksgiving prayer. I am sure that it is as wrong to fail to delight in our bodies as it is to misuse them through excess. Not to be a glutton does not mean that we may not delight in good food… not to be slothful does not mean that we must never lie in the sun, not doing, just being. When Jesus said, “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly”, I do not think He was speaking only of spiritual life – I think He meant us to have positive delight in all the good things in this wonderful world which his Father created.’

Some eagle-eyed Friends may spot a few carefully-considered edits: ‘Of course… I omitted the sections about enjoying one’s lover’s body! I know the session made a big impression on the children and it amuses me to think that the next time they encounter it, which will presumably be when they are much older, they will have the surprise of finding the redacted section!’

So how did the time with the children unfold? ‘I asked them about tastes, smells and feelings that they enjoyed, and then read them the extract as expressively as I could. We got sticky notes and drew each of the items listed, and then the adults wrote the captions.’

Jessica hopes to do this again with another passage of Quaker faith & practice. Which passage might you explore with Friends, of any age, in your Meeting?

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