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Did you know that when cows stand up they get on their knees first?
There is an old folk tradition in this country which says that every Christmas night, all over the world the cattle in their barns kneel down in honour of the birth of Jesus, just as, tradition has it, the oxen did in Bethlehem on that first Christmas night over two thousand years ago.
You heard earlier about the Benedictine value of balance, and its importance in our lives. Whether or not we are Catholic, I think we can all agree that it is important to establish, and then maintain, balance in our lives.
I’m sure that you’re aware that here in the UK we will be having a General Election on the 4 July this year. This is an election to choose the government, that is the group of people who run the country for the next 5 years.
I want you to do something for me – everyone: students and adults. I want you to close your eyes and try to remember a time when you were angry. Can you remember what it was which made you feel angry? Can you recall how you felt? Did the experience maybe have a physical as well as an emotional effect on you: did you feel your pulse getting quicker? Did the blood rush to your face?
They say that great minds think alike, and while I’d be the last person to claim to have a great mind, I was fascinated by the words of Fr Alexander – who definitely does have a great mind - in our beginning of term Mass on Monday. If you remember, he spoke about the incredible Shroud of Turin and how it represents physical evidence of the Resurrection of Jesus as a historical event. I didn’t know what Fr Alexander was going to say on Monday, but when I heard his homily I realised that I had been thinking along similar lines to him in terms of what to say to you at the start of this term.
Do you take any notice of nature? On your way here to the Abbey church what trees did you pass? Did you see any birds? Were there any plants?
A few things in the past few weeks have come together in my mind to form a very strong impression of what I can only call excellence at St Benedict’s.
As well as many other aspects of the school which we are proud of, the racial and cultural diversity of St Benedict’s stands out very powerfully for me. It adds hugely to the richness of our community, as does our spirit of inclusion. So, when we see things happen in the world which attack this, we are all affected by this.
Have you noticed that Christmas is coming? Of course you have.
I bet that any of you could recite pretty accurately the Christmas story: Mary visited by an angel; a census and a journey to Bethlehem; no room at the inn; a baby born in a stable and placed in a trough that animals eat from; shepherds visited by an angel and making their way to Bethlehem to pay homage to the baby; wise men following a star to the stable and giving the baby strange gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.