Heartfelt gratitude

On 9 October, Helene Milena preached the following sermon in the Anglican Cathedral on Epiphany Island in Second Life. The readings were  Psalm 146, 1Timothy 6:6-19,  Luke 16:19-31.

I remember reading that it’s good to create traditions in a family as that helps to make the children feel secure; the predictability of something forms a fixed point in a changing world. When our children were young I always read stories to them. As they became older I read a chapter a night from a longer book. When we went on holiday camping in the summer we created a tradition of supper time comprising drinking hot chocolate, eating bread and chocolate spread and listening to the latest chapter of whatever book we were on at the time. On occasion we found ourselves joined by children from other families whom our own children had befriended. This tradition has become fixed in our children’s memories and remembered with fondness.

Traditions often revolve around special occasions such as holidays, birthdays, Christmas. I remember a not so happy tradition from Christmastime when I was young. On Christmas Eve my present sack was filled with gifts by Santa Claus, ready for me to find on Christmas morning. So far, so good you may say. I used to take it downstairs in the morning, sit in front of the fire and unwrap the presents. Wonderful! Lots of excitement. My mother was very organised. As each present was unwrapped, I had to give the label to my mother, on which was written the name of the giver. My mother wrote on the label what I had received. Here things become not so good. Usually by the time the next day was over, I had to have written a thank you letter to each person for each gift I received. I hated that task, I could never think what to write and by the end my hand ached. This was very much a duty on my part, although of course I enjoyed the presents I received. My mother was right to insist that I said thank you, but I certainly wished she would let me miss out on doing this.