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Tasmanian Anglican

March 2003

 

A Quick Word

by Paul Grayston

 

 

Tradition n 1 a custom, opinion or belief handed down 2 Theol. doctrine claimed to have divine authority without documentary evidence

Tricky word, tradition

We seem to get terribly muddled about it in the church. Not surprising when tradition can include so many things: the Athanasian Creed; the age we baptise and with how many splashes of water; the time for a Sunday service; whether we have candles and which order we light them in… and so on and so on. We all operate in a tradition, even those of us whose tradition claims to reject tradition!

It is worth remembering that tradition is always the product of freedom. Our traditions should be a living expression of our faith. If a tradition stops us being the Church and the Christians Jesus taught us to be we are denying a deeper tradition. On the other hand some helpful traditions could do with being taken a bit deeper.

Take Lent.

When I was growing up we were taught to give up chockies and other favourite treats for Lent. (Six weeks might as well be eternity when you are 10, hence my abiding interest in food.) But might there be a deeper experience of Lent than the surrender of some minor vice like after-dinner-mints or TV? How about a new Lent tradition of taking up rather than giving up.

What might you take up? It might be a fresh commitment to prayer or daily Bible reading, or to join a Lent study group. It might be to develop a more generous and forgiving attitude to others. It might be to offer to serve in your Parish in some special way, or to give more financially. It might be to read a significant Christian book (pop in and I'll gladly lend you one). It might be to seek out someone in need of a visit and some chores done. It might be trying something completely new for Jesus you haven't even thought of before.

A hallowed tradition

If you take up these you may be observing Lent more solidly in the Christian tradition than by forgoing chocolate. Ask the Lord to show or suggest to you how you might serve him or follow him more deeply this Lent.

May this Lent season be for you a wonderful faith adventure. Who knows: if we all kept Lent in this way for the next few years we could create a hallowed tradition which Christians to come will have the greatest difficulty ever altering!

Paul Grayston of St Mary's, Hagley will continue to send A Quick Word from England where he will shortly spend three months on exchange. graystonp@southcom.com.au