Napoleon used to say he looked for lucky marshals. Some say we make our own luck. In the days of Chaucer people believed in Fortune’s wheel. The wheel turned and one was either lucky or unlucky. That was the way life went. Even in our box-ticking world we still think of luck as a random process governing our lives. Being in the right place at the right time, happening to know a useful acquaintance, can make a difference.
Like nostalgia, luck is not what it used to be. Nowadays people collect horse-brasses. Once upon a time they protected heavy horses from evil spirits. Now we have grown up, we have left such things behind. We may still – with good reason – avoid walking under ladders. We may still dislike sitting down at table with 12 others, thus making 13 because that was the number of disciples plus Jesus. We probably have recollections of black cats being unlucky – or was it lucky? My wife had a black cardboard cat thrust upon her on our wedding day.
Such practices made life more interesting. They also enable us to understand how vast was the ignorance of preceding generations and how credulous people were in accepting explanations about life’s little mysteries. For centuries life was a play-ground of devils and angels. There were safety-measures to impede the devils’ day-time tricks and snares and there were prayers to guardian-angels to guard us sleeping.
The rural year had its built-in safeguards. Many of them became incorporated in the Christian calendar. Plough Sunday was a day to invoke divine aid on the new year’s crops. Lammas (loaf-mass) was an early form of harvest festival. Shrove Tuesday was a last-minute opportunity to eat fatty food as well as being absolved before starting the forty-day fast. Rogation days were also opportunities to ask for God’s help in cultivating the soil. Throwing salt over one’s shoulder was a good prophylactic to ward off the evil spirits.
Christianity and paganism often joined forces in a medieval understanding of nature. It was thought necessary to appease the gods or God for sins committed and duties left undone. Sacrifices were beneficial. So were holy wells. We are still disentangling ourselves from our pagan inheritance. We set store by God’s providence, his overall sustaining purpose in our lives. As Cowper put it: ‘Behind a frowning providence He hides a smiling face.’
MEANWHILE, IN KINGSTON
A gust of fresh air blows through the website of St Paul’s, Kingston Hill, Surrey. A strong ministry team led by Adam Rylett deals with a heavy programme for old and young. The church has an equally heavy programme of mission support in the UK in the UK and beyond, including MAF and Tearfund. Adam is an engineer by training and had ten years’ experience in youth ministry before ordination.
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