A Leap from Faith

 "Calm the whole of your being, relax every muscle in your body
Watch the precious breath. Focus on its rhythm, still your thoughts."


"This is the "Song of Meditation", Jason opened his eyes.

It made a very strange scene, the Reverend Mother and Jason both
sitting together in meditative posture. The black and white of his
business suit and the matching colours of the nun's habit made them a
matching but unlikely pair.

Jason and Mother Clara had been friends for many years. His religious
studies teacher as a child before her Christian calling had brought
her to the convent. Perhaps this is why even although a very orthodox
Christian herself she always found the more esoteric teachings of
Jason entertaining and thought provoking rather than challenging.

"If you continue to improve your practice one day you will enter a
state of nothingness which is beyond everything."

"Jason, nothing is beyond God" Clara answered piously.

"I agree" replied Jason instantly with a smile

Clara smiled. "I'm not in the mood for your word games Jason. I have
asked you here to help me with a mysterious problem. I need your
detective skills."

"What would the Reverend Mother of the quaint English Convent want
with my deductive skills." enquired Jason, "The mystery of the missing
crumpet?"

Jason laughed, Mother Clara did not.

"No Jason, I have a serious matter. Something really upsetting.  I
have to attend a fair and farmers market being held in the convent
grounds."

Clara stood and Jason followed her. As they left the Reverend Mother's
office, Jason broke the uncomfortable silence.

"Reverend Mother, I'm sorry if I seemed disrespectful, I hope you know
I would do truly anything to aid you."

"Don't worry Jason its not you, I'm a little overwhelmed at the
moment. There is just so much happening. As you may be aware the old
chapel is now over 400 years old and is in badly in need of repair and
we are trying to find a way to raise some money for its renovation.
We have a new conference centre that has been built on the field to
the rear which is due to be opened next week and I think its all
getting on top of me."

Jason seemed perplexed, "Is this what is bothering you mother?"

"No. There is something a lot worse. Something mysterious and
something I just can't explain."

"Tell me"

"We are starting to lose members. The nuns are starting to leave the
convent. But its not just that."

"Go on."

"It is which nuns are leaving Jason. The elderly faithful ones. They
don't give any reason. It's terrible."

"Clara faith should be a pleasure not a …."

Clara interrupted, "You don't understand Jason. Elderly nuns do not
leave convents, they don't know any other way of the life. It's a
terrible thing. Imagine being an 80 year old woman who joined at the
age of 17. It's almost imposable to just leave and have a normal
life."

She paused for breath.

"It's terrible Jason, just terrible." The Reverend Mother suddenly
seemed so much smaller as she fumbled in the folds of her habit for a
tissue.

Jason took her arm gently and steered her towards the door. "Have you
ever talked to any of them to ask what is wrong?"

She blew her nose and sniffed shaking her head, "I have tried but this
is the mysterious thing, they just state that they want to leave and
then they go into silence."

"Mmm" Jason mused, "A faith crisis in a convent is a serious matter.
It's like a dose of pacifism in the army. Definitely something that we
need to solve quickly. Lets walk and talk."

Jason and Clara made their way down the old white-washed corridor.
They came to the door that led to the convent chapel. Jason always
loved to visit the chapel, the door was older than any living human
and had an interesting wooden handle that operated a wooden latch when
pushed. If that door had been anywhere else it would have been
replaced or put in a museum. In the convent everything remained
functional as long as it could. Clara pushed the handle and the door
opened. Jason found himself feeling like a young boy who didn't get
the chance to push the button on a pelican crossing.

As the door opened, the smell of incense filled the air. The chapel
was a traditional Anglican High Church affair but badly in need of
repair. The icons and stained glass windows and even the pews were
showing signs of their age. This was the only church in the quaint
village of Elfden and was used every day by the people of the village.

Jason made his way right into the middle of the church.

"Clara this is my favourite feature, the Green Man boss on the roof."
Jason looked straight up as a way of indicating the presence. "A
symbol showing man's connection with nature and as being part of it."

"A remnant of our pagan ancestors" said Clara.

"Some people like to think it so" replied Jason. "But I prefer to
think of it as an expression of a spiritual principle in Christianity
and that it was put in various church's for a reason …."

A brisk rush of air interrupted their flow, as suddenly the two
external chapel door flew inwards and a human whirlwind in a habit
burst in. The young girl of about 20 was carrying a very large pile of
brilliant white leather bound books.

"New prayer books for tonight" she beamed to the Reverend Mother.

Jason looked at Clara in a questioning manner.

"Jason, let me introduce you to Jane. She is one of the convent's
greatest assets. Jane is the woman behind our new conference centre."

"...and these new prayer books are going to bring a new modern form of
worship to our chapel," added Jane with pride.

Jason wondered if it was a bad thing to find a nun beautiful and took
one of the prayer books to have a leaf through.

"So have you been having a problem with church attendance of late?" he
asked without looking up.

"No," answered Jane "we have a very large congregation from the
village but not the right people, we only attract the elderly retired
population. We need to do something to get the young people involved."

Jason read through the volume in front of him."What have you done with
the traditional prayer books?"

"Jason, they were in such disrepair that they had to be thrown out."
said Clara, as if to defend Jane.


"And the old prayers must have been in disrepair too? Still these are
really well written. I hope you're not planning to become a priest
Jane, you're too young and there is no room for female priests in the
Anglican church. Anyway, it's time we got to your fête Clara. Sister
Jane, it was lovely to meet you."
Jason and Clara entered the convent grounds which were filled with
bustling villagers and elderly nuns. Jason looked out at the scene
before him of stalls selling various goods.

"Clara, the Green Man. He was put there to prevent problems like this.
He holds the answer to this riddle."


To be continued……….





A Leap from Faith Part Two



"Jason I don't see how a pagan symbol of the Green Man can explain why
our elderly sisters are leaving us for no apparent reason."

Jason was about to answer when Clara suddenly broke in, her hand flew
to her mouth in horror.

"You're not saying we have some kind of pagan cult in the convent are you?"
She was evidently full of fear as the idea crossed her mind.

"No no, not at all be calm it's all ok" said Jason while making a hand
movement that would normally be associated with asking someone to slow
a car.

"Let me explain using something more distant, something perhaps less
challenging. Have you ever heard of The Emerald Tablet of Hermes
Trismigestus?"

Mother Clara frowned and shook her head "No".

"It's a ancient text said to contain the writing of the the Egyptian
God Thoth or Hermes Trismigestus as the Greeks called him. The most
famous phrase quoted from the text is 'As above so below', have you
ever heard that?"

"Yes," said Clara,  "I have heard that quoted but didn't know where it
was from. Does it mean things in here are like they are in heaven and
vice versa?"

Jason nodded, "well yes, kind of. It has, as with all these things,
many interpretations. It does indeed mean that the physical events are
reflections of higher things. It helps us understand that the
principles that we learn about the physical world can be applied to
mental and spiritual things."

Mother Clara's face lit up with recognition."So what is happening on
one level is reflected in the other."

"Yes that's it!"

The nun's face dropped, "So what has this got to do with the green man
in our church?"


"Well" remarked Jason, "the green man is there to remind you of a very
important principle. It's saying you are part of everything. You are
not separate, you are nature and nature is you."

"I'm lost Jason, get to the point."

"Ok, imagine your whole convent community as one organism. Each person
is a cell in its body. That body is ill and we need to diagnose what's
wrong."

Clara nodded, "Agreed."

"So lets look at the symptoms."

"Many of our members are starting to leave."

"And . . ." said Jason

"All else if fine."


"Ok, I will explain what I think are also symptoms. The worst is the
Conference Centre."

"What do you mean?" quizzed Clara, "I think it will do the community good."

Jason shook his head, "No, Clara it's a useless growth. What would a
very small village convent do with a conference centre?"

"We plan to hold courses and seminars …"

This time Jason interrupted "Clara, its unrealistic. Think about it.
You have a popular chapel which is the centre of the community that is
in urgent disrepair and you have been spending your money on building
a conference centre."

"It is modernisation" retorted the Reverend Mother and visibly bristled.

"It's cancer!" Jason threw back, not unkindly. "It's going to cost the
earth to support and you will get little back. And then there are the
prayer books..."

Mother Clara waved her hand dismissively, "Jason I know you're a
traditionalist but its hardly relevant."

"Oh but it is Clara. You see its not about me its about the people
that come to the church. They are mostly elderly correct?"

The nun nodded.

"Well, why would you change the traditional prayers? Its crazy you're
about to upset your whole congregation!"

"Jane wants to attract more young people"

"Yes" said Jason "and it seems Jane is in control. Clara all are
welcome in the house of god. Right?"


"Yes, of course!"

"Then why are young people more welcome?"

"Well," Clara began somewhat lamely "it's the future of the Church."

"Mother,  young people move away and have little time. What your
church needs is more old people. They have the time to get involved,
they enjoy your ceremonies, they are your future. You see we all age
and right now we have more elderly people in Britain than ever
before."

The elderly nun shrugged and sighed, "Well when you put it like that.
I see how silly we have been."


Jason continued "its more than all this. These are all symptoms of an
illness. Not the illness itself. I suspect your "star" nun Sister Jane
is the problem. I don't think she believes. I don't think she really
has faith. Thus she is having an overbearing influence on the whole
convent. Her lack of faith is infecting any Nun who dares to mentor
her. The young is driving out the old. The prayer books are replaced,
the church given back seat to the conference centre. Everything has
been done to get rid of them. Just like in Jane, faith is given the
back seat to action. "As above so below."

Clara's eyes widened and she drew in a breath. "Jason, I guess after
that speech I have to admit you are right. I can't believe we have
been so illogical or indeed, so blinkered."

Jason smiled fondly at the old lady and patted her gently on the
shoulder. "Don't worry Clara, you're not the only organisation to have
worshipped at the altar of youth thinking it will be the answer to all
your problems. The problem you have now is to cure the problem!"

"Don't worry I wont let Jane control our convent any more."

Jason looked at her intently. "I'm very sorry but a more serious
measure is needed, I think."

"What?"

"It's time for a full extraction. You have to remove her from the
convent. But don't worry I have arranged for a full separation."

Mother looked perplexed, "But how?"

Jason gave a wry smile, "Did you you hear my comment about her becoming priest?"

"Yes?"

"Well if you object too she will go on to train to  become a wonderful
priest. To show us "oldies" who's boss!"

"But Jason, you said she has no faith!"

"Exactly!" he clapped his hands together as if to finalise the idea,
"that's why she will make a wonderful woman of the cloth. You see
Clara, if people are really sure about their beliefs they don't have
the urge to talk about them constantly. Now, don't we have a
meditation to do? "