Diary of a Retired Parson

Christopher Lewis Jenkins worries we might be looking but not seeing, listening but not hearing.

Many years ago, in a former life, I worked for The Royal National Institute for the Blind in a hostel in Holland Park in London. I was chef there with 30 residents and 15 staff. All the residents were employed , some with very responsible jobs.

One lady was the PA to the Air Vice Marshal of the RAF. Another was senior archivist of the Egyptian section of the British Museum. She was teaching one of her assistants maths, after having first to learn Arabic.

One young man asked for an onion sack so he could put a plastic bag in it, fill it with sand and use it as a punch bag as he was learning to box. Another lady, in her spare time, was a Samaritan. Often when taking a call her first response was "what's your problem, I'm totally blind". A tough call but often the right one, she said.

One of the favourite times was Saturday afternoon, all piling into the lounge to watch wrestling. We often were given complimentary tickets to West End Shows, the cinema and concerts at the Royal Albert Hall. I remember going to the cinema to watch a film about Jewish refugees trying to make their way to the newly formed country of Israel. It was called "The Exodus". It was a powerful film and after going back to the house, I made sandwiches and the residents made coffee. We then talked about the film and they told me about things that I hadn't seen. It was, to coin a pun, an eye-opener.

I could recount many other instances when I actually felt the "disabled one". Looking back these many years makes me think of Christians who miss the point of Jesus's teaching. They attend church but miss what's clearly in front of them and listen to sermons but don't hear what's being said. They make their own religion if you like. But, if we believe that Jesus is the same, yesterday, today and tomorrow then what was right when he walked on earth is right now.

We, I believe, cannot pander to society's whims. As we approach the anniversary of his earthly birth we should remember his compassion, his gentleness, his love.

May I wish you a holy and blessed Christmastide, especially the staff at Pobl Dewi for their hard work in producing a very good publication.