With holidays and hot weather (?) in mind, I have chosen a fun, light hearted book for the summer edition of St George's News, The Gospel According to St Lynas by Frank Pagden.
The cover page gives a quote from Dame Thora Hird, 'Compulsive Reading... I thoroughly enjoyed it' and so did I, in fact, it was read in triple time, being virtually impossible to put down.
St Lynas, the author explains, is a funny old fellow who lives at the back of his mind and in a small Christian Community. "He tends to wear a cassock, not because he is a monk, but because he says it's a lot less trouble, you don't have to worry about your underwear and you can get anything through the customs."
This paperback book consists of 190 little anecdotes and stories under a wide variety of headings.
Take, for example, one of St Lynas' favourite prayers, which is, "From the tidy minds of all bureaucrats, Good Lord deliver us."
When challenged one day by a visiting civil servant, he gives the following reply: -
"Think of a child running through an old meadow, thanking God for cornflowers, buttercups, poppies. That's me.
"Now think of a farmer going through the same meadow, bewailing all the weeds that have invaded the cow's grass. That's you!" (number 12. God's Untidiness).
The monk's obvious delight in the countryside and things of nature is further underlined in a story that sets the scene in a field. St Lynas has spent some time watching a caterpillar on a leaf. When questioned about this, he replies,
"I'm just waiting for a butterfly to go overhead so that I can catch the caterpillar looking up at it. I bet it says,'You wouldn't catch me going up in one of those things!'" (number 21. Impossibilities).
Peppered throughout the book are conversations with the village atheist. I like the one where the latter announces (outside the post office) that he had been reading his Bible. The atheist continues: -
"But I don't believe the ridiculous story that Jonah was swallowed by a whale, do you?" St Lynas tells him that when he gets to Heaven he will ask him.
"What if he isn't there?" asks the atheist. "In that case," replies St Lynas, "you'll have to ask him!" (no. 102. Bible reading).
On toddlers (he had been helping a visiting young mum bathe her two little ones), he makes an interesting observation: - "Isn't it wonderful that God made toddlers not only washable, but also shrink-proof and crease-resisting!" (number 111. Children).
Sometimes there are conversations with God. St Lynas is awakened at half past three in the morning by the sound of birds singing. "Lord, why did you invent a time like half past three in the morning?"
"Well," replied God, "I had to fill in the gap between supper and breakfast somehow!"
"Then why did you get these pesky birds up so early?" "I didn't," said God. "It was such a nice morning, they thought of it themselves." (number 179. Dawn).
St Lynas is a very likeable fellow, unpretentious and wise with profound insight. At the end of the book he becomes more a friend than a literary character. The book itself is certainly fun, it has a witty and punchy style, but, thinking about it carefully, it is really far from being "light hearted", there is much in its pages for meditation and reflection. Warmly recommended. Happy summer reading everyone!
The Gospel According to St Lynas' (Monarch) £3.99.
written by Lynn Winter
Return to the Summer 1997 Features page
return to Home page and main index
page last updated 20 JULY 1997