ADVENT - Be Prepared – 100 years of the Scouting movement.

On Saturday November 24th last I was very privileged to join our 3rd
Devizes Scouts as they journeyed to London to the Millennium Dome to
celebrate the centenary of Scouting.   I say the Millennium rather than
the O2 Dome since it was built for the Millennium which celebrated the two
thousandth anniversary of the Son of God becoming Incarnate.
After a drive up the M4 and passage through London that took us along the
river we arrived at Waterloo Pier,   There embarked on a Thames Clipper to
continue our journey to the Dome.  As we arrived we met with many other
scouts who had come to celebrate this special anniversary.  Having eaten
our picnic lunch and warmed ourselves since it was perishing, we proceeded
to the arena for the pageant.  This was most enjoyable.  There were lovely
moments during the show.  As a priest the one that touched me most was the
part when we were asked to be silent and remember our beliefs.  During
that moment I remembered the many Akelas (Akeli?) that I have known, in
particular the Akela I knew as a Cub Scout who has since been called to
her eternal reward. Not forgetting also the many scout leaders living and
dead that I have known.
As I scout I remember being invested and making the Scout Promise:
On My Honour, I promise that I will do my best
To do my duty to God and to the Queen,
To help other people
And to keep the Scout Law.
As I returned form London that Saturday evening the words of the promise
rang in my mind, as we passed the statue of St Thomas More in Chelsea. The
words: To do my duty to God and to the Queen, took on a profound meaning.
Here was a Statue of a Man who was the King’s good servant but God’s
first.  To my duty to God comes first, then to others.  God first!
We are all called to be loyal subjects of the country we come from and
live peaceful and law abiding lives.  This is achieved through a life of
service, service of God and service of others following the example of Our
Blessed Lord.
In celebrating the centenary of Scouting we are also taken back to the
scout motto. – Be prepared.  In Advent he Church asks us to prepare the
way for the Lord. The gospel of Advent Sunday invites us to stay awake and
stand ready.

There are many ways in which we prepare for Christmas.  Our spiritual
preparation is the most important.  Let us live Advent as Advent and
Christmas as Christmas.  Make December 25th the start of Christmas not the
end of Christmas.  As a student I remember the days after Christmas being
called the period of Feasts.  Let us not be afraid to celebrate them in
the light of the Lord birth.

Wishing you the graces of Advent and the joy of Christmas.


Fr Philip.


PRAYER FOR THE CENTENARY OF SCOUTING


Loving God,
In this Centenary of Scouting we come before you as your children.
We come to thank you;
To thank you for our founder Baden-Powell,
For his vision and for his faith;
To thank you for the many leaders and volunteers who have given their
time, their energy, and their commitment,
To the great game that is scouting;
To thank you for all the children and young people who have enjoyed and
benefited so much from scouting through this past one hundred years. And,
loving God, We pray that you may be with us To help us and to guide us
through the next century.
(Written by Fr John Seddon)