The Time Warp

Tomorrow is an extra day.

I know that technically, of course it’s not, it’s just a glitch in the system, but for me it creates a feeling of specialness, a kind of hidden delight: Tomorrow is an extra day, it doesn’t count. There goes the diet then.

In places that use lunar calendars, you get a whole extra month, but it happens more often and I think you can get too much of a good thing.

Of course, for some (can’t imagine who...) leap years are very special because leap day is their true birthday. Generally they will  try to charm you by citing their age in birthdays, but this can backfire, as Frederic discovers in Pirates of Penzance when his indenture lasts until his 21st birthDAY.

For Oswald of Worcester, leap day proved fatal. At the start of Lent in February of the year 992, he resumed his usual practice of washing the feet of 12 poor men each day. On Leap Year Day, February 29, he died after kissing the feet of the 12th man and giving a blessing.

The news of Oswald's death brought an outpouring of grief throughout Worcester city.

Oswald is now the leap day saint and it is fitting for a man that helped to bring learning into Britain. Leap year came about with the scientific discovery that the year was longer than, well, the year.  

The then Pope got to reorganising the calendar and sorting out the rules (via minions, of course). Oswald spent his time on this earth reforming the Church. Though it seems he was heavy-handed in his reforms, he strictly refrained from violent measures, relying instead upon prayer, fasting, dialogue and fatherly admonitions. He promoted learning amongst the clergy in his diocese and invited many scholars, including mathematicians and astronomers from Fleury, to instruct and preach in England. 

What will you do with your leap day? It’s a little present of time giftwrapped from God and don’t we all accept gifts with enthusiasm? The word enthusiasm comes from two Greek words: ‘en’ meaning “in or within,” and ‘heos‘ meaning “God.”  Oswald certainly had bucketloads of it and he used it for God. Maybe our extra time could include a moment set aside for God, a reconnection, a renewal of passion and enthusiasm. The scriptures this week tell us that we must keep at bay the temptations of the world, to remember that even when we are lost in the desert, Christ walks with us and we will see the glory of the Lord. The alternate collect for today runs thus:

  Eternal God,

  Give us insight

  To discern your will for us,

  To give up what harms us,

  And to seek the perfection  

    we are promised

  In Jesus Christ our Lord.

So: I challenge you. Sometime tomorrow, set aside half an hour, find a quiet spot. Take a cup of tea and some biscuits, be comfortable. Make sure  that you won’t be distracted and pray  those words just quoted.  Remind yourself of the wonderful things you have seen and experienced in God and spiritually top up your tank with enthusiasm for the Lord.

It's a 'leap' frog on fire with passion!

Then, and only then, go do something else you don’t usually have time for. A walk on the beach, coffee with an old friend, a chapter of the book you’ve wanted to start for ages.

Let’s make leap day a leaping for joy day (was that a bit over the top? Well you get my drift). You have time. Use it.