Baptisms, on Easter Day, 27th March.

Felixkirk. Lily Rorie Lablaine, infant daughter of Stephen and Alison of Thirlby. Service taken by Reverend Liz Hoare. A goodly invasion from France was present!

Kirby Knowle. Katherine Maud Evelyn Catmur, infant daughter of David and Natasha, who are currently based in Northern Ireland. Service taken by Reverend Toddy Hoare.

Funeral March 30th.

Felixkirk.. Laurie Scratchard, 68, after a debilitating illness since his marriage to Sylvia. Much missed by all his family and work associates, and ably nursed with much devotion by Sylvia and their families. The service was taken by Canon R. MacFadden, in the absence of T.H.

Theseus sailed into Knossoss, Ariadne (King Minos' daughter) fell for him, he slew the Minotaur (having entered the labyrinth), saved the lives of his fellow Athenian hostages, returned to Athens and gave them democracy - losing or dumping Ariadne on the way. So might a Reuters newsflash reduce that ancient Greek myth. Anyway, the story will vary as to whether you tell it as a Greek or a Cretan. Nevertheless its impact on the Mediterranean is considerable and the story still has its truths for us today.

As that story can be read in many different ways, what exactly was Theseus doing? On the surface he was on a rescue mission, yet as an adolescent hostage - albeit a volunteer - he was off to prove his manhood, and in learning democracy he not only became of age, but matured. He entered a maze (the twists and turns of Life) completed his objective, and returned with treasure. Not far from young Solomon's prayer for wisdom when on the threshold of responsibility.

On one level Theseus is on a rescue mission to restore the fortunes of Athens and succeeds, though his triumph causes his father's death: Aegeus leapt to his death because Theseus forgot to change the sails to indicate his triumph. Greek tragedy was ever thus! There is a cost. Even Jesus reminded us that his word could be divisive.

On the next level Theseus is subject to Minos, a man renowned for his abilities and legislation - though labyrinths and minotaurs hint at a darker side to his nature. Any King might have sent his son to another king to round off his education.

On yet another level Theseus deals with people and situations. Albeit with the help of Ariadne's knitting. Bull leaping, or dancing with bulls, was a Minoan ritual of either coming of age or renewal and fertility. The two are not poles apart anyway! Even if the fresco of the bull and the dancers/acrobats represents Minos' favourite circus act, it still tells us of cultic ritual and expression. You've got to be nimble to avoid a bull, symbol of strength and fertility, and of one of our gospels, incidentally. Here is a rite of passage, sealed with Theseus running off with the King's daughter.

On the very last level Theseus enters the labyrinth to confront and destroy something evil. This was the Minotaur, who may have been a bloodthirsty general, Tauro, of King Minos, rather than the product of a mystical union of Minos' wife with a heavenly bull. The bull story may literally be found in the stars, or may be the reworking of the story of Zeus turning into a bull to seduce Europa, thus bringing the bull into another generation another way. Different cults will tell variations on the same starry bull story, which has a different angle and intensity according to from which point you see it - often the Minotaur is depicted covered with stars.

So what has all this to do with "Christ risen at Easter"? The early church in the Med. sometimes had a mosaic of the labyrinth on the floor, with the Church at the centre and linked to the "Way In/Way Out" by a red thread - Ariadne's knitting/Daedalus' magic skein. Here we see the Christian adopting and adapting local culture and belief ………….. For me, the labyrinth is the wilderness of Exodus. We have to encounter and find God, and take Him to ourselves. I would put "Christ risen" at the centre: He is the treasure to find and take out into life and share. And the fact that the Minotaur was slain reminds us that Christ was crucified. Nothing can suppress THAT truth, but it needs a vehicle, we as people, to carry it out into the wider world and life - in much the same way as Theseus introduced democracy to Athens ……

(What folklore makes of Bush introducing democracy to Iraq is a different matter! "Spin" tries to justify it, but the truth must surely be the cost, and lack of ethical judgement. The Aegean Sea takes its name from Theseus' mortified father …… The story still continues as a story and a yardstick to life as any of the stories in the Bible do even today.)

The challenge is to engage with the world, the labyrinth, be enlightened by Christ and be a light in the world on emerging from that encounter. In other words, it is to be a light in the world, just like the exhortation at Baptism and at the end of Matthew's gospel. We had two baptisms, here in Hillside, at Easter, as a succinct reminder. "Henceforth shine as a light in the world"

TH

The magazine of the parishes of Boltby, Borrowby, Cowesby, Felixkirk, Kepwick, Kirby Knowle, Knayton, Leake & "The Siltons". Also circulated in Upsall, Thirlby & Sutton-under-Whitestonecliffe.
The Vicar in charge is Rev.Toddy Hoare,
The Vicarage, Moor Road, Knayton, THIRSK, YO7 4AZ Tel: 01845 537277
Contributions always welcome, deadline 2nd Monday in the month
Editor Curtiss Cottage, South Kilvington, Thirsk 01845 522739