And Now For Something Completely Different

Many years ago, Christopher Trace, when presenting the children’s television programme Blue Peter, would link unrelated segments of the show with ‘And now for something completely different’.

Years later, in the surreal comedy series ‘Monty Python’s Flying Circus’, a sensible-looking John Cleese, sitting behind a desk, in some ridiculous location – perhaps behind the bars of a zoo cage – would announce the opening credits with, ‘And now for something completely different’. The phrase would also explain transitions between absurd sketches within the show…

Several recent conversations have been with friends facing the ‘something completely different’… starting a new job… becoming grandparents for the first time… preparing to change school… starting a course of chemotherapy… joining a new church… retiring, after many years of employment… terminating a long relationship… agreeing for a relative to leave independent living, moving to a care home…

For some, ‘something completely different’ is a welcome change, for some it’s an unexpected surprise, for others it’s a daunting challenge.

Yesterday at church we reflected on the resurrected Jesus appearing to his disciples on the sea shore. Fisherman Peter has recently witnessed the completely different… Jesus’ arrest, death, burial, resurrection appearances. Wanting to return to the familiar, the completely un-different, he says, ‘I’m going fishing’.

Other disciples join him… They fish all night and catch nothing… At dawn Jesus appears on the shore… He says, ‘Throw your nets on the other side of the boat’… They catch lots of fish… Jesus prepares breakfast…

In conversation with Jesus, Peter realises that he can’t return to his un-different. From that encounter Peter’s life would now be something completely different.

And me? Whether I like it or not, life continues to change. I don’t know what will happen today, let alone next week or next year. The only certain thing is that it’s uncertain.

I must embrace the welcome change, the unexpected surprise, the daunting challenge; they’re inevitable. And I continue to trust my God when he says, ‘And now for something completely different’.