Headmaster’s end of year message

This is the final weekly message for 2013.  It seems to have come around astonishingly quickly.

This week we had the school’s Christmas Celebration including a Nativity Play beautifully performed by 2nd class.  At this festive time of the year I would like to echo the words spoken by the angels: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men.

This sets out the simple message of all great philosophies and religions.  We only need to get two relationships right:  First, our relationship to the limitless, to God, the Universal Principal, the Creator, or whatever name you care to use.  And, secondly, our relationship to the limited, to the world, to our fellow men, to the created world.

Jesus gives us one way of doing this, and promises eternal life if we can step up to the plate:  First, love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength; and, secondly, love your neighbour as yourself.

An Islamic sage once pointed out that the second injunction is more important than the first.  He noted that God remains unharmed if we fall short with our love for Him; but, he said, we can do harm to our fellow creatures if we fail to love and treat them as we would love and treat ourselves.

In this spirit, Mrs Mane and I wish all of you everything we would love for ourselves: family warmth, good friendships, robust health, prosperity; and a happy Christmas and a peaceful, abundant New Year.