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Clapping

One of the great verses in the bible is in Isaiah where the writers says that one day when they return from their own version of a 70 year lockdown in exile 'the trees of the field will clap their hands and we'll go out with joy.'   A wonderful image of even nature overflowing with joy at the return of the people of Israel.   s

Like most of you we have been clapping along with our neighbours on Thursday evenings.  I actually missed the first one as I was on a phone call and hadn’t quite picked up it was ‘a  thing’ and totally forgot.   It’s been good to do since then and not least as it is a way of seeing our neighbours and actually feeling a bit more connected than usual.  And then there’s the ‘who is going to stop clapping first’ bit you get to after 3 or 4 minutes and your hands are beginning to feel numb.  Ina has put in our window a picture of all the key workers we are clapping for and hope that the postie and the bin men notice that we clap for them too.
It got me thinking though about the place clapping has in our lives and how this weekly communal expression of support is actually something special.   One of the key things about clapping it seems to me is usually its spontaneity.  For example in response to a great piece of live music or drama, or even an inspiring speech or a piece of good news such as a birth of a baby or an engagement announcement, there is a natural collective instinct to clap and show our…..Well what actually?  What is it we express when we clap in this way?  Perhaps it’s different for each person, appreciating the artist’s hard work and skill, thanks for being touched and blessed in some way, support and solidarity in someone else’s good news, sheer amazement and wonder and so on.   
It’s in the essence of clapping that it is a positive response, a grateful response to something that goes beyond the price of the ticket we paid, or what was expected, what was planned for.  There are elements of surprise, generosity, even of the superfluous that recognises we are being given more than we deserve.   When we clap we channel the three year old in us that just couldn’t contain the joy and excitement and clapped and clapped when a piece of chocolate cake was given (for example).  


Clapping also though can be just the right thing in unexpected places.   At a funeral I took for an elderly man some years ago we played a recording of a solo he had sung as a young boy of 11.   As the notes faded and there was a collective holding of breath and emotion and wonder the only response I could offer was to ask everyone to clap that young lad.   The spontaneous outpouring of clapping was a most sacred and poignant moment.   Recently we stood around our church car park and clapped in honour of one of our church members who had died.   The hearse drove slowly around and paused before driving to the Crematorium to a funeral attended by family only.   We were honouring Geoff’s ministry and service amongst us for so many years and showing solidarity with the grieving family.
Clapping I’ve discovered is a natural human response to honouring others and whilst I don’t see clapping becoming a regular part of funerals there is something about honouring and appreciating what others have done for us that goes beyond the usual rules of exchange that govern human behaviour.  So, although it is planned, and a bit scripted, let’s clap for our key workers and take a moment to appreciate the wonder of human giving and living.   And we look forward one day to being led out with song of joy as the trees in the fields clap their hands.

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