03-03-19 Kingsley: Daddy’s Shirt

Sunday 3rd March 2019

A miracle occured today: the five Hartleys got out of the house washed, changed, fed and clean and (kind of) on time, bound for church. We drove too! Kingsley proudly seated between his siblings stuffing fallen dummies into mouths.

At 40 days of life the twins represent to Kingsley the promise of good things to come. I can tell. No longer are they the reason why mummy is away (he no longer chucks things at their heads). Now they accept his kisses; he gives them freely! If he hears them cry Kingsley alerts us: ‘quick! The baby is crying!’

To church Kingsley wore daddy’s stripey size 6 GANT collared shirt. Proudly too! Our family of 5 in its Sunday finest about to embark on the sacred Old Testament ritual of presenting newborns to God.

According to the gospel, Mary and Joseph took the Infant Jesus to theTemple in Jerusalem forty days (inclusive) after his birth to complete Mary’s ritual purification after childbirth, and to perform the redemption of the firstborn son, in obedience to the Torah (Leviticus 12, Exodus 13:12–15, etc.).