You are invited to the Official Opening of the next St. Luke's Art Space Opening.
Saturday 2nd October 2010 at 3pm, to be opened by Elder Ray McMinn.
Performances by local Indigenous Dances, 'Minning Minni Kawrine'.
Local Harpist Nishila.
Light Refreshments will be served.
RSVP 4344 1347 by 27th September.
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Monday, September 13, 2010
Sermon for Fauna Sunday in the Season of Creation
Sermon for ‘Flora and Fauna Sunday’ in the Season of Creation,
in the parish of Woy Woy 12 September 2010, by Jonathan Inkpin
Years ago in the east end of London, I once met a remarkable old lady. She was what some call a ‘bag lady’: a homeless woman who carries her possessions with her, perhaps in just a pair of plastic bags. Her story was typical of many homeless people, although also very unique, like those of every homeless person. In this lady’s case, she would tell a very brief biographical tale on a kind of continuous loop, beginning with the words ‘I was a Barnados girl’ which, when she repeated would start her off again on her abbreviated life story. Was she then a sad person lost in a tiny, poor and very vulnerable world, cut off from the rest of us? No, not exactly. For she was in some ways much more in touch with existence than most, if not all of us. For this seeming poor and aged waif had a remarkable quality: the ability to see the plants and animals alive around her, even in the middle of such a busy and environmentally threatening city as London. If you walked along with her for just a minute or two, your eyes and ears would be opened to the animal and plant life you almost always missed: the grass and the sometimes beautiful flowers which pushed through the concrete and the cracks; the birds and the insects and the wildlife which, sometimes incomprehensibly, managed to thrive in the otherwise all-too-human jungle of the city. Almost everyone else was too busy or self-obsessed to ‘consider’ these ‘birds of the air’ and ‘lilies of the field’. It took a similarly over-looked human being to notice and celebrate these astonishing signs of God’s resistance. And, as she drew you into such contemplation and celebration, you thereby discovered the presence of mystery and grace.
Do we hear what the animals and plants, the flora and fauna of our world, have to say to us? I wonder how well we do...
Hands up anyone who has learned something from living with, or observing, a bird, or a plant, or an animal...
...which creatures have ‘spoken’ to you?
Surely all of us have learned something from the animals and plants of our world. For, as a great Christian mystic (Meister Eckhart) once wrote, ‘every creature is a word of God’. Every creature is part of God’s Creation and everyone, even those we do not like very much (the biting and dangerous creatures perhaps), has something to tell us about life and the nature of the one God, that great creative mystery, in which we all share. Isn’t this what Jesus is saying in today’s Gospel, today’s ‘Good News’? Certainly Jesus’ words challenge us to listen more deeply and learn more fully from the other creatures, the flora and fauna, of our world. As we do, like that ‘bag lady’ I mentioned, we are led into a deeper sense of mystery and God’s grace.
Do we look and listen properly however? Do we really appreciate the other sentient creatures around us? Do we glean from them spiritual wisdom, as Jesus did, or do we regard them too much as merely background additions for our use or entertainment? For we live in an age when this contemplative challenge has become ever more important.
‘Listen humans, this is our world too. For hundreds of millions of years we (the other creatures of this world) have been evolving our ways. Long, long before you came into being, these were rich in our own being. Now our days are coming to a close because of what you are doing. It is time for you to hear us.’ (from Joanna Macy ‘World as Lover. World as Self’ p.188 ff)
Those are words from a highly creative learning exercise known as the ‘Council of All Beings’, developed by the Australian environmental campaigner and educator John Seed and the writer and spiritual teacher Joanna Macy. This exercise has been used in many places, not least schools, to try to enable human beings to engage more empathetically with the sufferings as well as the joys of other creatures than ourselves. It is a highly imaginative and fun activity, which can involve the making of colourful masks and costumes, as each human participant takes on the role of a different creature. Gathered in a circle, this ‘Council of All Beings’ then addresses the human race. In turn, each is asked to share what they feel their particular creature might wish to say to us. Here are a few contributions from one particular gathering...
‘Listen humans, I am lichen. I turn rock into soil. I worked as the glaciers retreated, as other life-forms came and went. I thought nothing could stop me...until now. Now I am being poisoned by acid rain...
Listen humans, I am warbler. Your pesticides are in me now. The eggshells are so fragile they break under my weight, break before my young are ready to hatch..
Listen humans, I am raccoon. I speak for the raccoons. See my hand? It is like yours. On soft ground you see its imprint, and know I’ve passed. What marks on this world are you leaving behind?’
Perhaps we can try to imagine what other creatures might say? Think for a moment, for instance, of a bird or animal precious to you – maybe one of the many beautiful but endangered creatures, such as the large forest owls or squirrel gliders of our own Central Coast. What are they feeling and experiencing? What would they say to us if we listened to them?
The reality of course is that our modern world is very unkind and inhospitable to animals in general. Yes, in some ways human beings do love some other creatures quite well, but these are typically a handful of species we have turned into ‘pets’, like dogs and budgies and, to the extent they can be tamed, cats. Other species however do not fare quite so well. Scandalous numbers of birds and animals are needlessly destroyed and abused each year. Unnecessary extinctions of whole species continue to take place as their numbers and habitats are destroyed by human greed and ignorance. Modern so-called ‘civilisation’ exacts a terrible toll, particularly through its human-centred assumptions and technology.
So what does the God have to say on the matter?...
Well, we have heard from our Gospel today that God cares for the humblest bird and flower. When Jesus says ‘consider the lilies of the field’ and how they are clothed by God, or ‘consider the birds of the air’ and how they are fed by God, he is affirming how important they are to God. If human beings may be counted especially important this therefore does not reduce the value of other animals and plants. Rather it challenges us to share with them the same kind of care and compassion which God displays.
What a difference that would make! We must of course be wary of sentimentality at this point. The other-than human world would not be a paradise if human beings were withdrawn from it. Nature in all its guises is not only a place where God may be revealed. It is also ‘red in tooth and claw’, full of brokenness and violence not merely of human making. Anyone who loves cats for instance, must recognise the capacity of other animals to inflict unnecessary pain. At the heart of much understandable atheism or agnosticism is often a similar awareness of the suffering which is an inextricable part of the Creation as a whole. Greater human kindness to animals will not change this. And yet...
The fundamental affirmation of the Bible is that Creation is ‘good’ and that God seeks to bring all things into perfect harmony. For, as we see from the beginning in the book of Genesis, all things are created to be in relationship with one another. The earth and the heavens, the animals and the plants, and, finally, human beings, all are created to live in partnership with one another, not exploitation. One of the deepest expressions of this is found in the book of Isaiah (ch.11 vv.6-9), where the prophet speaks of God’s intent that:
‘the wolf shall live with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the kid, the calf and the lion and the fatling together, and a little child shall lead them. The cow and the bear shall graze, their young shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. The nursing child shall play over the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put its hand on the adder’s den. They will not hurt or destroy on all my holy mountain (says God); and the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.’
Wow! That is truly a ‘new Creation’, isn’t it?!
Indeed it is. For this is part of the messianic promise: the vision of the new Creation which will come about, according to Isaiah, when the Messiah comes. When the Messiah comes, God says, then all the violence in Creation must be ended. This includes the violence suffered and inflicted by animals, as well as the violence humans suffer and inflict on others. The Messianic age may still be ahead of us but it has already begun in Jesus Christ.
So how are we doing with that? Are we living and working towards such a healing of Creation? If so, we might be doing a great deal better in our attitudes and behaviour towards animals, not just the domestic variety. We could be realising afresh that we ourselves are animals and are kith and kin with all other creatures, themselves also valuable in the sight of God. We could be saying ‘no’ to unbridled development and the destruction of eco-systems upon which our fellow sentient creatures depend. We could be reconsidering the amount of meat we eat and the methods of production. We could be dancing with joy like St.Francis at rediscovering our intimate relationship with all the creatures he acknowledged as brother and sister.
‘Consider the lilies of the field.... the birds of the air... the beasts of the field ’ Do we?
I spoke earlier about the imaginative exercise called the ‘Council of All Beings’ and I commend that kind of empathy towards animals to you. For, by considering the lilies and the birds and beast in such a way, we not only name some of their hurt but we also discover some of their strength. As we contemplate our other-than human brothers and sisters, we begin to find within ourselves the qualities we need to be strengthened. This is part of the gift of God in Creation on which we can draw. So let me conclude in this way and encourage us all to walk in the ways of Jesus and the holy ‘bag lady’, listening and drawing upon the wisdom of God in our fellow creatures. For, in our contemporary world, in the midst of unprecedented ecological challenge:
‘It is a dark time. (so) As deep-diving trout I offer you my fearlessness of the dark...
I, lion, give you my roar, the voice to speak out and be heard..
As rainforest, I offer you my powers to create harmony, enabling many life-forms to live together. Out of this balance and symbiosis new, diverse life can spring...
I am caterpillar. The leaves I eat taste bitter now. But dimly I sense a great change coming. What I offer you, humans, is my willingness to dissolve and transform. I do that without knowing what the end-result will be; so I share with you my courage too.’ Amen.
in the parish of Woy Woy 12 September 2010, by Jonathan Inkpin
Years ago in the east end of London, I once met a remarkable old lady. She was what some call a ‘bag lady’: a homeless woman who carries her possessions with her, perhaps in just a pair of plastic bags. Her story was typical of many homeless people, although also very unique, like those of every homeless person. In this lady’s case, she would tell a very brief biographical tale on a kind of continuous loop, beginning with the words ‘I was a Barnados girl’ which, when she repeated would start her off again on her abbreviated life story. Was she then a sad person lost in a tiny, poor and very vulnerable world, cut off from the rest of us? No, not exactly. For she was in some ways much more in touch with existence than most, if not all of us. For this seeming poor and aged waif had a remarkable quality: the ability to see the plants and animals alive around her, even in the middle of such a busy and environmentally threatening city as London. If you walked along with her for just a minute or two, your eyes and ears would be opened to the animal and plant life you almost always missed: the grass and the sometimes beautiful flowers which pushed through the concrete and the cracks; the birds and the insects and the wildlife which, sometimes incomprehensibly, managed to thrive in the otherwise all-too-human jungle of the city. Almost everyone else was too busy or self-obsessed to ‘consider’ these ‘birds of the air’ and ‘lilies of the field’. It took a similarly over-looked human being to notice and celebrate these astonishing signs of God’s resistance. And, as she drew you into such contemplation and celebration, you thereby discovered the presence of mystery and grace.
Do we hear what the animals and plants, the flora and fauna of our world, have to say to us? I wonder how well we do...
Hands up anyone who has learned something from living with, or observing, a bird, or a plant, or an animal...
...which creatures have ‘spoken’ to you?
Surely all of us have learned something from the animals and plants of our world. For, as a great Christian mystic (Meister Eckhart) once wrote, ‘every creature is a word of God’. Every creature is part of God’s Creation and everyone, even those we do not like very much (the biting and dangerous creatures perhaps), has something to tell us about life and the nature of the one God, that great creative mystery, in which we all share. Isn’t this what Jesus is saying in today’s Gospel, today’s ‘Good News’? Certainly Jesus’ words challenge us to listen more deeply and learn more fully from the other creatures, the flora and fauna, of our world. As we do, like that ‘bag lady’ I mentioned, we are led into a deeper sense of mystery and God’s grace.
Do we look and listen properly however? Do we really appreciate the other sentient creatures around us? Do we glean from them spiritual wisdom, as Jesus did, or do we regard them too much as merely background additions for our use or entertainment? For we live in an age when this contemplative challenge has become ever more important.
‘Listen humans, this is our world too. For hundreds of millions of years we (the other creatures of this world) have been evolving our ways. Long, long before you came into being, these were rich in our own being. Now our days are coming to a close because of what you are doing. It is time for you to hear us.’ (from Joanna Macy ‘World as Lover. World as Self’ p.188 ff)
Those are words from a highly creative learning exercise known as the ‘Council of All Beings’, developed by the Australian environmental campaigner and educator John Seed and the writer and spiritual teacher Joanna Macy. This exercise has been used in many places, not least schools, to try to enable human beings to engage more empathetically with the sufferings as well as the joys of other creatures than ourselves. It is a highly imaginative and fun activity, which can involve the making of colourful masks and costumes, as each human participant takes on the role of a different creature. Gathered in a circle, this ‘Council of All Beings’ then addresses the human race. In turn, each is asked to share what they feel their particular creature might wish to say to us. Here are a few contributions from one particular gathering...
‘Listen humans, I am lichen. I turn rock into soil. I worked as the glaciers retreated, as other life-forms came and went. I thought nothing could stop me...until now. Now I am being poisoned by acid rain...
Listen humans, I am warbler. Your pesticides are in me now. The eggshells are so fragile they break under my weight, break before my young are ready to hatch..
Listen humans, I am raccoon. I speak for the raccoons. See my hand? It is like yours. On soft ground you see its imprint, and know I’ve passed. What marks on this world are you leaving behind?’
Perhaps we can try to imagine what other creatures might say? Think for a moment, for instance, of a bird or animal precious to you – maybe one of the many beautiful but endangered creatures, such as the large forest owls or squirrel gliders of our own Central Coast. What are they feeling and experiencing? What would they say to us if we listened to them?
The reality of course is that our modern world is very unkind and inhospitable to animals in general. Yes, in some ways human beings do love some other creatures quite well, but these are typically a handful of species we have turned into ‘pets’, like dogs and budgies and, to the extent they can be tamed, cats. Other species however do not fare quite so well. Scandalous numbers of birds and animals are needlessly destroyed and abused each year. Unnecessary extinctions of whole species continue to take place as their numbers and habitats are destroyed by human greed and ignorance. Modern so-called ‘civilisation’ exacts a terrible toll, particularly through its human-centred assumptions and technology.
So what does the God have to say on the matter?...
Well, we have heard from our Gospel today that God cares for the humblest bird and flower. When Jesus says ‘consider the lilies of the field’ and how they are clothed by God, or ‘consider the birds of the air’ and how they are fed by God, he is affirming how important they are to God. If human beings may be counted especially important this therefore does not reduce the value of other animals and plants. Rather it challenges us to share with them the same kind of care and compassion which God displays.
What a difference that would make! We must of course be wary of sentimentality at this point. The other-than human world would not be a paradise if human beings were withdrawn from it. Nature in all its guises is not only a place where God may be revealed. It is also ‘red in tooth and claw’, full of brokenness and violence not merely of human making. Anyone who loves cats for instance, must recognise the capacity of other animals to inflict unnecessary pain. At the heart of much understandable atheism or agnosticism is often a similar awareness of the suffering which is an inextricable part of the Creation as a whole. Greater human kindness to animals will not change this. And yet...
The fundamental affirmation of the Bible is that Creation is ‘good’ and that God seeks to bring all things into perfect harmony. For, as we see from the beginning in the book of Genesis, all things are created to be in relationship with one another. The earth and the heavens, the animals and the plants, and, finally, human beings, all are created to live in partnership with one another, not exploitation. One of the deepest expressions of this is found in the book of Isaiah (ch.11 vv.6-9), where the prophet speaks of God’s intent that:
‘the wolf shall live with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the kid, the calf and the lion and the fatling together, and a little child shall lead them. The cow and the bear shall graze, their young shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. The nursing child shall play over the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put its hand on the adder’s den. They will not hurt or destroy on all my holy mountain (says God); and the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.’
Wow! That is truly a ‘new Creation’, isn’t it?!
Indeed it is. For this is part of the messianic promise: the vision of the new Creation which will come about, according to Isaiah, when the Messiah comes. When the Messiah comes, God says, then all the violence in Creation must be ended. This includes the violence suffered and inflicted by animals, as well as the violence humans suffer and inflict on others. The Messianic age may still be ahead of us but it has already begun in Jesus Christ.
So how are we doing with that? Are we living and working towards such a healing of Creation? If so, we might be doing a great deal better in our attitudes and behaviour towards animals, not just the domestic variety. We could be realising afresh that we ourselves are animals and are kith and kin with all other creatures, themselves also valuable in the sight of God. We could be saying ‘no’ to unbridled development and the destruction of eco-systems upon which our fellow sentient creatures depend. We could be reconsidering the amount of meat we eat and the methods of production. We could be dancing with joy like St.Francis at rediscovering our intimate relationship with all the creatures he acknowledged as brother and sister.
‘Consider the lilies of the field.... the birds of the air... the beasts of the field ’ Do we?
I spoke earlier about the imaginative exercise called the ‘Council of All Beings’ and I commend that kind of empathy towards animals to you. For, by considering the lilies and the birds and beast in such a way, we not only name some of their hurt but we also discover some of their strength. As we contemplate our other-than human brothers and sisters, we begin to find within ourselves the qualities we need to be strengthened. This is part of the gift of God in Creation on which we can draw. So let me conclude in this way and encourage us all to walk in the ways of Jesus and the holy ‘bag lady’, listening and drawing upon the wisdom of God in our fellow creatures. For, in our contemporary world, in the midst of unprecedented ecological challenge:
‘It is a dark time. (so) As deep-diving trout I offer you my fearlessness of the dark...
I, lion, give you my roar, the voice to speak out and be heard..
As rainforest, I offer you my powers to create harmony, enabling many life-forms to live together. Out of this balance and symbiosis new, diverse life can spring...
I am caterpillar. The leaves I eat taste bitter now. But dimly I sense a great change coming. What I offer you, humans, is my willingness to dissolve and transform. I do that without knowing what the end-result will be; so I share with you my courage too.’ Amen.
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Sermon 29th August, 2010
Our Gospel today is all about hospitality and about what is important in the giving and receiving of hospitality.
Jesus urges those who are guests not to choose the best seats.
And he urges those who are hosts not to choose the guests who can repay them, but the people who actually need their generosity.
When we use the word ‘hospitality’ we tend to think about welcoming others to share a meal, to morning tea after church, perhaps to stay in our home for a holiday – and these things are very important to the life of any community. But we might want to think metaphorically as well as literally - about how hospitable we are to new ideas; to people whose views are very different from ours; and about how we feel about receiving from God and from others – remembering that it is often much more difficult to receive than to give. Are we hospitable to those who seek to give to us?
It is harder than we think, isn’t it? We all know that hospitality is important in our spiritual lives. We know that sharing is of the essence of Christian discipleship. We know that we ought not to distinguish between people on any grounds, but always look for the good in them, seeking to see them with the gentle eyes of Jesus’s love, and give to them and receive from them accordingly.
We know these things. But somehow it is not always so easy to practise them.
Pelagius defines the Christian as one ‘whose door is closed to no-one’ and ‘whose food is offered to all.’ No doubt we would all find that hard to live by, (whether we take it literally or metaphorically) and indeed there is a right need for boundaries that protect, as well as for the pulling down of walls that exclude. But which is a boundary and which is a wall? – and how do we prevent the one becoming the other?
Ray Simpson, who visited us here on the Peninsula some years ago from the Northumbria community, tells us that the community “pledge themselves to ‘availability’. To be available means that we are willing to give time, shelter or sustenance to anyone, if Christ inspires us. We do not do this upon demand: that would be to become a doormat, and would prevent us being available for God’s priorities, but we will be open to it, and we will always have an hospitable heart.” (Ray Simpson,’Exploring Celtic Spirtiuality’)
To have an hospitable heart – what does that mean? You might like to ponder that this week, and what it might mean in your place and situation. Part of what it means I believe is to always assume that the person we are looking at, or speaking with is made in the image of God, just like us. That something of the glory of God is reflected in them, no matter how obscure that glory may seem to be; and no matter how profoundly we disagree with them, or how much we dislike what they are doing or saying, we always retain a little ‘space’ in which we remind ourselves,’this is a child of God and to be honoured as such.’
The Christian writer Kathleen Norris writes:”In a world in which we are so easily labelled and polarised by our difference – man/woman, Protestant/Catholic, gay/straight, feminist/chauvinist (we could add black/white) -..hospitality is a model fo the kind of openness that we need if we are going to see and hear eachother at all….. (It) is at the centre of our Christian faith – the bread of the eucharist is called the ‘Host’ after all, and for good reason. Chruch hierarchies…become inhospitable whenever they forget they are not the centre.”
(Kathleen Norris,’The Cloister Walk p.179)
At the centre of course is God. And all our attempts at hospitality are a pale reflection of the hospitality that is at the heart of Godself. So you might like this week in your prayer to imagine yourself a guest at God’s table – as of course we are at every eucharist. Imagine yourself welcomed and invited in; given a place at the table; looked at with love and generosity. Such a meditation can be very moving, as we realise our total unworthiness to be there at all and the extraordinary love of God who receives us. Finding ourselves so welcomed, can soften our hearts as we seek to welcome and receive others into our lives and homes. For as the epistle reminds us, those who welcome strangers, welcome angels unawares – or in other words, God is always present in the stranger, whether or not we recognise that fact.
To welcome the stranger – whether in the form of an unfamiliar human being or an unfamiliar idea – requires courage; the kind of God-given courage that helps us to open our hearts and incline them to love. Yet,”God is among us. In a world where we see only in part and know even less, it is hard to spot God. …It is not important that we recognise God in the stranger; God is there whether we notice or not. We can just assume that fact and do the next thing – accept the stranger. What matters is that we stretch our hearts open and draw near to each other. It is the way of hospitality, the way of life, and…. the only way home.” (from Radical Hospitality
Homan and Pratt p233)
And so now in the spirit of that hospitality it is my great delight to welcome Denise Brown and Grant Killen to talk to us about Cursillo; may we welcome these strangers with their strange ideas with open hearts and minds.. Amen
Jesus urges those who are guests not to choose the best seats.
And he urges those who are hosts not to choose the guests who can repay them, but the people who actually need their generosity.
When we use the word ‘hospitality’ we tend to think about welcoming others to share a meal, to morning tea after church, perhaps to stay in our home for a holiday – and these things are very important to the life of any community. But we might want to think metaphorically as well as literally - about how hospitable we are to new ideas; to people whose views are very different from ours; and about how we feel about receiving from God and from others – remembering that it is often much more difficult to receive than to give. Are we hospitable to those who seek to give to us?
It is harder than we think, isn’t it? We all know that hospitality is important in our spiritual lives. We know that sharing is of the essence of Christian discipleship. We know that we ought not to distinguish between people on any grounds, but always look for the good in them, seeking to see them with the gentle eyes of Jesus’s love, and give to them and receive from them accordingly.
We know these things. But somehow it is not always so easy to practise them.
Pelagius defines the Christian as one ‘whose door is closed to no-one’ and ‘whose food is offered to all.’ No doubt we would all find that hard to live by, (whether we take it literally or metaphorically) and indeed there is a right need for boundaries that protect, as well as for the pulling down of walls that exclude. But which is a boundary and which is a wall? – and how do we prevent the one becoming the other?
Ray Simpson, who visited us here on the Peninsula some years ago from the Northumbria community, tells us that the community “pledge themselves to ‘availability’. To be available means that we are willing to give time, shelter or sustenance to anyone, if Christ inspires us. We do not do this upon demand: that would be to become a doormat, and would prevent us being available for God’s priorities, but we will be open to it, and we will always have an hospitable heart.” (Ray Simpson,’Exploring Celtic Spirtiuality’)
To have an hospitable heart – what does that mean? You might like to ponder that this week, and what it might mean in your place and situation. Part of what it means I believe is to always assume that the person we are looking at, or speaking with is made in the image of God, just like us. That something of the glory of God is reflected in them, no matter how obscure that glory may seem to be; and no matter how profoundly we disagree with them, or how much we dislike what they are doing or saying, we always retain a little ‘space’ in which we remind ourselves,’this is a child of God and to be honoured as such.’
The Christian writer Kathleen Norris writes:”In a world in which we are so easily labelled and polarised by our difference – man/woman, Protestant/Catholic, gay/straight, feminist/chauvinist (we could add black/white) -..hospitality is a model fo the kind of openness that we need if we are going to see and hear eachother at all….. (It) is at the centre of our Christian faith – the bread of the eucharist is called the ‘Host’ after all, and for good reason. Chruch hierarchies…become inhospitable whenever they forget they are not the centre.”
(Kathleen Norris,’The Cloister Walk p.179)
At the centre of course is God. And all our attempts at hospitality are a pale reflection of the hospitality that is at the heart of Godself. So you might like this week in your prayer to imagine yourself a guest at God’s table – as of course we are at every eucharist. Imagine yourself welcomed and invited in; given a place at the table; looked at with love and generosity. Such a meditation can be very moving, as we realise our total unworthiness to be there at all and the extraordinary love of God who receives us. Finding ourselves so welcomed, can soften our hearts as we seek to welcome and receive others into our lives and homes. For as the epistle reminds us, those who welcome strangers, welcome angels unawares – or in other words, God is always present in the stranger, whether or not we recognise that fact.
To welcome the stranger – whether in the form of an unfamiliar human being or an unfamiliar idea – requires courage; the kind of God-given courage that helps us to open our hearts and incline them to love. Yet,”God is among us. In a world where we see only in part and know even less, it is hard to spot God. …It is not important that we recognise God in the stranger; God is there whether we notice or not. We can just assume that fact and do the next thing – accept the stranger. What matters is that we stretch our hearts open and draw near to each other. It is the way of hospitality, the way of life, and…. the only way home.” (from Radical Hospitality
Homan and Pratt p233)
And so now in the spirit of that hospitality it is my great delight to welcome Denise Brown and Grant Killen to talk to us about Cursillo; may we welcome these strangers with their strange ideas with open hearts and minds.. Amen
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Sermon Handout 15th August 2010
MARY
MOTHER OF JESUS
‘Together with a radical re-reception of Scripture as the fundamental touchstone of divine revelation, there was a re-reception by the Reformers of the belief that Jesus Christ is the only mediator between God and humanity. This entailed a rejection of real and perceived abuses surrounding devotion to Mary. It led also to the loss of some positive aspects of devotion and the diminution of her place in the life of the Church.’
The person of Mary, the mother of Jesus has been venerated in many different ways by Christians over two millenia.
In doing so, faith, hope and love has been immensely deepened. However some of these different understandings of Mary have been, and continue to be, sources of division between Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican, Protestant and Pentecostal followers of Christ.
Muslims and Jews have also reflected profoundly on Mary.
What do you understand about Mary,
and what difference can she make to your life?
here are a few ideas for your own reflection,
drawing on the ARCIC statement ‘Mary: Grace and Hope in Christ’ (2005) from which all quotes are taken …
Mary as a ‘model of discipleship’
Saying ‘Yes to God’ (Fiat)
‘Mary stands before us as an exemplar of faithful obedience, (offering)… the grace-filled response each of us is called to make to God, both personally and communally… It is as a figure of the Church, her arms uplifted in prayer and praise, her hands open in receptivity and availability to the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, that we are one with Mary.’
Read:Luke ch.1 vv.26-38
& Reflect on what God may be calling you to be or do today…
Bearing God (the Theotokos)
‘In the early Church, reflection on Mary served to interpret and safeguard the apostolic Tradition… testimony to Mary as ‘God-bearer’ (Theotókos) emerged from reflection on Scripture and the celebration of Christian feasts, but its development was due chiefly to the early Christological controversies…and their resolution in successive Ecumenical Councils, reflection on Mary’s role in the Incarnation was integral to the articulation of orthodox faith in Jesus Christ, true God and true man. In defence of Christ’s true humanity, and against Docetism, the early Church emphasized Jesus’ birth from Mary. He did not just ‘appear’ to be human; he did not descend from heaven in a ‘heavenly body’, nor when he was born did he simply ‘pass through’ his mother. Rather, Mary gave birth to her son of her own substance.’
Read:Luke ch.2 vv.1-7
& Reflect on the gifts and love of God which you are given and how you can bring them to birth in your life…
Blessed in down-to-earth, ‘incarnate’ loving (Humus)
‘Just as in Elizabeth’s salutation the mother receives a blessing of her own, distinct from that of her child (1:42), so also in the Magnificat Mary predicts that “all generations will call me blessed” (1:48). This text
provides the scriptural basis for an appropriate devotion to Mary, though never in separation from her role as mother of the Messiah.’
Read: Luke ch.1 vv.39-45
& Reflect on how God is blessed in your daily bodily activities…
Praising God in Liberation (Magnificat)
‘Although the witness of her obedience and acceptance of God’s will has sometimes been used to encourage passivity and impose servitude on women, it is rightly seen as a radical commitment to God who has mercy on his servant, lifts up the lowly and brings down the mighty. Issues of justice for women and the empowerment of the oppressed have arisen from daily reflection on Mary’s remarkable song… Only when joy is joined with justice and peace do we rightly share in the economy of hope and grace which Mary proclaims and embodies.’
Read: Luke ch.1 vv.46-55
& Reflect on where God is working among the poor today and how you may support and give thanks for this …
Self-Emptying (Kenosis)
‘Mary epitomizes such participation in the life of God. Her response was not made without profound questioning, and it issued in a life of joy intermingled with sorrow, taking her even to the foot of her son’s cross. When Christians join in Mary’s ‘Amen’ to the ‘Yes’ of God in Christ, they commit themselves to an obedient response to the Word of God, which leads to a life of prayer and service.’
Read: Acts of the Apostles ch.1 vv.12-14
& Reflect on what God may be calling you to
Nurturing new community (Koinonia)
‘These last commands of Jesus before he dies reveal an understanding beyond their primary reference to Mary and “the beloved disciple” as individuals. The reciprocal roles of the ‘woman’ and the ‘disciple’ are related to the identity of the Church. Elsewhere in John, the beloved disciple is presented as the model disciple of Jesus, the one closest to him who never deserted him, the object of Jesus’ love, and the ever-faithful witness (13:25, 19:26, 20:1-10, 21:20-25). Understood in terms of discipleship, Jesus’ dying words give Mary a motherly role in the Church and encourage the community of disciples to embrace her as a spiritual mother.’
Read: John ch.19 vv.25-27
& Reflect on who you can build deeper relationships with and grow in the Christian family …
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Mary: Grace and Hope in Christ" is the 5th statement of the second phase of the Anglican-Roman Catholic International Commission (ARCIC) and brings to completion the mandate the Commission was given when it began its work in 1983. The group which agreed the statement was co-chaired by Archbishop Peter Carnley, former Anglican Primate of Australia. Further information about it can be found on the Internet at:
http://www.anglicancommunion.org/ministry/ecumenical/dialogues/catholic/arcic/index.cfm including a link to the the full text.
‘The scriptural witness summons all believers in every generation to call Mary ‘blessed’; this Jewish woman of humble status, this daughter of Israel living in hope of justice for the poor, whom God has graced and chosen to become the virgin mother of his Son through the overshadowing of the Holy Spirit. We are to bless her as the ‘handmaid of the Lord’ who gave her unqualified assent to the fulfilment of God’s saving plan, as the mother who pondered all things in her heart.’
Handout compiled by Jonathan Inkpin & Penny Jones
for the parish of Woy Woy 15.8.10
MOTHER OF JESUS
‘Together with a radical re-reception of Scripture as the fundamental touchstone of divine revelation, there was a re-reception by the Reformers of the belief that Jesus Christ is the only mediator between God and humanity. This entailed a rejection of real and perceived abuses surrounding devotion to Mary. It led also to the loss of some positive aspects of devotion and the diminution of her place in the life of the Church.’
The person of Mary, the mother of Jesus has been venerated in many different ways by Christians over two millenia.
In doing so, faith, hope and love has been immensely deepened. However some of these different understandings of Mary have been, and continue to be, sources of division between Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican, Protestant and Pentecostal followers of Christ.
Muslims and Jews have also reflected profoundly on Mary.
What do you understand about Mary,
and what difference can she make to your life?
here are a few ideas for your own reflection,
drawing on the ARCIC statement ‘Mary: Grace and Hope in Christ’ (2005) from which all quotes are taken …
Mary as a ‘model of discipleship’
Saying ‘Yes to God’ (Fiat)
‘Mary stands before us as an exemplar of faithful obedience, (offering)… the grace-filled response each of us is called to make to God, both personally and communally… It is as a figure of the Church, her arms uplifted in prayer and praise, her hands open in receptivity and availability to the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, that we are one with Mary.’
Read:Luke ch.1 vv.26-38
& Reflect on what God may be calling you to be or do today…
Bearing God (the Theotokos)
‘In the early Church, reflection on Mary served to interpret and safeguard the apostolic Tradition… testimony to Mary as ‘God-bearer’ (Theotókos) emerged from reflection on Scripture and the celebration of Christian feasts, but its development was due chiefly to the early Christological controversies…and their resolution in successive Ecumenical Councils, reflection on Mary’s role in the Incarnation was integral to the articulation of orthodox faith in Jesus Christ, true God and true man. In defence of Christ’s true humanity, and against Docetism, the early Church emphasized Jesus’ birth from Mary. He did not just ‘appear’ to be human; he did not descend from heaven in a ‘heavenly body’, nor when he was born did he simply ‘pass through’ his mother. Rather, Mary gave birth to her son of her own substance.’
Read:Luke ch.2 vv.1-7
& Reflect on the gifts and love of God which you are given and how you can bring them to birth in your life…
Blessed in down-to-earth, ‘incarnate’ loving (Humus)
‘Just as in Elizabeth’s salutation the mother receives a blessing of her own, distinct from that of her child (1:42), so also in the Magnificat Mary predicts that “all generations will call me blessed” (1:48). This text
provides the scriptural basis for an appropriate devotion to Mary, though never in separation from her role as mother of the Messiah.’
Read: Luke ch.1 vv.39-45
& Reflect on how God is blessed in your daily bodily activities…
Praising God in Liberation (Magnificat)
‘Although the witness of her obedience and acceptance of God’s will has sometimes been used to encourage passivity and impose servitude on women, it is rightly seen as a radical commitment to God who has mercy on his servant, lifts up the lowly and brings down the mighty. Issues of justice for women and the empowerment of the oppressed have arisen from daily reflection on Mary’s remarkable song… Only when joy is joined with justice and peace do we rightly share in the economy of hope and grace which Mary proclaims and embodies.’
Read: Luke ch.1 vv.46-55
& Reflect on where God is working among the poor today and how you may support and give thanks for this …
Self-Emptying (Kenosis)
‘Mary epitomizes such participation in the life of God. Her response was not made without profound questioning, and it issued in a life of joy intermingled with sorrow, taking her even to the foot of her son’s cross. When Christians join in Mary’s ‘Amen’ to the ‘Yes’ of God in Christ, they commit themselves to an obedient response to the Word of God, which leads to a life of prayer and service.’
Read: Acts of the Apostles ch.1 vv.12-14
& Reflect on what God may be calling you to
Nurturing new community (Koinonia)
‘These last commands of Jesus before he dies reveal an understanding beyond their primary reference to Mary and “the beloved disciple” as individuals. The reciprocal roles of the ‘woman’ and the ‘disciple’ are related to the identity of the Church. Elsewhere in John, the beloved disciple is presented as the model disciple of Jesus, the one closest to him who never deserted him, the object of Jesus’ love, and the ever-faithful witness (13:25, 19:26, 20:1-10, 21:20-25). Understood in terms of discipleship, Jesus’ dying words give Mary a motherly role in the Church and encourage the community of disciples to embrace her as a spiritual mother.’
Read: John ch.19 vv.25-27
& Reflect on who you can build deeper relationships with and grow in the Christian family …
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Mary: Grace and Hope in Christ" is the 5th statement of the second phase of the Anglican-Roman Catholic International Commission (ARCIC) and brings to completion the mandate the Commission was given when it began its work in 1983. The group which agreed the statement was co-chaired by Archbishop Peter Carnley, former Anglican Primate of Australia. Further information about it can be found on the Internet at:
http://www.anglicancommunion.org/ministry/ecumenical/dialogues/catholic/arcic/index.cfm including a link to the the full text.
‘The scriptural witness summons all believers in every generation to call Mary ‘blessed’; this Jewish woman of humble status, this daughter of Israel living in hope of justice for the poor, whom God has graced and chosen to become the virgin mother of his Son through the overshadowing of the Holy Spirit. We are to bless her as the ‘handmaid of the Lord’ who gave her unqualified assent to the fulfilment of God’s saving plan, as the mother who pondered all things in her heart.’
Handout compiled by Jonathan Inkpin & Penny Jones
for the parish of Woy Woy 15.8.10
Monday, August 2, 2010
Sermon. 1st August 2010 - Luke 12:13-21
1st August, 2010
Luke 12:13-21
May I speak in the name of the God who loves us, Father, Son & Holy Spirit.
"If you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is" and
"is that renewal Christ is all, and in all"
The writer of the letter to the Colossians was urging those young Christians to keep their focus; to keep their focus very simple; and to let go of habits and ways of life that were unhelpful, if not downright dangerous, and in some cases idolatrous.
The link between greed and idolatry is a clear one. When we accumulate stuff of whatever kind, thing, money, prestige, - beyond our need, we are in danger of putting that "stuff´ in the place of God, and that is idolatry. And it's not that idolatry hurts God - God is much greater than our petty obsessions; it is that it hurts us - it hurts our integrity, our capacity to be compassionate and whole human beings - and that hurts God, because God, as we heard in that wonderful passage from Hosea, loves us so much, treating us "like those who lift infants to their cheeks."
So we need to keep our focus. And in our modern Westernised world that is very difficult. At no time in human history have we been so subject to distraction. During my holidays I read a book entitled, "Now is the winter of our disconnect." Its author tells the story of the six month experiment she and her three teenage children undertook, in which they refrained from the use of modern technology in their home - at home no TV or DVD's; no computer or computer games, no iPods or CD's; no mobile phones; no 'internet'. They could use these things at work, at school and at friends places, but not at home.
The consequences? - there were many, including improved school grades; one child who poured their efforts into playing the saxophone; the restitution of conversation around the family dinner table and of countless other human interactions; and much improved patterns of sleep. It is a fascinating study and I recommend it to anyone who is battling the complexities of raising children and grandchildren in our era. But the thing that stood our most clearly for me, was that this family's 'letting go' of the constant distractions served up by media, allowed them a space in which to focus - to "seek the things that are above", in Christian language. 'Letting go' and 'focus' belong together.
These are many things in our lives to distract us. Very few of them are bad in and of themselves. Many of them are very good. But a reliance on any of them, can become idolatrous. This is not a modern problem, as Jesus' parable makes clear; but the more things there are to acquire, the harder it is to keep our focus on what is essential. The harder it is to "let go".
Jesus says, be on your guard against all kinds of greed; for one's life does not consist in the abundance of possessions. The story he then tells focuses in a straightforward way on material possessions - grain and barns to put it in. And we can translate that into our own currency readily enough - how many cars, TVs, refrigerators, computers and so on and so forth do we actually need?; perhaps more importantly how many can our fragile earth actually sustain before we realise that we have sold our souls and our planet, and we cannot actually eat money or take it with us when we die? For the material greed we face in our own era is not just personal, but corporate. As a species in many places, humanity has allowed itself to be seduced by consumerism.
So what is to be done? I know that a few people around the parish were disturbed by one of the artworks produced by a youngster for the latest exhibition at St Luke's. It's been returned to the school, along with some of the others for an exhibition at the school, so in case you didn't see it or can't remember it, it featured a soft drink can, in the familiar red and white colours of the most notable soft drink on them all, produced by the multi-national company that bears its name, you know who I mean. Instead of the brand name, but in the same font the young artist had painted the words "Jesus Christ."
Some of you I know wondered whether it was sacrilegious - somehow demeaning the name of Christ, by equating it with a brand of soft drink, produced by one of the world's most oppressive companies.
This was not I believe the young person's intention. Rather they were saying, "Jesus Christ is greater even than this huge idol of consumerism. Indeed Jesus Christ is the only force capable of taking on the power of these huge greed-driven multinationals - let's focus on Him"
And indeed that is where our focus needs to be. Only with our eyes on Christ can we begin to "let go". For in our day, it is not just that over - production and advertising invite us to consume ever more; we are being constantly manipulated to listen to our emotions, to our wants and fears; and to cling to things, as a way to be safe. Now some of these things are not material in the obvious sense - they may be much more intangible; like our position or career path; or perhaps a desire to be liked by others even if that means compromising on things we know to be right or true; such things are part of our human need for affirmation, and like other possessions are not bad in themselves - but if they distract us from a focus on Christ, they too can be idolatrous. And of course, they offer no ultimate security at all.
We all know that greed can make us sick - too many lollies and we turn green and bilious. Apply the same maxim to our society, and we can see the consequences of selling our souls to the soft drinks and IT companies all around us. And churches are certainly not immune. We have all come across congregations whose attachment to their historic wealth, to buildings, fittings and fixtures, perhaps a fine organ, does not allow them the lightness of being to respond to the ministry needs of the communities in which they are set. And we who sit this morning in such comfort, might like to reflect on what is actually needed for a Christian community - some water, some bread, some wine, a Bible, perhaps a little oil. Nothing else - in material terms; but much more in terms of faith and a willingness to share our wealth with those in need.
And it's not just material possessions that churches cling to. We cling as well to our particular patterns of worship, our shades of Theology, our strategic plans and mission objectives - and forget the one who said 'take no thought for tomorrow." It is so very easy to become distracted - and to lose our focus on "Christ who is all and in all."
"People" said the Little Prince in the fairytale by Antoine de StExuperay" rush about in express trains, but they do not know what they are looking for. They raise ten thousand roses in the same garden, and they still do not know what they are looking for. Yet what they are looking for could be found in a single rose."
It is a matter of focus; of being aware that the multiplication of possessions of whatever kind is not the purpose of our life, but that rather we are learning all through our life how to let go of different kinds of possessions, tangible and intangible, in order to be open to God in Christ.
Sadly too many of us sometimes, and probably all of us some of the time, sell our souls short for one possession or another. As Solzhenitsyn said "People - exhaust themselves in the senseless pursuit of material things, and die without realising their spiritual greatness."
But it does not have to be so. Any and every one of us can choose to create a little more 'soul-space', by choosing a little less of something we have convinced ourselves we cannot do without. And as we "let go" of what is non-essential, we will find that "the things that are above" come into much sharper focus. It is a matter of focussing in spite of distraction on what is truly worthwhile - as the fisherman in this final story does.
'A wealthy American banker was standing on the pier of a coastal village in Mexico when a small boat with one fisherman aboard docked. Inside the boat were a few large tuna fish. The banker complemented the fisherman on his catch, the asked, "how long were you out?' 'Oh, an hour or two," the fisherman replied. 'Why didn't you stay out longer and catch more fish?' 'I've enough here to meet the immediate needs of my family.' 'But what do you do with the rest of your time?' 'I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children take a siesta in the afternoon, and stroll into the village in the evening to sip a little wine, play my guitar and chat with my friends. Believe me, I have a full life," said the fisherman. The banker wasn't impressed. 'You should spend more time fishing,' he said. 'Then with the proceeds you could by a bigger boat. With the proceeds from that you could by several boats. Eventually you would have a fleet of fishing boats. Then you could open up your own processing factory and cannery. You would need to leave this village and move to Mexico City, then to Los Angeles, and eventually to New York, from where you would run your expanding business.' 'How long would all this take? the fisherman asked. 'About twenty years,' the banker replied. 'And what then?' asked the fisherman. 'When the time is right you could float your company on the stock market, sell your stock to the public and make millions.' 'Then what?' asked the fisherman. 'Then you could retire and move to a small coastal village, where you could sleep late, fish a little, play with your children, take a siesta in the afternoon, stroll into the village in the evening and have some fun with your friends.' 'What do you think I'm doing right now?' asked the fisherman.
Luke 12:13-21
May I speak in the name of the God who loves us, Father, Son & Holy Spirit.
"If you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is" and
"is that renewal Christ is all, and in all"
The writer of the letter to the Colossians was urging those young Christians to keep their focus; to keep their focus very simple; and to let go of habits and ways of life that were unhelpful, if not downright dangerous, and in some cases idolatrous.
The link between greed and idolatry is a clear one. When we accumulate stuff of whatever kind, thing, money, prestige, - beyond our need, we are in danger of putting that "stuff´ in the place of God, and that is idolatry. And it's not that idolatry hurts God - God is much greater than our petty obsessions; it is that it hurts us - it hurts our integrity, our capacity to be compassionate and whole human beings - and that hurts God, because God, as we heard in that wonderful passage from Hosea, loves us so much, treating us "like those who lift infants to their cheeks."
So we need to keep our focus. And in our modern Westernised world that is very difficult. At no time in human history have we been so subject to distraction. During my holidays I read a book entitled, "Now is the winter of our disconnect." Its author tells the story of the six month experiment she and her three teenage children undertook, in which they refrained from the use of modern technology in their home - at home no TV or DVD's; no computer or computer games, no iPods or CD's; no mobile phones; no 'internet'. They could use these things at work, at school and at friends places, but not at home.
The consequences? - there were many, including improved school grades; one child who poured their efforts into playing the saxophone; the restitution of conversation around the family dinner table and of countless other human interactions; and much improved patterns of sleep. It is a fascinating study and I recommend it to anyone who is battling the complexities of raising children and grandchildren in our era. But the thing that stood our most clearly for me, was that this family's 'letting go' of the constant distractions served up by media, allowed them a space in which to focus - to "seek the things that are above", in Christian language. 'Letting go' and 'focus' belong together.
These are many things in our lives to distract us. Very few of them are bad in and of themselves. Many of them are very good. But a reliance on any of them, can become idolatrous. This is not a modern problem, as Jesus' parable makes clear; but the more things there are to acquire, the harder it is to keep our focus on what is essential. The harder it is to "let go".
Jesus says, be on your guard against all kinds of greed; for one's life does not consist in the abundance of possessions. The story he then tells focuses in a straightforward way on material possessions - grain and barns to put it in. And we can translate that into our own currency readily enough - how many cars, TVs, refrigerators, computers and so on and so forth do we actually need?; perhaps more importantly how many can our fragile earth actually sustain before we realise that we have sold our souls and our planet, and we cannot actually eat money or take it with us when we die? For the material greed we face in our own era is not just personal, but corporate. As a species in many places, humanity has allowed itself to be seduced by consumerism.
So what is to be done? I know that a few people around the parish were disturbed by one of the artworks produced by a youngster for the latest exhibition at St Luke's. It's been returned to the school, along with some of the others for an exhibition at the school, so in case you didn't see it or can't remember it, it featured a soft drink can, in the familiar red and white colours of the most notable soft drink on them all, produced by the multi-national company that bears its name, you know who I mean. Instead of the brand name, but in the same font the young artist had painted the words "Jesus Christ."
Some of you I know wondered whether it was sacrilegious - somehow demeaning the name of Christ, by equating it with a brand of soft drink, produced by one of the world's most oppressive companies.
This was not I believe the young person's intention. Rather they were saying, "Jesus Christ is greater even than this huge idol of consumerism. Indeed Jesus Christ is the only force capable of taking on the power of these huge greed-driven multinationals - let's focus on Him"
And indeed that is where our focus needs to be. Only with our eyes on Christ can we begin to "let go". For in our day, it is not just that over - production and advertising invite us to consume ever more; we are being constantly manipulated to listen to our emotions, to our wants and fears; and to cling to things, as a way to be safe. Now some of these things are not material in the obvious sense - they may be much more intangible; like our position or career path; or perhaps a desire to be liked by others even if that means compromising on things we know to be right or true; such things are part of our human need for affirmation, and like other possessions are not bad in themselves - but if they distract us from a focus on Christ, they too can be idolatrous. And of course, they offer no ultimate security at all.
We all know that greed can make us sick - too many lollies and we turn green and bilious. Apply the same maxim to our society, and we can see the consequences of selling our souls to the soft drinks and IT companies all around us. And churches are certainly not immune. We have all come across congregations whose attachment to their historic wealth, to buildings, fittings and fixtures, perhaps a fine organ, does not allow them the lightness of being to respond to the ministry needs of the communities in which they are set. And we who sit this morning in such comfort, might like to reflect on what is actually needed for a Christian community - some water, some bread, some wine, a Bible, perhaps a little oil. Nothing else - in material terms; but much more in terms of faith and a willingness to share our wealth with those in need.
And it's not just material possessions that churches cling to. We cling as well to our particular patterns of worship, our shades of Theology, our strategic plans and mission objectives - and forget the one who said 'take no thought for tomorrow." It is so very easy to become distracted - and to lose our focus on "Christ who is all and in all."
"People" said the Little Prince in the fairytale by Antoine de StExuperay" rush about in express trains, but they do not know what they are looking for. They raise ten thousand roses in the same garden, and they still do not know what they are looking for. Yet what they are looking for could be found in a single rose."
It is a matter of focus; of being aware that the multiplication of possessions of whatever kind is not the purpose of our life, but that rather we are learning all through our life how to let go of different kinds of possessions, tangible and intangible, in order to be open to God in Christ.
Sadly too many of us sometimes, and probably all of us some of the time, sell our souls short for one possession or another. As Solzhenitsyn said "People - exhaust themselves in the senseless pursuit of material things, and die without realising their spiritual greatness."
But it does not have to be so. Any and every one of us can choose to create a little more 'soul-space', by choosing a little less of something we have convinced ourselves we cannot do without. And as we "let go" of what is non-essential, we will find that "the things that are above" come into much sharper focus. It is a matter of focussing in spite of distraction on what is truly worthwhile - as the fisherman in this final story does.
'A wealthy American banker was standing on the pier of a coastal village in Mexico when a small boat with one fisherman aboard docked. Inside the boat were a few large tuna fish. The banker complemented the fisherman on his catch, the asked, "how long were you out?' 'Oh, an hour or two," the fisherman replied. 'Why didn't you stay out longer and catch more fish?' 'I've enough here to meet the immediate needs of my family.' 'But what do you do with the rest of your time?' 'I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children take a siesta in the afternoon, and stroll into the village in the evening to sip a little wine, play my guitar and chat with my friends. Believe me, I have a full life," said the fisherman. The banker wasn't impressed. 'You should spend more time fishing,' he said. 'Then with the proceeds you could by a bigger boat. With the proceeds from that you could by several boats. Eventually you would have a fleet of fishing boats. Then you could open up your own processing factory and cannery. You would need to leave this village and move to Mexico City, then to Los Angeles, and eventually to New York, from where you would run your expanding business.' 'How long would all this take? the fisherman asked. 'About twenty years,' the banker replied. 'And what then?' asked the fisherman. 'When the time is right you could float your company on the stock market, sell your stock to the public and make millions.' 'Then what?' asked the fisherman. 'Then you could retire and move to a small coastal village, where you could sleep late, fish a little, play with your children, take a siesta in the afternoon, stroll into the village in the evening and have some fun with your friends.' 'What do you think I'm doing right now?' asked the fisherman.
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Opening of Art Space "Young at Art'
St Luke's Anglican Church Woy Woy Art Space 'Young at Art'. This is a celebration of the talented youth on the Central Coast. Incorporating an Exhibition of Art by youth from local schools and in the Community. The Art Space was opened by Red. Bruce Perry, Chaplain Newcastle University and the entertainment was supplied by local band 'One Minute of Living'.
The exhibition can be viewed Monday to Friday 9-4 via the Parish Office.
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Sermon 5th Sunday after Pentecost
Sermon Luke 9: 51-62
What does it really mean to follow Jesus?
This is the question at the heart of today’s Gospel, as Jesus sets his face towards Jerusalem, and tells His would-be followers that looking back is not an option.
From the challenges He puts to them, it seems that rue discipleship, true following, is not about Power; its not about Possession; but it is about Pilgrimage.
Not Power, not Possession, but Pilgrimage. Let’s think about each of these.
It seems that the disciples James and John were really getting into their new found power. No doubt they had enjoyed some success in healing and casting out demons. Now when a Samaritan village refuses to accept Jesus, their power goes to their heads. “Would you like us to call down from fire form heaven upon this village and destroy it?” They ask.
Jesus of course rebukes them. And rightly so.
To have returned an insult with such violence would have been a totally unacceptable abuse of power.
At the time of Jesus, the Samaritans and the Jews were mutual enemies. So despite Jesus reputation as a healer and teacher, when they hear that he is heading for Jerusalem, to perform His Jewish obligations, they refuse to welcome Him. From their perspective, whatever his merits as an individual, he was a member of a different, enemy tribe, and they would have nothing to do with him. James and John are furious and out for revenge.
But of course this is not Jesus way of doing things. He never returns evil for evil, and He encourages his followers to choose the ways of non-violence.
In this of course there is immense strength. It is much more difficult to refuse to retaliate when we are wounded, and this is true at every level of our personal, political and international life.
Jesus shows by example, that to follow him is to reject the abuse of power, the thirst for vengeance and control, and to take the path of reconciliation and peace. It is not an easy choice, and often the church has failed to make that choice, choosing instead to assert its power in various ways, both obvious and more subtly manipulative. But this passage shows without question that the use of power for our own ends has nothing to do with the path of Christian discipleship.
So not Power. And not Possession either – by which I mean the desire to own, to control, to be in charge of our own destiny.. In our own era the will towards possession is very strong. I don’t just mean that we live in a very commercialised and consumerist culture, though that is true. I mean that we really think that we are in charge of our own lives. But the path of Christian discipleship is one of letting go – letting go of the illusion that we are in charge of what happens to us; letting go sometimes even things that on the face of it seem quite innocent and good, if they stand in the way of a deeper listening to the will of God.
Jesus is met by three potential followers. To the first rather idealistic and passionate person, who promises to follow him wherever he may go, Jesus points out that this is a choice to be homeless. Whether or not they met that challenge, or realised it was beyond them we do not know.
What we do know is that the next two, whom Jesus invites to follow Him, each have an excuse for not doing so.
At first glance it may seem that Jesus is being harsh, but closer examination suggests this is not the casse.
The one who wants to go and bury his father first – now that sounds reasonable doesn’t it? But in fact, in the culture of the day if the man’s father had already died, he would not have been out and about to meet Jesus in the first place This means that his father was still alive – and from Jesus’ response it is clear that the man was potentially going to wait many years before his father would die and be buried. To this person Jesus was saying that following Him, involved letting go of possessiveness – of control over his future; even in so far as this involved his family.
Similarly the person who wanted to say goodbye to those at home, sounds fair enough – but what if ‘home’ is not just up the street, but many miles away? What if seeing the ‘folks at home’ involves an endless list of relatives to be found in many places?
Jesus is once again challenging the real intention of this person to commit to the path of discipleship. He is not being harsh. He is just encouraging those whom he thinks have the potential for deep discipleship, not to wait around too long. After all He has an inkling that His own days are likely to be numbered; and none of us knows how long we may have on this earth in which to fulfil our vocation.
Most of us, if we are honest, have some things that we rather cling to. These things may be physical possessions – a house, a car; or emotional ties: family members whose esteem or welfare we prize very highly; or perhaps a career choice or path that we feel comes above everything else. No matter the focus of our possessiveness, Jesus in this Gospel issues a challenge – are we willing to give up even this? – this which has a legitimate claim upon our time and attention? This which we might believe to be our very vocation? – can we give up everything, if it is asked of us? It is a hard ask that’s for sure.
Yet those who have most notably followed in the way of Christ, all seem to have understood that time was short, and that sometimes it was necessary to do things that might seem quite extreme or unnecessary to others. Think for example of the poverty of Francis and Clare; the courage of a Martin Luther King; the determination of someone closer to home like Sr. Angela, who founded the monastery at Stroud.
Such Christian saints were all pilgrim people – moving wherever they felt called; refusing to allow the ties of possessions or relationship to prevent them from moving on along the path. As Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote,” Discipleship is not limited to what you can comprehend – it must transcend all comprehension…Not to know where you are going is true knowledge.”
Which brings us to Pilgrimage – that willingness to follow a path even when we do not know where it leads.
This passage is full of movement words – the word to travel or proceed is used five times in the first six verses, and the word depart or go three times. The writer of Luke is making it quite clear that Jesus is in a new phase. Instead of just moving around Galilee teaching, he is now moving through Samaria, focussed on Jerusalem. His movement has become determined and intentional.
And this is what distinguishes pilgrimage from other kinds of journeying – it is a journey with a definite purpose; that of seeking the path of God no matter what.
Today’s Gospel challenges us, would-be followers of the pilgrim path – are we willing to let go of our desire for power, control and possession, in order to encounter the Christ along our way?
When we do , we can be sure that we will encounter resistance and persecution , as Jesus did, for those who speak truth to power are rarely popular.. We can be sure that our path will lead us into places of suffering and distress, because these are the people and places that Jesus held most dear. We can be sure that our path will lead us to places we would never have thought possible, for this is the onward call of a God, whose purpose never stands still.
So let us listen for the call of Christ; “Follow me”. And let us never be afraid to set out once more in faith. Amen
What does it really mean to follow Jesus?
This is the question at the heart of today’s Gospel, as Jesus sets his face towards Jerusalem, and tells His would-be followers that looking back is not an option.
From the challenges He puts to them, it seems that rue discipleship, true following, is not about Power; its not about Possession; but it is about Pilgrimage.
Not Power, not Possession, but Pilgrimage. Let’s think about each of these.
It seems that the disciples James and John were really getting into their new found power. No doubt they had enjoyed some success in healing and casting out demons. Now when a Samaritan village refuses to accept Jesus, their power goes to their heads. “Would you like us to call down from fire form heaven upon this village and destroy it?” They ask.
Jesus of course rebukes them. And rightly so.
To have returned an insult with such violence would have been a totally unacceptable abuse of power.
At the time of Jesus, the Samaritans and the Jews were mutual enemies. So despite Jesus reputation as a healer and teacher, when they hear that he is heading for Jerusalem, to perform His Jewish obligations, they refuse to welcome Him. From their perspective, whatever his merits as an individual, he was a member of a different, enemy tribe, and they would have nothing to do with him. James and John are furious and out for revenge.
But of course this is not Jesus way of doing things. He never returns evil for evil, and He encourages his followers to choose the ways of non-violence.
In this of course there is immense strength. It is much more difficult to refuse to retaliate when we are wounded, and this is true at every level of our personal, political and international life.
Jesus shows by example, that to follow him is to reject the abuse of power, the thirst for vengeance and control, and to take the path of reconciliation and peace. It is not an easy choice, and often the church has failed to make that choice, choosing instead to assert its power in various ways, both obvious and more subtly manipulative. But this passage shows without question that the use of power for our own ends has nothing to do with the path of Christian discipleship.
So not Power. And not Possession either – by which I mean the desire to own, to control, to be in charge of our own destiny.. In our own era the will towards possession is very strong. I don’t just mean that we live in a very commercialised and consumerist culture, though that is true. I mean that we really think that we are in charge of our own lives. But the path of Christian discipleship is one of letting go – letting go of the illusion that we are in charge of what happens to us; letting go sometimes even things that on the face of it seem quite innocent and good, if they stand in the way of a deeper listening to the will of God.
Jesus is met by three potential followers. To the first rather idealistic and passionate person, who promises to follow him wherever he may go, Jesus points out that this is a choice to be homeless. Whether or not they met that challenge, or realised it was beyond them we do not know.
What we do know is that the next two, whom Jesus invites to follow Him, each have an excuse for not doing so.
At first glance it may seem that Jesus is being harsh, but closer examination suggests this is not the casse.
The one who wants to go and bury his father first – now that sounds reasonable doesn’t it? But in fact, in the culture of the day if the man’s father had already died, he would not have been out and about to meet Jesus in the first place This means that his father was still alive – and from Jesus’ response it is clear that the man was potentially going to wait many years before his father would die and be buried. To this person Jesus was saying that following Him, involved letting go of possessiveness – of control over his future; even in so far as this involved his family.
Similarly the person who wanted to say goodbye to those at home, sounds fair enough – but what if ‘home’ is not just up the street, but many miles away? What if seeing the ‘folks at home’ involves an endless list of relatives to be found in many places?
Jesus is once again challenging the real intention of this person to commit to the path of discipleship. He is not being harsh. He is just encouraging those whom he thinks have the potential for deep discipleship, not to wait around too long. After all He has an inkling that His own days are likely to be numbered; and none of us knows how long we may have on this earth in which to fulfil our vocation.
Most of us, if we are honest, have some things that we rather cling to. These things may be physical possessions – a house, a car; or emotional ties: family members whose esteem or welfare we prize very highly; or perhaps a career choice or path that we feel comes above everything else. No matter the focus of our possessiveness, Jesus in this Gospel issues a challenge – are we willing to give up even this? – this which has a legitimate claim upon our time and attention? This which we might believe to be our very vocation? – can we give up everything, if it is asked of us? It is a hard ask that’s for sure.
Yet those who have most notably followed in the way of Christ, all seem to have understood that time was short, and that sometimes it was necessary to do things that might seem quite extreme or unnecessary to others. Think for example of the poverty of Francis and Clare; the courage of a Martin Luther King; the determination of someone closer to home like Sr. Angela, who founded the monastery at Stroud.
Such Christian saints were all pilgrim people – moving wherever they felt called; refusing to allow the ties of possessions or relationship to prevent them from moving on along the path. As Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote,” Discipleship is not limited to what you can comprehend – it must transcend all comprehension…Not to know where you are going is true knowledge.”
Which brings us to Pilgrimage – that willingness to follow a path even when we do not know where it leads.
This passage is full of movement words – the word to travel or proceed is used five times in the first six verses, and the word depart or go three times. The writer of Luke is making it quite clear that Jesus is in a new phase. Instead of just moving around Galilee teaching, he is now moving through Samaria, focussed on Jerusalem. His movement has become determined and intentional.
And this is what distinguishes pilgrimage from other kinds of journeying – it is a journey with a definite purpose; that of seeking the path of God no matter what.
Today’s Gospel challenges us, would-be followers of the pilgrim path – are we willing to let go of our desire for power, control and possession, in order to encounter the Christ along our way?
When we do , we can be sure that we will encounter resistance and persecution , as Jesus did, for those who speak truth to power are rarely popular.. We can be sure that our path will lead us into places of suffering and distress, because these are the people and places that Jesus held most dear. We can be sure that our path will lead us to places we would never have thought possible, for this is the onward call of a God, whose purpose never stands still.
So let us listen for the call of Christ; “Follow me”. And let us never be afraid to set out once more in faith. Amen
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)