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Lent I

I don’t know about you, but for me years are definitely going by much more quickly these days. Not long ago it was Christmas and now we are already in Lent and preparing for Holy Week and Easter. Lent (Garawys) is a period of forty days, which prepares us to celebrate the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. The symbolism of the number forty is rich in the Bible. It signifies a time of trial or testing, and recalls significant biblical events. Firstly, in the story of Noah’s Ark in Genesis 7:12, God floods the earth with water for forty days. Secondly, in the story of the Exodus, the people of Israel spend forty years in the desert before they reach the Promised Land. Thirdly, Moses remains with God on Mount Sinai for forty days before giving the people of Israel the Ten Commandments. And fourthly, in 1Kings 19:8, Elijah fasts for forty days on the way to Mount Horeb, before talking to God and finding Elisha. All of these examples point to Jesus Christ and foreshadow His saving work. 

Today’s first reading from Genesis takes us back to the aftermath of the flood, and the covenant which God establishes by setting His bow, a rainbow (enfys), in the clouds, so that all humanity can rest assured that they will not be destroyed by God. We can be confident that ultimately Our Creator is interested in reconciliation and healing: God is a God of love.

Our second reading from the First Letter of Peter, draws a link between Noah and the ark as a sign of salvation, and baptism, by which humanity is saved. It is a timely connection to make since Lent is traditionally a time for preparation for Baptism at Easter. The wider account of salvation history, and the life of Jesus in particular, become our life as Christians in our baptism: we share in them, they become part of us, and form both who and what we are. We enter into the drama of salvation as we die to sin, and are raised to new life in our baptism. Through our new life in Christ, we follow His example, and prepare for our annual celebration of Holy Week and Easter by going into the desert with Him for the forty days of Lent.

Keeping with the theme of Baptism, this morning’s Gospel begins with Our Lord’s Baptism in the River Jordan by His cousin, John. Jesus does not need to be baptised, He has not committed any sins for which He needs to repent. He does not require to be washed clean. We, on the other hand, do need to be cleansed of our sins. Christ shows humanity the way back to God, so that we might follow His example, and come to share in the same intimacy which characterises the life of God. During Jesus’ Baptism we hear the Father’s voice and see the Holy Spirit: three Persons, One God. It is a glimpse of Divine Glory, which awaits us in Heaven, the end and purpose of salvation history.

Then the Spirit drives Our Lord out into the desert: to be alone, to pray, to be with God. This is also a time of trial when Satan tempts Jesus. The devil attempts to deflect Christ from His mission to bring love and healing, and to proclaim the Kingdom of God. Unlike Matthew’s Gospel, which lists the temptations, Mark simply states that Jesus was tempted. Because He is without sin, Jesus is able to withstand temptation. Our Lord’s victory in the desert points to His great victory on the Cross. Christ then preaches to ‘the spirits in prison’ ‘ac a bregethodd i’r ysbrydion yng ngharchar’ (1Peter 3: 19). He does this to save humanity from sin and death, and restore the hope of Heaven. This is what we are preparing to celebrate at Easter. 

In the garden of Eden the animals were tame, but in the desert Jesus is with wild animals. Here the second Adam is beginning the work of the restoration of Creation. Mankind who fell because of a tree, will be restored by the tree of the Cross. While He is in the wilderness Our Lord is ministered to by angels. He is the Beloved Son, in whom the Father is well-pleased. After the trial of the temptations Christ is tired, and hungry. Experiencing temptation is a trying business, both physically and spiritually. This reminds us of the need for care, especially self-care, in our Lenten observances. Rest and nourishment are an important part of our spiritual and physical wellbeing, now more than ever.

After the forty days are over, Jesus returns to Galilee and starts to proclaim the Gospel, the Good News of the Kingdom of God:

“The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” 

“Yr amser a gyflawnwyd, a theyrnas Dduw a nesaodd: edifarhewch, a chredwch yr efengyl.” (Mk 1:15)

This message is the same as the one announced by John the Baptist: Repent, turn away from your sins, turn back to God, and Believe the Gospel, proclaimed by Jesus Christ. As Christians, nearly two thousand years later, we believe and proclaim that same message. Jesus calls us to turn away from sin, to turn back to God, to trust Him, and to know that He longs for our healing and reconciliation. The Kingdom is a place where we are restored, and experience life in all its fulness.

During the weeks of Lent, we pray, fast, and are charitable in order to discipline our minds and bodies, so that we may grow in holiness and become more like Jesus. The Temptation of Jesus teaches us that we have to become weak, powerless and vulnerable, utterly reliant upon our Heavenly Father, so that God is able to be at work in us. Such weakness may be perceived as foolish in worldly terms, but that is the point. As Christians, we are not meant to be conformed to the world. In seeking to grow in faith, humility, and obedience, we allow God to transform us — taking us and shaping us into His likeness. Therefore, as we undertake to follow Christ in our Lenten pilgrimage, we do so in the knowledge of our weakness, and our total reliance upon God. If we turn away from what separates us from Our Heavenly Father, and believe in a God who loves us, then healing can take place. Following Jesus’ example we spend six weeks being close to Our Lord, so that He may renew and strengthen us.

So, my brothers and Sisters in Christ, let us use this time of Lent to draw close to God in prayer. Let us be nourished by the word of God in Holy Scripture, and by God’s very self, His Body and Blood in the Eucharist, so that He may transform us. By these means, may we share in the new life of the Kingdom and be prepared for the glory of Heaven where we, and all creation, may sing the praises of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. To whom be ascribed all glory, dominion, and power, now and forever. Amen.

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Quinquagesima – Imitate Jesus!

When we all were children, we learned through imitation, through copying others. Human beings learn to speak, and walk, and everything else, by seeing and hearing others. To imitate the actions of others is an important mechanism for social learning — that is, for acquiring new knowledge. So St Paul writes at the end of this morning’s second reading:

‘Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ’ 

‘Byddwch ddilynwyr i mi, megis yr wyf finnau i Grist.’ (1Cor 11:1)

Paul encourages the Corinthian church to imitate him, as he imitates Christ. He wants them to do so in order that they all might live out the love of God in their lives, for the glory of God, and to proclaim the truth of the Gospel to the world. This too is our calling as Christians. We are charged to follow the same example , live out the same faith, and proclaim the same truth in our daily lives. 

Today’s readings focus on leprosy, an infection of the skin which usually placed the sufferer on the margins of society. The position adopted in Leviticus is clear:

‘He is unclean. He shall live alone. His dwelling shall be outside the camp.’

‘aflan yw efe: triged ei hunan; bydded ei drigfa allan o’r gwersyll.’ (Lev 13:46)

This verse is used by the author of the Letter to the Hebrews to describe Christ’s Crucifixion and death:

‘So Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through his own blood. Therefore let us go to him outside the camp and bear the reproach he endured. For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come.’

‘Oherwydd paham Iesu hefyd, fel y sancteiddiai’r bobl trwy ei waed ei hun, a ddioddefodd y tu allan i’r porth. Am hynny awn ato ef o’r tu allan i’r gwersyll, gan ddwyn ei waradwydd ef. Canys nid oes i ni yma ddinas barhaus, eithr un i ddyfod yr ŷm ni yn ei disgwyl.’ (Heb 13:12-14)

The writer of the Letter to the Hebrews encourages us to follow Christ’s example and to become outcasts — unclean in terms of Jewish ritual purity — to share in Christ’s suffering and to be united with Him. Something previously seen as being shameful has now become glorious. This is a demonstration of God’s love and healing, where once there was condemnation there is now reconciliation.

Our gospel reading this morning continues the accounts of miraculous healings by Jesus, which we have encountered over the past few weeks. This morning Our Lord is met by a man who is suffering from leprosy, and who begs to be healed. Given the purity code in Leviticus, we can understand why the leper longs to be healed, and restored to his place in the community. The man suffering with leprosy kneels before Jesus, performing an act of submission, putting himself entirely at Christ’s mercy, and says:

“If you will, you can make me clean.”

‘Os mynni, ti a elli fy nglanhau’ (Mk 1:40)

Jesus is filled with emotion and touches him. Rather than simply saying, ‘Be healed’, or ‘Be clean’, Our Lord stretches out His hand and touches the man with leprosy. In Jewish ritual terms, by doing this Christ makes Himself unclean. He breaks the rules. and does what no-one would do. Instead of casting the man out, or ignoring him, Jesus touches the man and heals him. Here we see God’s healing love in action. The proclamation of the Kingdom of God is the proclamation of love and healing, to restore humanity. Having broken the rules, Jesus says to the healed leper:

“See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, for a proof to them.” 

‘Gwêl na ddywedych ddim wrth neb: eithr dos ymaith, dangos dy hun i’r offeiriad, ac offryma dros dy lanhad y pethau a orchmynnodd Moses, er tystiolaeth iddynt hwy.’ (Mk 1:44)

Jesus tells the man to comply with the Law, to show himself to a priest. This is so that the former leper can undergo a ritual bath, and be restored to his rightful place in society. This also acts as proof to the religious authorities that a miraculous healing has taken place. God is announcing His Kingdom and the fulfilment of messianic prophecy. God is healing His people. 

Jesus wants the man not only to be restored, but also to enjoy life in all its fullness. This is why the religious authorities need to be aware of the fact that a man who was deemed unclean can now be pronounced clean. However, the man does not listen, and instead proclaims his miraculous healing to all and sundry. His actions, while understandable, are problematic. The man does not listen to what Jesus says, he does not obey Our Lord’s instructions. Jesus is not simply a charismatic healer seeking to garner popular support through miracles. The miracles are a sign of the Kingdom of God becoming a reality. The man’s exuberance does, however, cause problems:

‘so that Jesus could no longer openly enter a town, but was out in desolate places, and people were coming to him from every quarter’

‘fel na allai’r Iesu fyned mwy yn amlwg i’r ddinas; eithr yr oedd efe allan mewn lleoedd anghyfannedd: ac o bob parth y daethant ato ef.’ (Mk 1:45)

Jesus has become a celebrity, and people longing for healing flock to Him. This speaks of the deep and widespread need for healing in Galilee. As it was there then, so it is here, now. We long for God to heal us, to take away our fears, and fill us with His love. At a practical level this is bound to be exhausting for Our Saviour, so He goes out to desolate deserted places, in other words, the desert. Jesus retreats to the wilderness to be alone with God, to rest and to pray. This reminds us that in the Church’s calendar we are about to enter the season of Lent. The season of prayer and penitence which leads to Our Lord’s Passion. By going to the Cross Jesus makes His dwelling ‘outside the camp’. He becomes unclean to make humanity clean through the shedding of His Blood. During Lent we imitate Christ’s example, and go with Him to the desert and the Cross.

Christians prepare for Easter by going out into the desert with Jesus to be close to God, through prayer, fasting, and deeds of charity. We follow Jesus’ example, we imitate Him, so that we may draw closer to Him and experience His healing love. By journeying with Christ, we prepare to enter into the mystery of His Passion, Death, and Resurrection, so that we may rise with Him to new life. Let us then imitate Our Lord, by proclaiming to a world, longing for healing and wholeness, the love of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. To whom be ascribed all glory, dominion, and power, now and forever. Amen.

James Tissot – Healing of the lepers at Capernaum (Brooklyn Museum)
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Sexagesima

Recently we have begun to talk about the idea of work-life balance, due to an awareness that people in the modern world are spending more time at work, and need to make sure that their patterns of life and work are healthy. Clearly spending too much time at work and not enough at rest will be detrimental to our physical, mental and spiritual health. 

Our Gospel this morning follows on directly from last week. After teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum and healing the possessed man, Jesus and His disciples go back to the family home of Simon and Andrew. After what had been a draining experience, they were no doubt in need of both rest and nourishment. But before this can happen, there is a situation which requires Our Lord’s immediate attention:

‘Now Simon’s mother-in-law lay ill with a fever, and immediately they told him about her. And he came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and the fever left her, and she began to serve them.’ (Mk 1:30-31)

It’s serious, and it’s life-threatening. He takes her by the hand, lifts her up, and she is immediately restored to full health: she gets up and looks after them. Mark’s account is simple and straightforward, and goes along at a tremendous breathless pace. The healing is miraculous and instantaneous. It takes your breath away. It is a powerful demonstration of the reality of God’s love for us: if we let God be at work in our lives then wonderful things are possible, but we have to trust Him. I know that I really struggle with that, and I suspect that I’m not alone in feeling that way. 

Once the Sabbath was over at sundown, the people of Capernaum bring people to Him who are sick, and in need of healing, and he heals them. The Kingdom of God has become a reality in the person and actions of Jesus. And then early the next morning, before dawn Jesus goes away to pray. He finds a deserted place, a place where He can be alone with God to pray. It reminds us of the need for prayer and quiet in our own lives — we need time to be with God, to talk to Him, and to listen to what He has to say to us. We live in a world filled with noise and distraction, where social media and mobile phones vibrate and flash to get our attention to draw us in. Instead, if we want to be close to God and let His power be at work in us, we need to be silent and find a deserted place, if only for a few minutes, to let a healing encounter take place. God meets us when we are alone, when we are silent, when we are vulnerable, when we no longer rely on our own strength but hand ourselves over completely to Him. This is not an easy thing to do, but it is the only way for God to be at work in us: we need to make space for Him. 

And then it is over, Simon and the other disciples find Jesus and call Him back to the people who need Him. But rather than simply staying where He is, He moves them on to the next towns, so that He may preach there, for that is why He came out. As well as healing the sick Jesus has a message to proclaim: repent and believe the Good News (Mk 1:15). He calls people to turn away from sin, to turn back to God, and to know that the Kingdom is near. The disciples can only see people’s needs, they need to understand that there is a wider context too. So Jesus preaches, He explains the Scriptures so that people can understand that prophecies are being fulfilled in Him, and He casts out demons so that people can see the Healing which the kingdom promises is a reality there and then. 

Which of us can say that we don’t need Christ’s healing in our lives? I know that I do, the truth is that we all do. If we are close to Him in prayer, if we listen to Him, if we have the humility which says, ‘I need God’s help’ then we can be open to the transforming power of His Love. Here this morning, in the Eucharist, at the Altar, Christ will give Himself for us, His Body and His Blood, so that we can feed on Him, be fed by Him, and be fed with Him, so that our souls can be healed. What greater medicine could there be for us, than God’s very self? What gift more precious or more wonderful? Our soul’s true food. We eat Christ’s Body and drink His Blood so that we might share His Divine life, that we might be given a foretaste of Heaven here on earth. For two thousand years, on a hundred thousand successive Sundays, the Church has done THIS, to obey Christ’s command, and so that the healing work begun in Galilee might be continued here, now, among us. 

Let us listen to His words. Let us be close to Him in prayer. Let us come to Him, to the One who loves us, who heals us, who gives Himself upon the Cross to die for us. To the One who rises again to give us the promise of eternal life in Him. Let us come to be healed, to the table of the Lord to be fed with Him, so that He might heal us, and restore us, so that we might have life, and life to the full in and through Him.

Let us proclaim to a world, which longs for healing and wholeness, the love of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. To whom be ascribed all glory, dominion, and power, now and forever. Amen.

James Tissot – The Healing of Peter’s Mother-in-law (Brooklyn Museum)
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The Third Sunday after Epiphany (Year B)

Organising a wedding is not an easy task. They can be complex and expensive undertakings, even when they are relatively modest affairs, with only family and a few friends. In some cultures, however, weddings can be more like celebrations for an entire community. Indeed, even today in the Middle East and Asia when a couple marry the celebrations can involve large numbers of guests, and last for several days. Clearly, the logistics of such festivities are complicated, and the financial outlay considerable. It is good to take a moment to consider how much the events in Cana, described in today’s Gospel reading, differ from most of the weddings that we have attended.

That Our Lord, His Mother, and His disciples are invited to the wedding should not be a surprise. This is a community celebration, with everyone present. The idea of running out of wine is not simply a failure of logistics and hospitality, but could represent a situation that would bring shame and disgrace on the hosts. It is a crisis which could stigmatise the family for years to come, with the couple thinking that their union had been cursed with bad luck. Suffice it to say, it would be a complete disaster for all concerned. Mary, wanting to prevent this, lets Jesus know that there is a serious problem. The situation is critical, and something needs to be done quickly. Our Lord, however, seems a little dismissive:

“Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.”

‘Beth sydd i mi a wnelwyf â thi, wraig? ni ddaeth fy awr i eto.’ (Jn 2:4)

Jesus is looking ahead to when His hour will come, anticipating His Passion and Death on the Cross. That is also the next time that Mary will feature in John’s Gospel, when she stands with John at the foot of the Cross. The Wedding at Cana and the Crucifixion are two events that are clearly linked, both by what Our Lord says, and by who is present. What is about to happen at a Galilean wedding is a significant moment, which is underlined by Mary’s instruction to the servants:

‘His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”’

‘Ei fam ef a ddywedodd wrth y gwasanaethwyr, Beth bynnag a ddywedo efe wrthych, gwnewch’ (Jn 2:5)

Once again Mary demonstrates perfect obedience, and she encourages the servants to do the same. When we listen to what Jesus says and act on it we are following their example. Living the Christian life is essentially trying to do this. We listen to Jesus and do as He tells us. 

At the feast are six stone jars each holding thirty gallons which adds up to over eight hundred litres of water. This is a huge quantity of liquid, even for a large wedding. The servants fill the jars to the brim, making them fuller than they would usually be. This speaks of the abundance and generosity of God’s love. It defies our expectations, just as water being turned into wine defies expectation. The extravagant Wedding party points to something greater than itself. It is a foreshadowing of the joy of the Kingdom. The celebration at Cana is a taste of the lavish excess that our God wishes to bestow on us. His generosity, which is beyond our understanding, is a sign of His deep love for us.

The master of the feast does not seem to be bothered by the quantity of wine, but rather its quality. Moments ago the refreshments were running out, now they are plentiful. He addresses the bridegroom saying:

“Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine. But you have kept the good wine until now.”

‘Pob dyn a esyd y gwin da yn gyntaf; ac wedi iddynt yfed yn dda, yna un a fo gwaeth: tithau a gedwaist y gwin da hyd yr awr hon.’ (Jn 2:10)

The steward has a point. It makes sense to serve the best wine first, and then serve inferior wine when people’s palettes are dulled. But this wedding feast represents a dramatic reversal of usual practice. It illustrates how God’s generosity stretches far beyond what we can expect or understand as humans. The Kingdom of God turns our values on their head, and its joyous new wine is finer than any earthly fruit of the vine. This is lavished upon humanity, so that it might transform us, so that we might come to share in the glory of God, and in His very nature. Our Lord therefore becomes the true master of the feast, just as He will feed humanity from the abundance of the Heavenly Banquet. The Wedding at Cana points to both Heaven, and to the Eucharist, where Christ nourishes us with the new wine of the Kingdom: His Blood, poured out to save and restore us. God loves us this much. How should we respond?

As Christians we are constantly called to live lives of joy and love in Christ. Through Him, rejoicing in our new life in baptism, and filled with the sober intoxication of the Spirit, we are nourished by Word and Sacrament. In this way we are restored to communion with God, and with each other, to live the life of the Kingdom, here and now. At the Wedding in Cana Jesus gives the world a sign, which shows both who and what He is, and which also points to heavenly and eternal realities. God manifests His glory, showing us who He really is: the personification of love and generosity.

This passage ends by explaining that, in response to this sign, Christs’s disciples  totally believe in Him. They put their trust in Him, as the one who fulfils prophecy, the Messiah, the Saviour of the world. Let us also put our trust in the God who loves us, and who feeds us with Himself, so that we might have life in and through Him. Let us share His joy both here on earth and in Heaven. And let us give praise to God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. To whom be ascribed all glory, dominion, and power, now and forever. Amen.

The Marriage at Cana (A. Mironov)
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Second Sunday of Yr B

Not so many years ago a person’s profession was often inherited from their parents, or decided for them by others. Certainly, until quite recently, many people could expect to hold the same profession for all their working life. The situation has now changed. Those in employment today can expect to have between three and seven different careers in their working life. The younger a person is, the higher that number is likely to be. Generally speaking great change is easier to handle when we are young, before we get too set in our ways. Such an upheaval faces a number of young men in this morning’s Gospel reading. 

Jesus and John the Baptist know each other. They are related, being cousins and part of the same extended family. In the Gospel, John has just baptised Jesus and seen the Holy Spirit descend upon Him in the form of a dove. John declares that Jesus is the Son of God. The next day he sees Our Lord again and exclaims:

“Behold the Lamb of God!”

‘Wele Oen Duw’ (Jn 1:36)

The phrase is very familiar and used in the invitation to Communion. John the Baptist used the same phrase a few verses earlier, when he exclaimed:

“Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”

‘Wele Oen Duw, yr hwn sydd yn tynnu ymaith bechodau’r byd’ (Jn 1:29)

Again, these words form part of our Eucharistic liturgy, the Agnus Dei. A Lamb who takes away sin means a sacrifice. So from the beginning, Jesus’ public ministry is understood to be sacrificial in character, laying down His life to  take away sin, and restore humanity and God. This is why on the night before He died Jesus took bread and wine, blessed them, and gave them to the disciples, saying ,’This is my Body, this is my Blood’, and told them to ‘do this’, which is why we are gathered here today.

Once John’s disciples hear what the Baptist about Jesus, they follow Him. Jesus asks them what they are seeking, and they reply:

“Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are you staying?”

‘Rabbi, (yr hyn o’i gyfieithu yw, Athro,) pa le yr wyt ti yn trigo?’ (Jn 1:38)

The disciples recognise Jesus as a teacher, and want to learn from Him. But rather than simply answering their question, Our Lord issues them an invitation:

“Come and you will see.”

‘Deuwch, a gwelwch’ (Jn 1:39)

Jesus invites them to follow Him, to see where He is staying and to spend time with Him. These two disciples of John become followers of Jesus, literally and metaphorically. The Church continues to make the same invitation to the world, to come, see, and follow Jesus. These two disciples begin by spending a day with Jesus. They listen to Him, they eat with Him, and begin to have a relationship with Him. We then discover that one of the men is Andrew, and that he has a brother, called Simon. Andrew is convinced that he has found the Messiah and so he brings his brother to Jesus. When Jesus meets Simon he says,

“So you are Simon the son of John? You shall be called Cephas” (which means Peter) 

‘Ti yw Simon mab Jona: ti a elwir Ceffas, yr hwn a gyfieithir, Carreg.’ (Jn 1:42)

Jesus gives Simon a new name. He calls him Cephas, which means ‘rock’ in Aramaic. In Greek this is ‘Petros’, which is how we get the name Peter. Peter will be the rock upon which Christ will build His Church (Mt 16:18). The name given by Jesus points to Peter’s future role as the leader of the Apostles. Jesus takes the initiative and begins to sketch out a future for the disciples who are following Him. It is quick, and matter of fact, and yet momentous. Jesus is gathering people to help Him with this ministry.

The Church therefore begins with a few Galilean fishermen following a rabbi whom they recognise as the Messiah. Thanks to them, and their faith in Jesus, we are here in the Church today. Faith, where we put our trust, is an important thing, affecting both who we are, and how we live our lives. Faith in Jesus turned Peter from a fisherman into a leader of the early Christians. The same faith has transformed lives over the past two thousand years, and continues to do so today. 

In our baptism, God in Christ invites each and every one of us to follow Him, to ‘come and see’, as the first disciples did, and to invite others, as Andrew invited Simon Peter. To come and see who Jesus is, to get to know Him, and start a relationship with Him. This begins with our sharing in His Death and Resurrection, and ends in the glory of Heaven. What starts as an encounter deepens into a life-long relationship. People’s lives, our lives are changed when we encounter Jesus, and this is as true for us today as it was two thousand years ago. Our lives are changed when we encounter Jesus in prayer, in scripture, and in His Body and Blood at the Eucharist. Each and every one of us is called to be a disciple of Jesus, to listen to what He says, and to let this call make an impact upon our lives. Jesus longs to transform humanity, to fill us with God’s love. He also wants us to share the invitation with others.

At the Epiphany the Wise Men recognised who and what Jesus was. Now fishermen recognise Him as the Messiah. They understood that He is the Anointed One, the Christ, the One to save Israel, and all the world from their sins. Ours is a faith which can transform the world, so that all humanity can share in God’s life and love. Each and every one of us can become part of something radical and revolutionary, which can and will transform the world one soul at a time. The only way to change the world is through the love of God. This is the mission of the church, and why we continue to offer the same invitation, ‘Come and see!’ ‘Deuwch, a gwelwch’’. The journey of faith begins with Our Lord’s invitation. This may lead to our lives being radically changed, just as the fishermen became leaders in Christ’s Church. Let us then, like these first disciples, commit our lives to following Jesus and encouraging others to do the same. May we have the strength to trust and follow Christ and put our talents into His service, wherever that may lead us. Amen.

James Tissot: Saint John the Baptist Sees Jesus from Afar (Brooklyn Museum)
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Advent IV – Trust!

Those of you who are fans of The Sound of Music will know that to begin at the beginning is a very good place to start. This morning’s Gospel does exactly that, by going back to the Annunciation of the Angel Gabriel to the Blessed Virgin Mary, the beginning of the story of Christmas. As we prepare to celebrate Christ’s birth this evening and tomorrow, it is only natural to return to the point of Our Lord’s Conception to help us to ponder the wonderful mystery which God accomplishes for our sake. 

At its heart, Christianity is a religion which declares that God becomes a human being, so that humanity can share in the life of God. This is what we believe as Christians, and why we proclaim this truth to the world. The greatest news in human history is a teenage pregnancy — something that is shocking and scandalous, is how God saves us. This is why St Paul can write to the Romans:

the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations (Rom 16:25-26)

This is the proclamation of the Good News of Jesus Christ. It starts with an encounter in Nazareth. A young woman is engaged to be married and receives a visitor, who says:

“Greetings, O favoured one, the Lord is with you!” (Lk 1:28)

Mary is confused, she cannot understand what is going on. Biblical accounts of the interaction between God and humanity show us that ours is a God who takes risks. Mary could refuse, she could say no, and human history would be profoundly different. So the angel Gabriel says, ‘Paid ag ofni, Do not be afraid’. Mary does not need to be afraid because God is doing something wonderful. She will bear a son and call him Jesus, which means ‘God saves’. Jesus the Son of God will save God’s people from their sins, and will fulfil the promise made to David, which we heard in our first reading. 

Mary cannot understand how this will happen. The Holy Spirit, God active in the world, and the bond of love between God the Father and God the Son, will overshadow her. God will take flesh in her womb and be born as one of us. So Mary replies:

“Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” (Lk 1:38)

Mary says ‘Yes’ to God. This is a ‘Yes’ which undoes the ‘No’ of Eve. It brings about the salvation of humanity, through the Life, Death, and Resurrection of her Son. Mary’s obedience to the will of God, ‘the obedience of faith’ (Rom 16:26), both trusts God to be at work, and makes it possible. We can be joyful because of Mary’s ‘yes’ to God. In her we have a pattern of obedience to the will of God which all Christians are to follow.

In the first reading this morning King David is worried. He says to Nathan the prophet:

“See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells in a tent.” (2 Samuel 7:2)

Since the Exodus from Egypt, the Ark of the Covenant has resided in a  tabernacle, a tent, a temporary dwelling. This worries David, but God is not concerned whether he lives in a tent or a temple. It does not matter. God’s response is not to accept David’s offer, but instead to make David an amazing counter-offer:

Moreover, the Lord declares to you that the Lord will make you a house. When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom…  I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son… And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure for ever before me. Your throne shall be established for ever.’” (2 Samuel 7:11-12, 14, 16)

God offers David a family, a Royal House. This is a promise which bears fruit with the coming of Jesus, born of the House of David, and the Son of God. Jesus’ mother Mary will be the living Ark of the New Covenant. This will be a covenant that is not made in stone, but rather in flesh; the flesh of the Son of God, who is born for us, and who dies for us. Mary’s womb will be the place where the Son of God will begin to dwell with us:

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. (Isa 7:14)

Immanuel in Hebrew means ‘God (is) with us’ and this is what we are preparing to celebrate at Christmas: God being among us. Let us then follow Mary’s example of obedience, listen to God, and trust Him to be at work in us. Let us welcome Jesus both in Bethlehem and here upon the altar, where God, who became flesh and blood in the womb of Mary, offers us His Body and Blood in the Eucharist, so that we might share His Life. Let us, like Mary, say, ‘Yes’ to God, welcome him into our hearts. Let us be beacons in the world, shining with God’s love. May all this Christmas come to believe and trust in God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. To whom be ascribed all glory, dominion, and power, now and forever. Amen.

Sr. Grace Remington OCSO, Mary and Eve, crayon and pencil, 2005
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The 33rd Sunday of Year A (Prov 31:10-13, 19-20, 30-31, 1 Thess 5:1-11, Mt 25:14-30)

In the ancient world, as in today’s world, the domestic life of women was difficult. Without modern labour-saving devices, household chores were even more laborious and time-consuming. A wife would be expected to run a household, and it was hard and difficult work. Such a demanding role means that paragons in the domestic sphere were to be praised and prized. And, in the Book of Proverbs, we see such an example of industry, of hard work. Throughout Ancient Wisdom Literature, wisdom and industry go hand in hand, they are beautiful and good, as they come from the source of all beauty and goodness, namely God. An excellent wife is more valuable than jewels, because while precious stones possess beauty and value, they are not capable of doing good. 

The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain. (Proverbs 31:11)

As a result of the relationship between a loving husband and wife, their mutual prosperity is assured. This then leads to generosity:

She opens her hand to the poor and reaches out her hands to the needy. (Proverbs 31:20)

The point of wealth is not for it to be acquired for its own sake, but so that it may be a blessing to others. God wants humanity to flourish by being loving and generous. This theme runs through all our readings this morning.

St Paul’s First Letter to the Thessalonians is written to a community that is afraid of two things: death and the return of Jesus in Judgement. These are understandable emotions. However, while death and judgement are inescapable, they do not need to be feared. They are compared with the labour pains of a pregnant woman, which are often sudden and sharp. But if we live lives characterised by love, and we have faith in Jesus Christ who died and rose again for us, we have the hope of salvation. This is good news, and leads St Paul to write:

For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ (1Thess 5:9)

Paul’s letter is written to encourage his fellow Christians, to allay their fears and to build up their faith, hope, and love, as a community:

Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing (1Thess 5:11)

We all of us need encouragement, especially when times are difficult, and when we are as afraid or unsure, as we are at the moment. It is good to be reminded that, in trying to lift each others spirits, we are behaving as a Christian community should.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus continues to talk about the future using parables. Just as with the Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins, Jesus begins by showing that he is talking about a future reality: how things WILL BE, not how they are now. This future reality is Christ’s return. Christians believe that Jesus will come again to judge the world. The theme of today’s parable, the Parable of the Talents is judgement. These days, we are not comfortable with ideas of judgement. Many of us remember preachers using ideas of hell-fire and damnation to fill people with fear. But the heart of the Gospel is love not fear, and perfect love casts out fear. 

In the parable the master goes on a journey and entrusts his property to his servants. He puts his possessions into their care because he trusts them to look after it. The servants who are assigned five and two talents are both praised for being ‘good and faithful’. They have acted morally and demonstrated their faith, and they will be rewarded. The problem is with the servant who was given just one talent and hid it in the ground. He explains his actions, saying:

‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.’ (Mt 25:24-25)

This servant does not love his master, he fears him. He does not take care of what has been entrusted to him, because he simply sees it as a possession, a thing. The servant loves neither his master nor what was entrusted to him. By hiding the talent in the ground, he squanders the opportunity his master has given him, because he is jealous and resentful. As all gardeners know, seeds produce different results, just as in the Parable of the Sower, but they all need to be sown in the first place. What we learn here is that bitterness and resentment have no place in the Kingdom, they are not compatible with a Gospel of Love. The tragedy is that the fearful servant condemns himself to being outside the Kingdom, by failing to recognise both generosity, and the value of a relationship. 

The Parable of the Talents, just like the Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins, is a commentary on the life of the Kingdom. These are stories of servants who are prepared and continue to work, until their master returns. They are parables which teach us how to be a Church of loving generous service, not one of fear.

It may sound pedestrian, or even humdrum, but living the Christian life, living the life of the Kingdom, is, at a day to day level, boring, difficult and repetitive. It is about ‘keeping on keeping on’ — loving, forgiving, praying –- nourished by the Body and Blood of Christ, fed by Him, and with Him, freed from the fear which is the antithesis of the Kingdom, rejoicing in the gifts which God gives us, being thankful for them, and using them for God’s glory. None of us fully deserve the gift of God’s love and forgiveness in Jesus Christ: we have not earned it. It is not a reward, but rather the gift of a loving God. It is a gift which we are called to receive, and it transforms our lives. The God who will come to judge us, and all humanity, is a God of love and mercy, whose hands bear the mark of nails, wounded for love of us. Judgement and mercy go hand in hand, and if we love God and love our neighbour, we are living the life of the Kingdom, here and now, free from fear. 

So let us live out that life together, encouraging one another, so that we may all be built up in faith, hope, and love, and together share in the joy of the Kingdom, so that all may know and love God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, to whom be ascribed, as is most right and just, all might, majesty, glory, dominion, and power, now and forever. Amen. 

Rembrandt The Parable of the Talents
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The Feast of All Saints (Mt 5:1-12)

“God has a plan for your life!” You may well have heard these words before, possibly from someone preaching a sermon, but they contain a truth, and are found in the Bible, in words that God speaks through the prophet Jeremiah:

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. (Jer 29:11)

It can be hard to hold onto promises such as these, especially when times are difficult and the outlook is bleak. We need to ask ourselves the question, ‘Can we trust God?’ If the answer is ‘Yes’ then, whatever difficulties or hardships may come our way, we know that our future is in safe hands.

Our Christian life begins with Baptism, where we are washed with water in the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Through Baptism we share in Christ’s Death and Resurrection, and are raised to new life in Him. We receive the Holy Spirit, Faith, Hope, and Love, and we are marked with the sign of the Cross to show that we belong to Christ. These are all manifestations of God’s Grace, unmerited kindness and generosity, but they are given for a reason. They are given to us so that we may love God and serve Him in this life, and be with Him in the next. Fundamentally, the point of being a Christian is to reside in Heaven. This is possible because of what Jesus Christ has done for us, out of love. This is the plan God has for our life, and this is why Jesus became man, lived, and died, and rose from the dead. God shows us both how to live, and what He has in store for us. We can have faith, and put our trust in a God who loves us. In the clear hope that, after our earthly life is over, we may enjoy eternity with God in Heaven. Most of all, in this hope, we can live lives of love, love of God and of each other, foreshadowing eternal heavenly joys. 

In our current culture we are not used to hearing this message. It sounds strange. We tend to think that holiness is for other people, certainly not us. But God wants each and every one of us to become a saint. He wants us to live in a world full of people trying to be saints. The Church is ‘a school for saints’, in which Christians try to live out their faith, cooperating with the grace of God. We do this when we let Christ live in us, so that we can say with the Apostle Paul:

‘It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.’ (Gal 2:20)

There is a paradox at work here, for when we truly let Christ live in us, we do not lose ourselves, but instead we find who we really are. We can then be the people God wants us to be, the people we were created to be. As Jesus says in Matthew’s Gospel:

For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. (Mt 16:25)

Today the Church celebrates the Feast of All Saints. On this day, in the eighth century AD, Pope Gregory III dedicated a chapel to All Saints in St Peter’s Basilica in Rome. It is a good thing to celebrate the fact that Heaven is full of saints, the Church Triumphant, who spend eternity praising God and praying for us. Just as we pray for our friends here on earth, it stands to reason that our friends in Heaven pray for us as well. It is reassuring to know that we are not alone in our quest to reach Heaven, and to know that those who are already there long for us to join them. 

If Heaven is our goal, how thenshould we live our lives on earth? Thankfully today’s Gospel gives us a template to follow, an example of what a Christian life looks like. 

The Sermon on the Mount (The Beatitudes) begins with the words which we have just read. It is important to notice that Jesus goes up a mountain to teach people. This brings to mind Moses ascending Mt Sinai and receiving the Ten Commandments of the Law. At one level what we have here is a New Law, a new way to understand how we should relate to God and to each other. It is a radical vision, which turns human expectations on their head. 

We constantly hear how the world around us values success and confidence, and looks up to the rich, and the powerful. In contrast to this, Jesus says to the gathered crowd:

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Mt 5:3)

‘Poor in spirit’ is not a term we are used to using, but it means the exact opposite of pride. It places humility as key to living a Christian life: knowing who we are, and our need for God. Only if we rely upon God, and not ourselves, and ask Him to work through us can we truly live out the Christian life. 

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” (Mt 5:4)

We mourn those we love, those whom we see no longer in this life, because we love them, we miss them, we want to see them, and hold them, and talk to them. Our parting, while temporary, is still very painful. Thankfully the Kingdom of God, which Christ comes to bring, is a place of healing and comfort with the promise of eternal life. 

“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.” (Mt 5:5)

Gentle people are not weak: they know how to use their strength, and how not to use it. As Jesus will later say in Matthew’s Gospel: ‘Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.’ (Mt 11:29). This is how God wants us to live as human beings. Christ is the example of gentleness we must follow. Once again, God’s vision of the future turns human expectations upside down. 

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.” (Mt 5:6)

Should we be devoted to God? Absolutely! Should we pray that His will is done on earth as it is in Heaven? Of course! Jesus taught us to pray this way. Our faith should influence how we live our lives, so that we work for the coming of God’s Kingdom here on earth. Clearly God wants to see our world transformed and has invited us to help in the process; and doing so gives us fulfilment.

“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.” (Mt 5:7)

We see what God’s mercy looks like in Christ’s death for us on the Cross. In following Christ’s example, we ask for forgiveness for our own sins, and forgive those who sin against us. This forgiveness can transform us and the world around us, and it is how the healing and reconciliation of God’s Kingdom functions. 

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” (Mt 5:8)

To be pure in heart is to want what God wants: to align our will with the will of God. It is to be saintly, and thus have the promise of Heaven, which is less of a place or a time, and much more a relationship. To see God is know Him, and to know His love for us. This is what Christ comes to restore to humanity, and it is our hope. 

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” (Mt 5:9)

First and foremost, we know that Christ is the Son of God because He made ‘peace by the blood of his cross’ (Colossians 1:20). We too are called to follow Christ’s example and take up our Cross, and work for peace. Peace in our own hearts and lives, in our families and communities and in our world.

“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.” (Mt 5:10-11)

Following Jesus will not make us popular, often quite the opposite. If, however, we want to see God’s Kingdom as a reality in this life and the next, then we must be prepared to be shunned, or even ridiculed by others. To follow Christ is to take up the Cross, and to expect persecution, and false accusation. But we are not alone in this, Christ has gone before us, showing us that the story does not end with death on a Cross, but the glory of the Resurrection and Eternal life. 

If we want to become saints, then we have to be like Christ, share in His suffering and death, be prepared to be rejected by the world, and dismissed as irrelevant. We may not face imprisonment, torture and death in this country, but many Christians around the world do. However, we may be scorned and ignored, or patronised. What do we do in such circumstances? We are called to be loving, generous, and forgiving, because that is what Jesus has shown us. We can be different to the world around us because we belong to a new community, the community of faith, built on our relationship with Jesus Christ, who came to save humanity from itself. He came that we might have life and have it to the full, and that is what the Beatitudes mean. By living the life of God’s Kingdom here and now, we can live the life of Heaven here on earth. It may sound foolish, but it is what God wants us to do, what Jesus showed us to do. We are called to be fools for God.

So let us, on this feast of All Saints, be filled with courage, and be ready to conform our lives to God’s will and live out our baptism and our faith in the world. May we  live the life of the Kingdom together, and encourage others in order that all may join the choirs of Heaven to sing the praise of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, to whom be ascribed, as is most right and just, all might, majesty, glory, dominion, and power, now and forever. Amen.