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Advent III – He who is to come

‘the ransomed of the Lord … shall obtain gladness and joy and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.’ (Isaiah 35:10)

‘a gwaredigion yr Arglwydd fydd yn dychwelyd … hebryngir hwy gan lawenydd a gorfoledd a bydd gofid a griddfan yn ffoi ymaith’

This year our first readings during Advent come from the book of Isaiah. This Old Testament prophet stresses the belief that the Messiah will come to deliver Israel. As Christians, we use the period of Advent to reflect upon the fact that Christ is coming. He is coming as a baby born in Bethlehem. He is coming to us here today in the Eucharist. And He is coming to judge the world. Should we be afraid? On the contrary, as the prophet says:

‘Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees. Say to those who have an anxious heart,“Be strong; fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you’ (Isa 35:3-4). 

God is coming to save us, His people. The salvation we long for will be ours. The prophet Isaiah has a vision where the desert, a dry wilderness, is carpeted with flowers. This is a sign of new life.This is an image of hope. This is the flourishing which the Messiah will bring: ‘the glory of the Lord, the majesty of our God’ (Isa 35:2). As Christ Himself says, ‘I came that they may have life and have it abundantly’ (Jn 10:10). This is good news. It is a reason to rejoice and be glad. In order to mark this, the Church wears rose today, instead of penitential purple. In order to celebrate the joyful character of this day, and to remind us that Christ is coming. As Isaiah says:

‘the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away’ (Isa 35:10).

The time is both now and, at the same time, it is not yet. As St James writes, ‘You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand’ (James 5:8). Patience is a hard thing to master. Human beings are naturally impatient. We do not want to wait, but we have to. The question is how we wait. We are told that this should be in joyful expectation, preparing ourselves for what is to come. 

John the Baptist has been waiting for the Messiah. However, despite leaping in his mother’s womb at the Visitation to announce Christ’s coming, in this morning’s Gospel he appears to be having doubts. John is expecting a Messiah of judgement, and he is isn’t entirely sure what is going on. The Baptist has been imprisoned for criticising Herod Antipas’ marriage to his brother’s wife. John is therefore hoping for a messiah who will sweep away an unjust and corrupt regime. This is why he has doubts about Jesus, who does not seem to be a political messiah. Jesus tells John’s disciples:

‘Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them’ (Mt 11:4-5). 

The vision of a messianic future envisaged by Isaiah in this morning’s first reading has become a reality: prophecy has been fulfilled, God keeps his promises. The Kingdom of God is a place of healing, and Christ is the great physician, who has come to heal our souls. Jesus is the one who is to come, who has come, and who will come again. The establishment of God’s kingdom can appear strange in human terms. Focussing on those on the margins, the sick, the poor, the oppressed, and the marginalised, is not a grand gesture. That is the point! The greatest gesture Jesus will make will be in handing Himself over to be crucified and to die the death of a common criminal. This is how the messiah will reign as the true King of Israel, on the Cross at Calvary. 

God’s salvation defies human expectations. This is the point: God’s ways are not our ways, nor are His thoughts our thoughts. That is the core message of this morning’s Gospel. If we expect God’s rule to look like human kingship, then we will be disappointed. Our Heavenly Father has something else in store, something far more wonderful than we could ever imagine, and at its heart is the transformation of humanity through love. God heals His people, because He is a God of love. Our Creator does not love us because we are loveable. We are sinners, who do not deserve to be loved, and cannot earn His divine love. But, rather than WHAT we are, God loves us for WHO we are: His sons and daughters, created in His image and likeness. God is someone whom we can trust, who keeps His promises. Our Heavenly Father offers the world the greatest present it could ever hope for: true love and eternal life.

Today, the peace which the Messiah came to bring seems as elusive as ever. The human capacity to create misery in the most dreadful ways continues relentlessly. We know that humanity still has some considerable distance to travel towards the establishment of a just and peaceful world. An answer is to embrace the need for repentance: to change our hearts and minds and to follow Jesus. We also prepare to meet Our Lord as He will come again, as our Saviour and our Judge. It is a daunting prospect, yet we know and trust that Christ saves us. By His Wounds on the Cross we are healed, and our sins are forgiven.

This is God’s grace: loving sinful humanity in order that we may be transformed by His Divine love. This is why the focus is on healing — something which only God can do — to redeem our souls with His love. This is the cause of our gladness and joy. What the prophet Isaiah hoped for has been fulfilled, and continues to be fulfilled. The Church is called to carry on God’s healing in the world, and restore each person with divine love. This is what we are about to celebrate in the Eucharist, where we both thank Our Heavenly Father for loving us, and we also prepare to experience that healing love, so that it may transform us, now, here, today. We do so with reverence, because we are not simply consuming human food and drink, but the very Body and Blood of Christ, given for us, to heal us. It is the greatest medicine our souls could ever wish for. Soon we ‘shall see the glory of the Lord, the majesty of our God’ (Isa 35:2). God’s glory and majesty is to give His Body for us on a Cross, and also to feed us with Himself.

Let us, then, come to the banquet with glad hearts, and experience the life-changing love of God. Let us allow it to heal and transform us, so that we can join our voices with all creation to joyfully sing the praises of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, Duw Dad, Duw y Mad, a Duw yr Ysbryd Glân, to whom be ascribed all might, majesty, glory, dominion, and power, now and forever. Amen.

Jean Tissot: St John the Baptist sees Jesus from afar (Brooklyn Museum)

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The Second Sunday of Advent

‘May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing’ (Rom 15:13)

‘A bydded i Dduw, ffynhonnell gobaith, eich llenwi â phob llawenydd a thangnefedd wrth ichwi arfer eich ffydd’

The book of the prophet Isaiah has sometimes been called the ‘Fifth Gospel’. This is because so many of Isaiah’s prophecies look forward to the Messiah, and find their fulfilment in Jesus. We, too, are currently in a time of anticipation. Advent is when we prepare for Christ to come, both as a baby in Bethlehem, and as our Saviour and our Judge. As the son of Jesse, and the son of David, Jesus is Israel’s true king, who rules over all:

‘There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit. And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. And his delight shall be in the fear of the Lord.’ (Isa 11:1-3)

Isaiah has hope in the peace the Messiah will bring. Injustice and affliction, the fruit of sin, is dealt with on the Cross, where Jesus ‘shall stand as a signal for the peoples’ (Isa 11:10). This is the great demonstration of God’s love to the world. A love which heals and reconciles humanity. 

To prepare the way for the Messiah, Israel needed prophets like Isaiah and John the Baptist both to announce His coming and to prepare people for His arrival. A prophet’s role is a difficult one because they are often required to tell people home truths. Those chosen by God to act as prophets point out the sorts of things which, if left to our own devices, we would rather ignore. John’s message is simple, plain, and direct:

‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand’ (Mt 3:2)

To repent is to express sincere regret about one’s wrongdoing. The Greek word used —metanoia— literally means to ‘change your mind’. It is a proclamation, rather like a road sign which reads: ‘You are going the wrong way!’ Repentance is recognising this and turning around. 

For two thousand years the Church has worked to continue John’s proclamation, and to say to the world: turn around, and follow Jesus! The season of Advent is penitential because it highlights this call to conversion and says to everyone, both inside and outside the Church, that our lives are supposed to be a perpetual turning back to Our Lord. We all need to be reminded of our shortcomings, and to be encouraged to let God be at work in and through us.

John the Baptist’s blunt message struck a chord and sparked something of a revival in Israel. People took him seriously:

‘Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region about the Jordan were going out to him, and they were baptized by him in the River Jordan, confessing their sins.’ (Mt 3:5-6)

It is not surprising that in those times people travelled out into the desert to hear John. He was charismatic, and his message was a refreshing antidote to the Religious Establishment of his day. People came, confessed their sins, and were baptised. They were washed clean, to love and serve God. The crowds also came because, in John, the people of Israel saw prophecy fulfilled, and a new Elijah in their midst. One who points to the Messiah, and has done so ever since he leapt in his mother Elizabeth’s womb at the Visitation. Before John was even born he proclaimed that Jesus was the Christ, the Messiah, the One who would save us from our sins.

We see this Messianic kingdom, hoped for in the vision of Isaiah, in this morning’s first reading. The branch which comes forth from the stem of Jesse is the Blessed Virgin Mary. Filled with God’s Holy Spirit, she conceived and bore Our Saviour; the true King of all that is, or has been, or will be. Christ is on the side of the poor and the meek, people who are left behind, and ignored because they are not rich or powerful. This is a radical concept, one which still has some way to go before it is fully put into practice in the world around us. Isaiah’s vision of Messianic peace may appear impossible, but it signifies a world-changing harmony, which alters how things are, and how people behave. For, with and through God, another way is possible. This path is not simple, nor is it easy, but it is possible if we rely upon God to help us. As St Paul says to the Christians in Rome:

‘May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.’ (Romans 15:5-7),

and a little later in the same passage:

‘May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope’ (Romans 15:13).

Hope can feel in pretty short supply when we look at the world around us, and if we just look to humanity then we will be disappointed. Our hope comes from God. Our hope is God. God is with us. It is His Birth that we are preparing to celebrate at Christmas. In Advent we prepare for Christ to come as our Saviour and our Judge: 

‘His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.’ (Mt 3:12) 

Judgement is real, and it should make us stop and think for a moment. Are we living the way God wants us to? If we are not then we need to repent, we need to say sorry, and we need to live the way that God wants us to live. This is how we flourish as Christians. John the Baptist calls us to make a spiritual u-turn, to turn our life around, and to turn away from our sins, which separate us from God. John calls us to the waters of baptism, so that we can be healed and restored by God, filled with his grace, and prepared to receive the Holy Spirit:

“I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire” (Mt 3:11).

The problem with the Pharisees and Sadducees who come to John is that they do not show any repentance. They haven’t made the necessary u-turn, and they do not have the humility to recognise their own sinfulness, and their need to be washed in the waters of baptism. They, therefore, do not possess the right attitude to allow God to be at work in their lives.

As well as recognising Jesus as our Saviour, John the Baptist sees Him as Our Judge. John points to the second coming of the Lord when, as St John of the Cross puts it, ‘we will be judged by love alone’. It is love that matters. In Christ we see what love means. True, deep, love is costly, self-giving and profound. As we are filled with God’s Spirit, nourished by Word and Sacrament, we need to live out this love in our lives. This is how we prepare to meet Jesus as we prepare to celebrate His Birth and look forward to His Second Coming.

So, my brothers and sisters in Christ, let us re-commit ourselves to live out God’s love in our lives. Let us turn away from everything which separates us from God, and from each other. Let us live out deep, costly, and self-giving love in our lives. This is both what Christ and John the Baptist call us to do. By acting in this way we demonstrate to the world around us what our faith means in practice. How our beliefs affect our lives, and why others should follow Jesus, and sing the praises of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, Duw Dad, Duw y Mab, a Duw yr Ysbryd Glân. To whom be ascribed all might, majesty, glory, dominion, and power, now and forever. Amen.

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Bible Sunday

Today is a very special day for me. It is my first Sunday as Priest-in-charge of S. Katharine & S. Peter’s, Milford Haven. As the eleventh incumbent of this wonderful Church I feel the weight of expectations, and the many questions you probably have: What kind of a priest is the new vicar? What is he like as a person? How will he lead our church through the years ahead? What is he going to change? What is his vision for S. Katharine & S. Peter’s? As you get to know me and I get to know you, the answers to these questions will become clear.

In first century Palestine, expectation was also running high. The Hebrew Scriptures were full of prophecies about the Messiah, a King of the House of David, who would rule over Israel and set His people free. Releasing them from the tyranny of foreign rule, and a corrupt religious establishment. Two thousand years ago, people were full of hope and expectation, that God would act, and fulfil His promises. This He does, in a surprising way…

When Jesus comes to the town of Nazareth, where He grew up, He goes to the synagogue to worship on the Sabbath. There Our Lord is given the scroll of the prophet Isaiah, and He reads:

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.” 

“Y mae Ysbryd yr Arglwydd arnaf, oherwydd iddo f’eneinio i bregethu’r newydd da i dlodion. Y mae wedi f’anfon i gyhoeddi rhyddhad i garcharorion, ac adferiad golwg i ddeillion, i beri i’r gorthrymedig gerdded yn rhydd, i gyhoeddi blwyddyn ffafr yr Arglwydd.” (Lk 4:18-19)

This prophecy is taken from the 61st Chapter of Isaiah. It expresses Israel’s hope for a Messianic future: a hope of healing, freedom, and restoration. This is similar to the idea of the Jubilee, when every fifty years all debts were cancelled, all slaves freed, and all land returned to its original owners. Some of you may remember the Campaign Jubilee 2000, which sought to write off Third-world debt, as a modern reworking of this ancient biblical idea. Jesus is proclaiming the Kingdom of God as a reality, here and now. This is what fullness of life and salvation look like when we live them. Our Lord gives us an attractive goal, and it can be a reality, if we co-operate with God to live out the vision in our own lives.

In today’s Gospel, we hear the announcement of the Kingdom of God. A call to a new way of living, which can transform us, and our world, for the better. The Kingdom of God is to be a place where all are cared for, and where our needs are met. The Good News of the Gospel is for those who know their need of God, those who are aware of their spiritual poverty. That means each and every one of us. Jesus will later go on to say, in the Sermon on the Mount: ‘Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the Kingdom of God’ ‘Gwyn eich byd chwi’r tlodion, oherwydd eiddoch chwi yw teyrnas Dduw’ (Lk 6:20). We all need God’s love in our hearts, and our lives, so that we can be transformed. We cannot reform ourselves, this is something that only Our Heavenly Father can do. But only if we let Him, and co-operate with Him, through prayer and action. 

Christ offers the world both freedom and vision. The opportunity to see what others cannot, and the ability to experience true freedom. God gives us life in all its fulness, so that by His love we can be made into people who are loving, and who will the good of others. By living lives characterised by love and sacrifice we can be truly alive, and experience the joy of God’s Kingdom. 

After having read from the Book of Isaiah, Our Lord says:

“Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”

“Heddiw yn eich clyw chwi y mae’r Ysgrythur hon wedi ei chyflawni.” (Lk 4:21)

This is a huge claim to make. If the Scripture has been fulfilled then this means that Jesus is the Messiah, plain and simple. That which the prophets pointed to in the future has now become a reality in the person of Christ. Jesus, the Word made flesh, is the fulfilment of the Holy Scriptures, the Word of God. This is what we believe as Christians, and it is the reason why we read the Old Testament. The New is prefigured in the Old. The Scriptures point to Christ, and they find their fulfilment and true meaning in Him. What Israel has hoped for and longed for has arrived in the figure of Jesus. This means that the Kingdom of God is not something abstract, but rather someone physical. It is a person: Jesus of Nazareth. The reconciliation of God and humanity happens in and through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

The mission of the Church is, and always has been, to proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom of God. The words spoken in a synagogue in Nazareth two thousand years ago are as relevant today as they were then. God continues to invite humanity to know Him, and to experience His divine love.

As Christians, we are recipients of the healing and wholeness which Jesus promises. We experience this healing here today, in this Mass. Soon we will be nourished by Christ’s Body and Blood, and be given a foretaste of Heavenly Glory. Let us , therefore, prepare to be fed, and to be transformed and become what we eat. Fortified by Christ, let us proclaim His Truth to the world, so that all may come to believe and give glory to God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, Duw Dad, Duw y Mab, a Duw yr Ysbryd Glân. To whom be ascribed all glory, dominion and power, now and forever. Amen

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Trinity X: Enter by the Narrow Gate

Every four years we have the opportunity to watch the pinnacle of human sporting achievement in the Olympic Games. The last games took place in Paris last year, where the finest athletes from around the world gathered to compete. It takes a great deal of talent in order to take part in the Olympics, and also a huge amount of effort and training. To be the best requires a significant effort. Living out our Christian Faith is, likewise, something we have to work at. Following Christ should both challenge us, and bring out the best in us. It is hard work, often requiring great effort on our part. And yet, the effort we put in is as nothing compared to that of God, who sent His Son to be born for us, and to show us how to live. Jesus demonstrates the Love of God in action, to show us how to live lives of radical generosity. Our endeavours are part of a co-operation with God, so that we can grow and develop in our faith together. 

In today’s Gospel, Jesus and His disciples are making their way towards Jerusalem, teaching in the towns and villages, en route. As they travel, Jesus is asked a question:

‘Meddai rhywun wrtho, “Arglwydd, ai ychydig yw’r rhai sy’n cael eu hachub?”’

‘And someone said to him, “Lord, will those who are saved be few?”’ (Lk 13:23)

Christ does not answer the question directly. Instead He offers some advice:

‘Ac meddai ef wrthynt, “Ymegnïwch i fynd i mewn trwy’r drws cul, oherwydd rwy’n dweud wrthych y bydd llawer yn ceisio mynd i mewn ac yn methu. Unwaith y bydd meistr y tŷ wedi codi a chau’r drws, gallwch chwithau sefyll y tu allan a churo ar y drws, gan ddweud, ‘Arglwydd, agor inni’; ond bydd ef yn eich ateb, ‘Ni wn o ble’r ydych.’’

‘And he said to them, “Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. When once the master of the house has risen and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, open to us’, then he will answer you, ‘I do not know where you come from.’” (Lk 13:23-25)

First and foremost, the narrow way is the way of the Cross. Our Lord is going to Jerusalem to be rejected, and to be put to death, so that He may rise again, and show the world the way back to the God who loves us. We who follow Him are to expect nothing less. We show ourselves to be Christ’s disciples not just by what we SAY but also by what we DO. Our actions often speak louder than our words.

In the Gospel, people presume that because they heard Jesus teach and have eaten and drunk with Him and that all is well. While they have enjoyed Our Lord’s hospitality, they have not actually responded to His message. They have not believed in who He is, and what He does. Rather than salvation being offered solely to the people of Israel, instead the whole world is included. Everyone, everywhere, all at once, is invited. This is something radical, something new, which is first prophesied in the words of Isaiah in our first reading this morning. 

The prophet Isaiah has a vision of a future with a God who knows us and loves us. He gathers the people of the world together, so that they may see God’s divine glory. As Christians, we believe that this teaching points forward to Jesus Christ, who is the Word made flesh, the true demonstration of God’s majesty in the world. He will demonstrate that glory most fully on the Cross, when He suffers and dies for humanity, to take away our sin. This is the sign God sets among us, so that we may declare God’s greatness among the nations. The Cross is the sign of God’s love for all people.

Declaring God’s glory is the prophetic aspect of the Church — the sharing of the Good News. With it comes a commitment to holiness of life, so that our words and actions are in tune with each other. We cannot succeed in this by our own strength or efforts. Instead we must rely upon God’s grace. Every day we should humbly acknowledge our need for God. Only Our Heavenly Father can transform us. Only God can forgive our sins, our failures and our shortcomings. Through grace Christ can transform us, more and more into His likeness. 

This recognition of our limitations and failings opens up a space where God can be at work in our lives, transforming us to live the Divine life of Love. This is the narrow door of this morning’s Gospel. The opening is narrow because if we have a sense of our own self-importance or of our worth which is too large then we cannot enter — our image of who and what we are gets in the way.

Following Christ is often hard. It is far easier to coast along and take the easy options. That is why Christians meet together to encourage and support each other. This is what the Church is for. We are a collection of sinners trying to live in response to the love of God which has been poured out on each of us. This is something which we need to do together: loving each other; loving our enemies; living out forgiveness as we have been forgiven and loved by God. This is a radically different way of life to that which the world encourages us to practise. Naturally we will sometimes fall short, but the point is not that we fail and give up, but that we keep trying. We must keep on loving and forgiving. Plugging away together, in order to be built up as the body of Christ. Humbly letting God be at work in us. He, by His Grace will transform our nature and make us the people of God, able to live out His love in our community.

As I have already said, living out our faith is hard. In addition, others may mock us as we attempt to follow the Gospel. Yet, we believe in a God who loves us, and who would never belittle our efforts to follow Him. As Christians we pray for the fire of God’s love to be kindled in our hearts and lives, so that we may be ablaze for Him, aflame with love for God and for our neighbour. Loving our enemies and our friends, enables us to change the world, not just this village, or this county, but all of God’s creation; all of humanity. In doing so we help others to know God’s love so that it may rule in their hearts and lives.

And so, my brothers and sisters in Christ, let us then hasten to enter through the narrow gate, so that God may continue to transform us. Let us give thanks that His saving love and power is at work in our hearts and our lives, remodelling us. Let us sing praise to God, i Duw Dad, Duw y Mab, a Duw yr Ysbryd Glân. To God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. I’r hwn y priodoler pob gogoniant, arglwyddiaeth, a gallu, yn awr, ac yn oes oesoedd. To whom be ascribed all glory, dominion and power, now and forever. Amen

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Epiphany V 2025

THIS week’s readings focus on God’s call to humanity, so I would like to begin by sharing with you something of my own call. The first time I realised that I wanted to be a priest, I was about 10 years of age. It was in church at Margam, during a Sunday Morning Eucharist. The priest standing at the altar praying the Eucharistic Prayer, lived next door but one to us. He was a retired priest, called Fr Glyn — a great and holy man. I would go on to study at the same theological college as him (although this was something I only found out once I’d got there). As he stood at the altar and prayed the words that Jesus recited on the night before He died, I can remember a strong, overwhelming feeling: ‘I really want to do THAT!’ Even now, nearly forty years later, and after serving God as a priest for nearly fourteen years, that feeling still feels real. I still do not feel worthy of the call. But I’m not supposed to. That is the point: only God is worthy. However, God calls us not because we are worthy, but so that we might co-operate with Him in the outworking of His goodness, healing and love.

In our first reading this morning, the prophet Isaiah has a vision of heavenly glory. In his vision, Isaiah sees the throne room of the Heavenly Temple, with God surrounded by angels The prophet does not describe his emotional state, but he speaks of his human unworthiness in the divine presence. When Isaiah is confronted by the majesty of God, the singing of angels, the smoke of incense, all he can say is:

‘Gwae fi! Y mae wedi darfod amdanaf! Dyn a’i wefusau’n aflan ydwyf’

‘Woe is me. For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips’ (Isa 6:5)

Isaiah is aware of his human sinfulness and the gulf between himself and God. Yet his guilt is taken away, and his sin is atoned for. The prophet, who will foretell the coming of the Messiah who will save humanity, is prepared by God. He is set apart. When God asks, ‘Pwy a anfonaf? Pwy a â drosom ni?’’Whom shall I send, who will go for us?’ Isaiah can respond, ‘Dyma fi, anfon fi.’ ‘Here I am! Send me’. This is quite a journey in a few verses, and that is the point. God doesn’t call those who are equipped. Rather, He equips those whom He calls.

In the Gospel, the teaching ministry of Jesus, which we saw begin in the synagogue in Nazareth, continues. His fame is spreading and the crowd that has come to listen to Our Lord’s teaching is so large that He uses a boat to address them, so that the hills behind the crowd will help make Him more easily heard, acting like a natural theatre 

After speaking to the crowd, Jesus continues to draw disciples to Himself. On the Sea of Galilee the best time to catch fish is at night, but unfortunately Simon, James, John, and others have been out all night and caught nothing. It is the morning, now, and they are exhausted. Worst of all their effort has brought no reward. They have no fish to sell. 

Jesus says to Simon, 

‘Dos allan i’r dŵr dwfn, a gollyngwch eich rwydau am ddalfa.’

‘Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.’ (Lk 5:4)

These words seem to be crazy. The time to catch fish on the lake is at night not during the daytime. Simon knows this, but he agrees to let down his nets. Suddenly the fishing nets are full to breaking point, and Simon calls his colleagues to help him pull in the catch. Both boats are so full of fish that they can barely float. 

Simon’s response is telling, he falls down at Jesus’ knees and says:

‘Dos ymaith oddi wrthyf, oherwydd dyn pechadurus wyf fi, Arglwydd.’

‘Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.’ (Lk 5:8)

Simon appreciates that what has happened is a miracle, something that God has done. His response to the presence of God is contrition — awareness of his own unworthiness. Simon knows that he doesn’t deserve this outpouring of grace. The unmerited kindness of God, is too much for him. This humble fisherman recognises his own unworthiness to be in the presence of the Divine. It is understandable, and human, and we would likely feel exactly the same way.

Then Our Lord addresses Simon:

‘Paid ag ofni; o hyn allan dal dynion y byddi di’

’Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.’ (Lk 5:10)

‘Paid ag ofni’ ‘Do not be afraid’ God begins by addressing our fear, our reluctance to commit. The point is that we are not alone in this, but rather that God wants to work with us, and through us, to proclaim and extend His Kingdom. God welcomes humanity into His embrace, to know the love for which we long. True, unconditional love, offered to each and every one of us to transform us.

The final words of the passage are instructive: 

‘Yna daethant a1’r cychod yn ôl i’r lan, a gadael popeth, a’i ganlyn ef.’

‘And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him.’ (Lk 5:11)

The fishermen are literally leaving everything. They have just landed the biggest catch of fish in their entire lives. They were about to be rich in worldly terms, and they have to leave it all behind. Their sacrifice is a real one. Following Jesus comes at a cost. However, it is not without its rewards. The first disciples turn their backs on worldly riches and possessions in order to be free to do God’s work.

The calling of the disciples is also the calling of the entire baptised people of God. This is a calling not to be afraid, but to respond to the God who loves us and saves us. This is a calling to live out in our lives, by word and deed, the saving truths of God. So God can use us for His glory and to spread His Kingdom. So that others may come to know God’s Love, Mercy, and Forgiveness. This is what we have signed up for: to be disciples of Jesus; to profess the faith of Christ Crucified; to share this faith with others.

This treasure has been entrusted to each and every one of us. We are all called to share our faith with others, so that the world may believe. Like the first disciples we acknowledge the glory o Duw Dad, Duw y Mab, a Duw yr Ysbryd Glân. I’r hwn y priodoler pob gogoniant, arglwyddiaeth, a gallu, yn awr, ac yn oes oesoedd. Amen.

Jesus preaches from a boat – James Tissot (Brooklyn Museum)
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Epiphany III 2025

ONE of the wonderful things about living in this part of the country is that we can celebrate the new year twice. Once on January 1st and then again on January 13th for Hen Galan. It is good to celebrate new starts, new beginnings, and important milestones. Two of today’s readings focus on this theme. The reading from Ezra describes a religious assembly which takes place on the first day of the seventh month. In the Hebrew Calendar this corresponds to early September. It is this time when Jews celebrate Rosh Hashanah, or the New Year. 

Two weeks ago we celebrated the Baptism of Christ in the River Jordan, and last week we celebrated His first miracle — changing water into wine at a wedding at Cana. Jesus begins His public ministry in Galilee. He starts on home turf, where He has grown up, among the people and places that He knows best. Our Lord is full of the Holy Spirit, and there is a great deal of excitement regarding His teaching. He goes to the synagogue on the Sabbath, where He is invited to read a passage from Scripture and to comment upon it, just as Ezra did in the first reading this morning. Jesus is given the scroll of the prophet Isaiah, and He recites:

“Y mae Ysbryd yr Arglwydd arnaf, oherwydd iddo f’eneinio i bregethu’r newydd da i dlodion. Y mae wedi f’anfon i gyhoeddi rhyddhad i garcharorion, ac adferiad golwg i ddeillion, i beri i’r gorthrymedig gerdded yn rhydd, i gyhoeddi blwyddyn ffafr yr Arglwydd.”

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.” (Lk 4:18-19)

This prophecy is taken from the 61st Chapter of the prophet Isaiah. It expresses the people of Israel’s hope for a Messianic future: a hope of healing, freedom, and restoration. This is similar to the idea of the Jubilee, when every fifty years all debts were cancelled, all slaves were freed, and all land was returned to its original owners. However, jubilees were proclaimed by the King of Israel, so here Jesus is announcing the fact that He is a Prophet, a Priest and also a King. As declarations of intent go, this is certainly a strong one! 

In today’s Gospel, we hear the announcement of the Kingdom of God, a new way of living, which can transform us, and our world, for the better. The Kingdom of God is to be a place where all are cared for, and where our needs are met. The good news of the Gospel is for those who know their need of God, those who are aware of their spiritual poverty. That means each and every one of us. Jesus will later go on to say, in the Sermon on the Mount: ‘Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the Kingdom of God’ (Lk 6:20). We all need God’s love in our hearts, and our lives, so that we can be transformed. We cannot transform ourselves, this is something that only God can do. But only if we let Him, and co-operate with Him. 

Christ offers the world both freedom and vision. The opportunity to see what others cannot, and the experience of true freedom. God gives us life in all its fulness, so that we can be transformed by this love, into people who are loving, and who will the good of others. By living lives characterised by love and sacrifice we can be truly alive. After having read from Isaiah, Our Lord says:

“Heddiw yn eich clyw chwi y mae’r Ysgrythur hon wedi ei chyflawni.”

“Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” (Lk 4:21)

This is a huge claim to make. If the Scripture has been fulfilled then this means that Jesus is the Messiah, plain and simple. What the prophets point to in the future has now become a reality in the person of Jesus Christ. The Word made flesh is the fulfilment of the Word of God: Jesus fulfils the Scriptures. This is what we believe as Christians, and it is the reason why we read the Old Testament. The New is prefigured in the Old. Just as the New Year has its roots in the Old Year The Scriptures point to Christ, and they find their fulfilment and true meaning in Him. What Israel has hoped and longed for has arrived in the figure of Jesus. This means that the Kingdom of God is not something abstract, but rather someone concrete. It is a person, Jesus of Nazareth. The reconciliation of God and humanity happens in and through Jesus Christ.

The mission of the Church is to proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom of God. The words spoken in a synagogue in Nazareth two thousand years ago are as relevant today as they were then. God continues to invite humanity to know Him, and to experience His love. This is a cause for celebration, one envisaged by Nehemiah in our first reading:

“Ewch, bwytewch ddanteithion ac yfwch win melys a rhannwch â’r sawl sydd heb ddim, oherwydd mae heddiw yn ddydd sanctaidd i’n Harglwydd; felly, peidiwch â galaru, oherwydd llawenhau yn yr Arglwydd yw eich nerth.”

‘Go on your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.’ (Nehemiah 8:10) 

Christians celebrate the proclamation of the Good News within a Eucharist. This is the Thanksgiving which Our Lord entrusted to us, so that we can be nourished by Him, and with Him, with His Body and Blood. So that we might be transformed. And so that, nourished by Word and Sacrament, we may invite others to share the joy of the Lord and give glory i’r Duw Dad, Duw y Mab, a Duw yr Ysbryd Glân. I’r hwn y priodoler pob gogoniant, arglwyddiaeth, a gallu, yn awr, ac yn oes oesoedd. Amen.

James Tissot: Jesus Unrolls the Book in the Synagogue (Jésus dans la synagogue déroule le livre) Brooklyn Museum
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Christmas 2024

Christmas is a time for many seasonal activities, including spending time with family and friends, eating special foods and enjoying Christmas Carols. Also, most of us will spend some time over the festive period watching films on the television, or in the cinema. Movies can, surprisingly, be particularly useful when we try and get our heads around the wonderful events of Christmas. I would like to begin by focussing on a film from my childhood — the 1981 adventure Raiders of the Lost Ark. In this film, the intrepid archaeologist Indiana Jones is competing with Nazi forces to discover the Ark of the Covenant, which, it is believed, has the power to make an army invincible. At the climax of the film, the villains open the Ark on an island in the Aegean Sea. Immediately, spirits and bolts of lightning are released, which kill the Nazis and free Indiana and his companion Marion. Other than being the sort of film one might watch at Christmas, what is the relevance of the scene?

The film’s denouement relies upon the heroes averting their gaze, while the villains do not, and are therefore destroyed. The plot draws upon the biblical idea that the glory of God, which the Ark is said to contain, is not something which humanity should gaze upon. In the Book of Exodus, when Moses asks to see God, he is told that if he does so he will die. The glory of God is not something humans are able to behold. 

Yet, the first reading this morning reaches its climax with the statement that:

‘fe wêl holl gyrrau’r ddaear iachawduriaeth ein Duw ni’

‘all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.’ (Isa 52:10)

There appears to be something strange going on here. Likewise, the one who begins His life wrapped in cloth and placed in a stone feeding trough, will end it taken down from a Cross, wrapped in cloth and placed in a stone tomb. ‘In my beginning is my end …. In my end is my beginning’ wrote T.S. Elliot in his poem ‘East Coker’, the second of his Four Quartets. And yet this end is but a prelude to Christ’s Resurrection, Ascension, and the Second Coming. 

In the great turnaround of salvation history, humanity goes from being unable to look upon the divine, to being able to behold Him in a manger, surrounded by farm animals. To put the mystery of our salvation into context, this morning’s Gospel goes back to the beginning, which is a very good place to start. Not to the Annunciation, where in the power of the Holy Spirit Christ takes flesh in the womb of His Mother, but to the beginning of time and the Creation of the Universe:

‘Yn y dechreuad yr oedd y Gair, a’r Gair oedd gyda Duw, a Duw oedd y Gair. Hwn oedd yn y dechreuad gyda Duw.’

‘In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.’ (Jn 1:1)

The Word which spoke the Universe into being exists in eternity with God, and is God. This is whom we worship: the one who will save humanity, and who offers us eternal life with God. 

Today we celebrate Divine generosity and humility. God is among us. Mae Duw yn eich plith ni. Born as a weak and vulnerable baby, he is utterly dependent upon Mary and Joseph. In time this divine generosity will be refused:

‘At ei eiddo ei hun y daeth, a’r eiddo ei hun nis derbyniasant ef.’

‘He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.’ (Jn 1:11)

Ours is a God who does not force Himself upon us. Instead, He comes to us in love, to draw us out in love, that we might share in that love, and share it with others: 

‘A’r Gair a wnaethpwyd yn gnawd, ac a drigodd yn ein plith ni, (ac ni a welsom ei ogoniant ef, gogoniant megis yr Unig‐anedig oddi wrth y Tad,) yn llawn gras a gwirionedd.’

‘And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.’ (Jn 1:14)

God pitches His tent, and tabernacles among us. The invisible becomes visible. The God who is beyond human understanding becomes human, and shares our human life from its beginning to its end. This is no unapproachable divinity, remote and uncaring, but one who experiences our existence, who understands us from the inside out. Humanity beholds the glory of God, in a baby who will die on a Cross to redeem us. 

Not only that, but Christ continues to give Himself to us, every time the Eucharist is celebrated, so that the Word can continue to become flesh, so that we can be transformed by Him, and share in God’s life. 

As we celebrate the birth of Our Saviour we need to ask ourselves: have we made room for Jesus in our lives? Have we really? If we haven’t, we need to let our hearts and our lives become the stable in which the Christ-child can be born. We need to see Him in the outcast, in the stranger, in the people which the world shuns. As Christians, we have to welcome such people, for in welcoming them we welcome Our Lord and Saviour. This is how we live out His love in our lives.

This is the true meaning of Christmas — this is the love which can transform the world. It is radical and costly. This love terrified the might of the Roman Empire, and showed human power that it was as nothing compared to Divine Love. Soul by individual soul, for the past two thousand years, the world has been changed by ordinary people living out the love shown to the world by, and through, this little vulnerable child.

So, today as we celebrate Jesus’ birth, let us raise our voices to join with the angels and give praise and honour 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.

Merry Christmas to you all!

Nadolig Llawen i chi gyd! 

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Homily for Trinity XXI: True Leadership

When I was still quite a young child, I developed a love of poetry. This has grown and deepened throughout my adult life. One of my favourite poets is Roger McGough, a Liverpudlian whose verses are comic, pithy, and profound. One of his poems is called ‘The Leader’. It goes:

‘I wanna be the leader
I wanna be the leader
Can I be the leader?
Can I? I can?
Promise? Promise?
Yippee I’m the leader
I’m the leader

OK what shall we do? ’ 

This poem captures perfectly the human desire for power and control, and ends with a question. Once you become a leader you have to lead. So what do you do? In the poem the speaker does at least ask the question, ‘What shall we do?’, which begins a conversation about what the future will hold. Sadly, too often those in power do not consult in this way, and end up imposing their will on others. The temptation to acquire power and misuse it is part of our fallen human nature. History is littered with examples of people who are both attracted to and corrupted by power. The Church is no exception, because , like all organisations it is made up of human beings who are vulnerable to the seductiveness of power and its trappings.

In this morning’s Gospel, Our Lord is approached by James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who ask Him:

“Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.” 

“Athro, yr ydym am iti wneud i ni y peth a ofynnwn gennyt.” (Mk 10 35)

That is a very bold request to make of anyone, let alone Jesus. They are basically asking Jesus to grant them whatever they ask for. But Our Lord does not seem shocked, surprised, or upset. Instead, He replies quite calmly: 

“What do you want me to do for you?” And they said to him, “Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.” 

“Beth yr ydych am imi ei wneud i chwi?” A dywedasant wrtho, “Dyro i ni gael eistedd, un ar dy law dde ac un ar dy law chwith yn dy ogoniant.” (Mk 10:36-37)

This is no small thing to ask for. It comes across as shocking and presumptuous. James and John are asking for special treatment, and for the ultimate place of honour – sitting either side of Christ in Heaven. The surprising thing is that Jesus does not tell them off, or question their motives. Instead He continues to have a reasoned conversation with them. 

And Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink you will drink, and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized, but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.” 

Ac meddai Iesu wrthynt, “Cewch yfed y cwpan yr wyf fi yn ei yfed, a bedyddir chwi â’r bedydd y bedyddir fi ag ef, ond eistedd ar fy llaw dde neu ar fy llaw chwith, nid gennyf fi y mae’r hawl i’w roi; y mae’n perthyn i’r rhai y mae wedi ei ddarparu ar eu cyfer.” (Mk 10:39-40)

In the verses which come before today’s reading, Jesus has been teaching the Twelve disciples for the third time that He must go to Jerusalem and suffer and die. At this point in the Gospel narrative, Christ is making His final journey from Galilee up to Jerusalem, prior to His Passion and Death. So Our Lord is telling James and John that they will have to suffer and die like Him. Suffering lies at the heart of who Jesus is. Hence our first reading from the prophet Isaiah, which stresses the importance of suffering for God’s servant — something that Jesus will shortly experience. 

This whole discussion has upset the other disciples, who are angry that the sons of Zebedee have tried to gain power and prestige. James and John are thinking and acting in worldly ways. They have not yet fully understand and begun to live out the ways of the Kingdom of God. Power is not something to be sought, because it can be seductive and corrupting and can turn us away from how God wants us to live. Instead Our Lord offers His disciples a different way to live:

“But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

“Ond nid felly y mae yn eich plith chwi; yn hytrach, pwy bynnag sydd am fod yn fawr yn eich plith, rhaid iddo fod yn was i chwi, a phwy bynnag sydd am fod yn flaenaf yn eich plith, rhaid iddo fod yn gaethwas i bawb. Oherwydd Mab y Dyn, yntau, ni ddaeth i gael ei wasanaethu ond i wasanaethu, ac i roi ei einioes yn bridwerth dros lawer.” (Mk 10:43-45)

Jesus calls His followers to operate according to a different paradigm, one based on service of God and each other rather than the exercise of power. The life of Jesus Christ, who gives his life ‘as a ransom for many’ (Mk 10:45) is our example. Christ willingly lays down His life to liberate people for God, to free them from death and sin, and to offer them, and us, eternal life in Heaven with God. This is why we celebrate Jesus’ Passion, Death, and Resurrection. The Cross and the Empty Tomb are the heart of our faith because they demonstrate God’s love for us. God loves each of us enough to die for us. Christ rises on the third day to show us that our eternal destiny is to enjoy God’s love forever in Heaven. The Christian Church proclaims this Gospel truth, and encourages all people to share in the gift God offers to us.

The gentle and kind way that Jesus treats His disciples shows us that we are dealing with a God of mercy, whose primary motivations are compassion and love. Service and Sacrifice lie at the heart of our faith, and not power or privilege.

So my brothers and sisters and Christ, may we follow Jesus to the Cross and beyond, and live out God’s love, mercy, and service in our own lives. Instead of seeking prestige and power for ourselves, let us take care of each other and the world around us, and give praise and honour 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.

James Tissot: Jesus Travelling [Brooklyn Museum]
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Trinity XV: Ephphatha – Be Opened!

I can still remember vividly the experience of my first Sunday off after being ordained. I had everything planned out. A friend of mine from theological college was a curate about 45 minutes away, so I could both see a friend and enjoy some quiet anonymous worship at the back of the pews. I dressed casually, but within seconds of entering the church I was handed books with a cheerful ‘Good Morning Father!’. I was rumbled! I suspect that without thinking about it I had performed several ritual gestures on entering, which rather gave the game away. Our actions are louder than our words, louder than the clothes we wear. Christianity is a faith which we live, which affects who we are, and what we do. 

The reading from the Letter of James makes this very point: God doesn’t treat people differently, so neither should we in the church. If anything the church should go out of its way to look after the poor, because in their poverty they know their need for God. 

‘Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him?’

‘Clywch, fy mrodyr annwyl. Oni ddewisodd Duw y rhai sy’n dlawd yng ngolwg y byd i fod yn gyfoethog mewn ffydd ac yn etifeddion y deyrnas a addawodd ef i’r rhai sydd yn ei garu?’ (James 2:5)

In this morning’s Gospel Jesus has been in Gentile territory to the north of Galilee. He has healed the Syro-Phonecian woman’s daughter, and is now heading back towards the Sea of Galilee. Having heard of His reputation for performing miraculous healings people bring a man to Our Lord who cannot hear or speak clearly, in the hope that he can be healed:

‘and they begged him to lay his hand on him.’

‘a cheisio ganddo roi ei law arno.’ (Mk 7:32)

The people are desperate: there is nothing they can do. This charismatic healer and teacher is their only hope. So Our Lord takes the man to one side, away from the crowd, and performs the healing. 

‘he put his fingers into his ears, and after spitting touched his tongue. And looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, “Ephphatha”, that is, “Be opened.”’

‘rhoes ei fysedd yn ei glustiau, poerodd, a chyffyrddodd â’i dafod; a chan edrych i fyny i’r nef ochneidiodd a dweud wrtho, “Ephphatha”, hynny yw, “Agorer di”.’ (Mk 7:33-4)

The scene may seem a little strange to us nowadays, but it has a refreshing physicality to it. Jesus isn’t simply preoccupied with spiritual matters. The healing is physical: involving touch and saliva. Our Lord does raise His eyes to Heaven and pray, but He also says, ‘Ephphatha — Be opened’ and the man is healed. Jesus is both conforming to people’s expectations, what they would like to be done, and also bringing about a miraculous healing by the power of God. 

‘And his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly.’

‘Agorwyd ei glustiau ar unwaith, a datodwyd rhwym ei dafod a dechreuodd lefaru’n eglur.’ (Mk 7:35)

This is marvellous on several levels. It is the fulfilment of Isaiah’s prophecy which is the first reading today:

‘Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; then shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute sing for joy.’

‘Yna fe agorir llygaid y deillion a chlustiau’r byddariaidd; fe lama’r cloff fel hydd, fe gân tafod y mudan;’ (Isa 35:5-6)

Isaiah is looking forward to the coming of the Messiah, so Our Lord is fulfilling the prophecy and demonstrating his Messianic credentials — announcing to the world both who and what He is. The Kingdom of God is a place of healing and wholeness. It is also no longer to be understood in an exclusive sense. In Chapter 7 of Mark’s Gospel Jesus is outside Israel and now extends His healing to people who are not Jews. This is an important step which will have a profound effect upon the Church and its spreading across the world.

Our Lord tells the people who have witnessed the miracle not to tell anyone about it. However, his words have the opposite effect:

‘But the more he charged them, the more zealously they proclaimed it. And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, “He has done all things well. He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”’

‘ond po fwyaf yr oedd ef yn gorchymyn iddynt, mwyaf yn y byd yr oeddent hwy’n cyhoeddi’r peth. Yr oeddent yn synnu’n fawr dros ben, gan ddweud, “Da y gwnaeth ef bob peth; y mae’n gwneud hyd yn oed i fyddariaid glywed ac i fudion lefaru.”’ (Mk 7:36-37)

They are amazed that prophecy is being fulfilled. But more than that, we see Gentiles sharing the Good News of the Kingdom of God. This is how the Church grows, and we see its beginnings here. The people of the Decapolis, the ten towns, are proclaiming the truth of the Gospel. They point forward to the spread of the Church.aWe are here in Church today because people have told others about it. The people’s profound experience of God’s healing love compels them to share it with others. Just as the deaf mute has been opened by the prayer of Jesus, so have the people around him. Their ears are opened and their tongues are loosed to proclaim the might works of God. 

The Kingdom of God is a place of healing and restoration for all, a fact which the Church continues to proclaim. Rather than being an exclusive event for the Chosen People, healing and salvation are for all who turn to God. All are invited, all are welcome. We are here today because people have shared the Good News with us. All of us come in need of God’s grace, His unmerited kindness. Not only this, but God gives us His very self, to heal us, and transform us.

My brothers and sisters in Christ, may we come to the Lord, so that we may be healed and restored. May we proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom of God, so that others may come to know and love 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: Jesus Heals a Mute Possessed Man (Brooklyn Museum)
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Trinity XIV: Authentic Faith

‘For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.’

‘oblegid nid yr hyn a wêl meidrolyn y mae Duw’n ei weld. Yr hyn sydd yn y golwg a wêl meidrolyn, ond y mae’r Arglwydd yn gweld beth sydd yn y galon.’ (1Sam 16:7)

People in general want to be taken seriously, and to be trusted. For a society to function and flourish, people need to be able to trust each other. One of the main ways in which we earn people’s trust is by honesty and authenticity. When our words and actions align, we are people of integrity. If what we do and what we say do not match up, we leave ourselves open to an accusation of hypocrisy: of playing a role rather than being genuine.

This morning’s Gospel begins with a striking scene. Jesus’ disciples are observed by the Scribes and Pharisees to be eating food without having washed their hands beforehand. The Pharisees are unhappy that the disciples are failing to comply with the outward practice of their religion. What the Religious Authorities are advocating is not just good hygiene but ritual cleanliness. After washing one’s hands, and before drying them, the tradition was to recite the following prayer:

Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who has sanctified us with Your commandments, and commanded us concerning the washing of the hands.

The Gospel writer, Mark has to explain the practice to his non-Jewish audience, who are not necessarily familiar with such things. He shows how concerned the religious leaders are with what is going on, reporting their question to Jesus:

“Why do your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?”

“Pam nad yw dy ddisgyblion di’n dilyn traddodiad yr hynafiaid, ond yn bwyta’u bwyd â dwylo halogedig?” (Mk 7:5)

This leads Our Lord to reply:

“Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, “‘This people honours me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men.”

“Da y proffwydodd Eseia amdanoch chwi ragrithwyr, fel y mae’n ysgrifenedig: ‘Y mae’r bobl hyn yn fy anrhydeddu â’u gwefusau, ond y mae eu calon ymhell oddi wrthyf; yn ofer y maent yn fy addoli, gan ddysgu gorchmynion dynol fel athrawiaethau.’ Yr ydych yn anwybyddu gorchymyn Duw ac yn glynu wrth draddodiad dynol.” (Mk 7:6-8)

Jesus is questioning why the religious authorities are making up rules and stressing the importance of outward compliance with God’s commandments. He quotes from the prophet Isaiah to show that while the Scribes and Pharisees pay lip-service to God, they are not close to Him in their hearts. The Commandments are not an end in themselves, but a means to an end: namely, closeness with God. The Pharisees’ desire for outward conformity and rule-following has led them to drive people away from God, rather than bringing them closer.

The point Jesus is making is also made clear in this morning’s reading from the book of Deuteronomy, where Moses says to the people of Israel:

‘You shall not add to the word that I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God that I command you.’

‘Peidiwch ag ychwanegu dim at yr hyn yr wyf yn ei orchymyn ichwi, nac ychwaith dynnu oddi wrtho, ond cadw at orchmynion yr Arglwydd eich Duw yr wyf fi yn eu gorchymyn ichwi.’ (Deut 4:2)

God has made His commands clear. The people should neither add to them, nor ignore them. However, in their desire to be seen to be keeping God’s commands the religious leaders are making up their own laws, and forcing them upon God’s people. They are reducing religion into something done for show, for outward appearance, rather than to help people to grow in holiness.

Christ then develops His teaching, stating:

“There is nothing outside a person that by going into him can defile him, but the things that come out of a person are what defile him.”

“Nid oes dim sy’n mynd i mewn i rywun o’r tu allan iddo yn gallu ei halogi; ond y pethau sy’n dod allan o rywun, dyna sy’n ei halogi.” (Mk 7:15)

Food does not defile us. Defilement is something that we do to ourselves. What we think and feel affects our relationship with God much more than our outward conformity with a religious ritual. This is made clear in God’s words to Samuel before anointing David King of Israel:

‘For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.’

‘oblegid nid yr hyn a wêl meidrolyn y mae Duw’n ei weld. Yr hyn sydd yn y golwg a wêl meidrolyn, ond y mae’r Arglwydd yn gweld beth sydd yn y galon.’ (1Sam 16:7)

Jesus then proceeds to give examples of the human sins which come ‘out of the heart of man’ ‘o galon dynion’ and cause defilement. These include what became known as the seven deadly sins: pride, greed, wrath, envy, lust, gluttony and sloth. 

Christ is uncompromising in diagnosing the problem — these are all things which separate God and humanity. Our Lord is concerned with the cleanliness of people’s souls. It is from within, from the human heart, that sinfulness springs. Jesus’ point is a simple one: we become what we do. Thus, the formation of a moral character is important, and can only be brought about by doing the right things for the right reasons.

However, despite our best efforts, we will never fully succeed. Sin is a problem which only God can sort out. This is why Christ died for us: taking the burden of our wrongdoings upon Himself. He defeats Sin and Death, to reconcile us, and heal us. The Cross is the most important demonstration of Divine Love and Forgiveness. The right action can help form our moral character, but it is God’s Grace which brings about the reconciliation which our efforts cannot.

My brothers and sisters in Christ, let us live out our faith in our lives. Let us proclaim the kingdom in an authentic way, so that others will be drawn to the words and example of Jesus. Clothed in the humility of our need of God, His love and mercy, let us come to Him. To be fed by Him, to be fed with Him, to be healed and restored by Him. With pure hearts, 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.

James Tissot – The Pharisees question Jesus (Brooklyn Museum)
Posted on by atfurse

Trinity VI – The Importance of Prophetic Truth in Changing Times

One of the trickiest things to do is to tell someone something they don’t want to hear. Some things can be difficult to hear, and difficult to say. Honesty and truth are essential if we want to change and grow. In Ancient Israel, prophets were sent by God to speak the truth: to call people back and to tell them where they were going wrong. When the people of Israel rebelled against God, which is the definition of sin, prophets called God’s people to repentance. They urged them to turn back to the God who loves them, and longs for them to flourish. Sadly, such messages were not always heeded:

‘The descendants also are impudent and stubborn: I send you to them, and you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God.’ And whether they hear or refuse to hear (for they are a rebellious house) they will know that a prophet has been among them.’

‘At blant wynebgaled ac ystyfnig yr wyf yn dy anfon, ac fe ddywedi wrthynt, ‘Fel hyn y dywed yr Arglwydd DDUW.’ Prun bynnag a wrandawant ai peidio — oherwydd tylwyth gwrthryfelgar ydynt — fe fyddant yn gwybod fod proffwyd yn eu mysg.’ (Ezek 2:4-5)

This is the situation which we encounter in today’s Gospel. As part of His Galilean ministry Our Lord goes to Nazareth, and teaches in the synagogue. In Luke’s account we hear Jesus reading from Isaiah:

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.”

“Y mae Ysbryd yr Arglwydd arnaf, oherwydd iddo f’eneinio i bregethu’r newydd da i dlodion. Y mae wedi f’anfon i gyhoeddi rhyddhad i garcharorion, ac adferiad golwg i ddeillion, i beri i’r gorthrymedig gerdded yn rhydd, i gyhoeddi blwyddyn ffafr yr Arglwydd.” (Lk 4:18-19)

Clearly hearing such a prophecy and then being told that it was being fulfilled among them would be quite shocking. The people had spent five hundred years waiting for a Messiah, and now, suddenly, here he was. The worshippers in the synagogue are unwilling, or unable, to understand what is going on, so they say:

“Where did this man get these things? What is the wisdom given to him? How are such mighty works done by his hands? Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?” And they took offence at him.

“O ble y cafodd hwn y pethau hyn? A beth yw’r ddoethineb a roed i hwn, a’r fath weithredoedd nerthol sy’n cael eu gwneud trwyddo ef? Onid hwn yw’r saer, mab Mair a brawd Iago a Joses a Jwdas a Simon? Ac onid yw ei chwiorydd yma gyda ni?” Yr oedd ef yn peri tramgwydd iddynt. (Mk 6:2-3)

The inhabitants of Nazareth cannot reconcile the healer and teacher with the person they have seen growing up among them. Hence they stress Our Lord’s trade and family relationships. They cannot recognise the Messiah in their midst. The Nazarenes understand Christ’s human nature, but cannot see that He is divine. 

Jesus understands that a prophet is without honour among his own people. Those who think they know Him well, fail to discern what God is doing through Him. They may reject Christ, but He does not reject them. 

‘And he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them.’

‘Ac ni allai wneud unrhyw wyrth yno, ond rhoi ei ddwylo ar ychydig gleifion a’u hiacháu.’ (Mk 6:5)

The Good News of the Kingdom is proclaimed, and healings take place. God’s love is poured out even where He is not welcomed, because God loves us, and has come to heal our wounds. Even when we turn our back on Him, Our Heavenly Father does not spurn us. The work of the Kingdom must continue:

‘And he marvelled because of their unbelief. And he went about among the villages teaching.’

‘Rhyfeddodd at eu hanghrediniaeth. Yr oedd yn mynd o amgylch y pentrefi dan ddysgu.’ (Mk 6:6)

Those who in theory should know Him best, who have known Jesus all His life, are the ones who turn their back on Him. Our Lord is amazed at their hardness of heart. He faces exactly what Ezekiel faced before Him. So Jesus continues to heal and teach, even though some do not hear, and do not believe. To those who do, Christ offers love, healing and New Life. He offers Himself in the Eucharist, so that we may have life in all its fulness.

We know who and what Jesus is. Many in the world around us reject Christ, rather like the people of Nazareth, or fail to accept Him as true God and true man. They doubt who He was, what He did, and what He said. Our duty, as Christians, is to tell people about Jesus, praying that they will want to believe. We need to model the Christian life, remembering that all things are possible — God can will do amazing things, especially when we cooperate with Him. 

Our country is currently experiencing a new start, a re-boot after the election. We pray for those who have been elected to office that they will govern with wisdom and compassion. May we too take this opportunity to re-boot and re-energise our life of faith, and shine as beacons of hope in our community and world. May we join with all creation and give glory 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.

James Tissot: Jésus dans la synagogue déroule le livre [Brooklyn Museum]