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Advent IV: ‘He will save his people from their sins’

‘He will save his people from their sins.’

‘am mai ef a wareda ei bobl oddi wrth eu pechodau.’ (Mt 1:21)

Of all the figures in the story of Our Lord’s Nativity, the one most often overlooked is Joseph. It is fair to say that today’s Gospel finds Joseph in a particularly awkward situation. He is described in verse 19 as a ‘just man’. Just or righteous in this context means that he obeys Jewish Law. However, Deuteronomy 22:23-24 states that:

‘If there is a betrothed virgin, and a man meets her in the city and lies with her, then you shall bring them both out to the gate of that city, and you shall stone them to death with stones, the young woman because she did not cry for help though she was in the city, and the man because he violated his neighbour’s wife. So you shall purge the evil from your midst.’ (Deut 22:23-24)

Mary and Joseph are betrothed, and preparing to be married, but strictly speaking under Jewish Law because she is pregnant, Mary is guilty of a capital crime. It is perhaps for this reason that Luke’s account tells us that Mary spends time out in the country with her cousin Elizabeth, who is also pregnant. Joseph loves Mary, and rather than see her killed or publicly humiliated, he wants to put an end to the marriage quietly, without any fuss. It is at this moment that the Angel Gabriel appears to him in a dream saying:

“Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” (Mt 1:20-21)

Joseph is a descendant of King David, a member of Israel’s Royal Family. This is an awkward fact when the current occupier of the throne is not part of that dynasty, but was put there by the Romans as a pliant puppet king. 

The angel says to Joseph: ‘Do not be afraid! Paid ag ofni!’ Again and again God speaks to His people to tell them not to fear and to be of good heart, to reassure and encourage them. God loves His people, there is nothing to be afraid about. The angel is clear: the child that will be born is of the Holy Spirit. He will be the Son of God, and His name will be Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins. ‘Yeshua’ means ‘God saves’ which is exactly what Jesus does. At a practical level the angel’s message to Joseph is designed to put him at ease, to stop him worrying. The message is Good News, through the angel the Gospel of Salvation is announced.

To reinforce this fact, St Matthew then quotes a prophecy of Isaiah, which is also found in the first reading today:

“Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (Mt 1:23)

The prophecy is being fulfilled; there will be a son born to the House of David, who will be God with us (Emmanuel), and He will save His people from their sins. This is why we celebrate Christmas, because it is the coming of our Saviour. What does is mean to say that God is with us? Is it an expression of solidarity? Or something more? In Jesus God is with us, and He shares our human life, from birth to death. Christ is not some remote divine figure, but one intimately acquainted with all of human existence. God is not distant, but instead is someone who understands us, and loves us. Christ’s entire existence is about communicating Divine Love and Reconciliation. The Church has also been proclaiming this same message of hope and salvation for the past two thousand years.

‘He will save his people from their sins’: the angel’s words to Joseph could not be clearer. Jesus is God’s rescue mission, sent to save humanity from their sins. This vocation ultimately leads to Calvary. Therefore, as we prepare to celebrate Christ’s Birth, we know that His life will end here, on the Cross. As we prepare for the most joyous of feasts, we are mindful of the cost and depth of God’s love.

It is important to notice what Joseph does when the dream is over:

‘When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.’ (Mt 1:24-25)

Joseph did what the angel commanded him to do. He was obedient. He listened and obeyed. Joseph is complete opposite of Ahaz, in today’s first reading, who neither listens to God nor obeys Him. Joseph is obedient in naming his son as he was instructed: ‘And he called his name Jesus’ (Mt 1:25). Jesus too will be obedient. His is an obedience to the Father’s will borne out through suffering, death and resurrection which characterises the mission of the Son. This is what brings about our salvation. We then, in obedience, look for His second coming as our Saviour and our Judge. As Christians, we are called to take time to ponder these mysteries — to stop for a while amid the business of our modern existence and reflect upon the wondrous nature of God’s love for us, and for all humanity. We need to take the opportunity to stop, and to ponder this wondrous fact; to reflect upon what ‘God-with-us’ means for each one of us, and for our lives.

As the people of God, members of the Christian Church, which we enter through our baptism, we have all been commissioned to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ, and to live out this example in our lives. Christians urge the world to pause and to consider exactly what is being celebrating at Christmas: the free gift, of hope and salvation for all people, through a baby, born in a stable, among the poor and the marginalised.

The act of Divine love, which we experience in Our Lord’s Nativity, should draw us, in turn, to love God and to love our neighbour; to live out the love which becomes flesh in the womb of the Virgin Mary. This same love will become the flesh and blood that we touch and taste, here, this morning, through the bread and wine. Feeding us, so that we might share His divine life. So, my brothers and sisters in Christ, let us be filled with, and transformed by, the divine gift of love. Let us, like Mary and Joseph, wait on the Lord and be reshaped by Him. Let us live out our faith in our lives so that others might believe and sing the praise 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.

James Tissot The Vision of St Joseph: Brooklyn Museum
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Saint Katharine, Virgin & Martyr

In the middle of the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt lies the famous monastery of St Katharine. It is the oldest monastery in continuous existence, and was founded by the emperor Justinian in the sixth century AD. It was built in the desert on the site of the Burning Bush, where God appeared to Moses. The monastery holds a collection of manuscripts in its library that is second only to the Vatican. And it is in this monastery that the bones of our patron, St Katharine of Alexandria, Virgin and Martyr, are enshrined.

Katharine is believed to have been the daughter of a fourth-century Roman Governor of Egypt, and became a Christian as a child. She was known for her intelligence and learning; she studied much and asked her tutors many questions. Around the year AD 305, when she was about 18 years old, she was arrested, and tortured, but her faith in God was strong and helped to convert people to Christianity. She engaged in dialogue and dispute with pagan intellectuals and refuted them, causing some of them to convert to Christianity. The Roman Emperor Maxentius offered her a proposal of marriage, which she refused, saying that she was a bride of Christ. The emperor, enraged, ordered her to be killed by being broken on a wheel. The wheel shattered when Katharine touched it, whereupon she was beheaded. Some scholars have disputed her existence. However, regardless of this question, (which cannot be proved), she has been an important focus for Christian devotion for nearly seventeen hundred years.

In the Roman Empire, until Constantine issued the Edict of Milan in AD 313, you could be condemned to death for simply being a Christian. It was expected that everyone would worship the Emperor as a living god, by offering prayer and worship, and burning incense before an image of him. Christians cannot do this, as we worship God alone. Faced with a choice, St Katharine was prepared to die, rather than worship a false god. Her fortitude inspires us to take our faith seriously and to prefer nothing to Christ.

It is common in Britain for public buildings to display a picture of the reigning monarch. For most of our lives this was the late Queen Elizabeth II, and now it is King Charles III. If, however, you were required by law under pain of death to worship the King as a god and burn a pinch of incense before his image, we would all, rightly, refuse. We are Christians and we worship God alone. Such was the reality in the world inhabited by Katharine, and countless other Christian martyrs. They were faced with a difficult choice: either to conform to the will of the state, or to die. They chose to bear witness to their faith. Followers of Christ would pray for the emperor, however, they could not pray to him. 

It is hardly surprising that the calm and dignified manner of many early Christians won admiration from the world around them. The Roman Empire valued philosophical detachment and public service, and Christians excelled at both of these things. However, it was the manner that Christians faced death, at the hands of the state, which inspired people.

In Medieval Europe, St Katharine was extremely popular, and devotion to her grew after the Crusades. She was made patron saint of students, teachers, librarians, and lawyers. St Katharine was one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers, along with St Agathius, St Barbara, St Blaise, St Christopher, St Cyriacus, St Denis, St Elmo, St Eustace, St George, St Giles, St Margaret of Antioch, St Pantaleon, and St Vitus. Some of these names are very familiar, and their popularity as Christian names, is testament to their continued importance as the basis of our culture. St Catharine bore witness to her faith in Jesus Christ. Her relationship with Him was the most important thing in her life. She is a model of faithful prayer and fortitude: trusting in God to bring good out of any situation.

The teaching of the Gospel passage set for today is clear. We are called to acknowledge Jesus Christ as Lord, regardless of the cost. Katharine could have saved her life by submitting and worshipping the Emperor, but she chose not to. Instead she proclaimed that Jesus is Lord, and not Caesar in Rome. And for this she paid with her life.

It is a fundamental truth of the Christian Religion that Love, Obedience, and Suffering go hand in hand — they are costly. Following Christ means embracing the suffering which comes from love and obedience, and bearing witness to the truth that God gave His life for us all, and may ask the same of us. The God whom we worship did not just die upon a Cross, but rather was raised to New Life. St Katharine knew Our Lord and trusted His promises. She now shares His Risen Life, and she calls us to follow Christ, to trust Him, and to love him. 

May we then, today and every day, be inspired by the example and witness of St Katharine, and may we follow her example and sing the praises of Our Divine Lord, 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.

Raphael: St Catharine [The National Gallery, London]

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Christ the King 2025

‘God’s weakness is stronger than human strength.’

‘gwendid Duw yn gryfach na chryfder dynol.’ (1Cor 1:25)

On November 23rd 1927 the Mexican Jesuit priest Fr Miguel Pro SJ was arrested on false charges and placed in front of a firing squad. He refused a blindfold and spread his arms out into the shape of a cross. His last words were: ‘¡Viva Christo Rey!’ ‘Long live Christ the King!’. The Mexican regime of that time was cruel and went out of its way to persecute Christians, including thirty-six year old Miguel Pro, a twentieth century Christian martyr who died confessing Christ’s sovereignty over all things. His words are both powerful and inspiring. When we acknowledge Christ as King we are saying that He is above all human power and authority. We are affirming that God is supreme. As Christians, our primary allegiance is to God alone, and not to the things of this world. To proclaim Our Lord as King of Heaven and Earth will always challenge and trouble those who lay claim to an authority and a power which is not their own. There are plenty of examples in the world around us of those who are unwilling to recognize a power greater than themselves. 

Christians profess the sovereignty of God primarily on the basis of the Crucifixion of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. We worship a Crucified God. This should strike us as something strange and disconcerting. At one level it doesn’t quite make sense, and yet it does. St Paul expresses the paradox at the heart of the Christian Faith in his First Letter to the Corinthians:

‘For God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength.’ (1Cor 1:25)

God is doing something amazing, which we cannot fully comprehend, or understand. This is because it is the mystery of God’s love. This is a love which we can never fully understand but it is something that we can experience in our lives.

Today’s Gospel is from St Luke’s account of the Crucifixion. It begins with Jesus being mocked by religious leaders: 

“He saved others; let him save himself, if he is the Christ of God, his Chosen One!” (Lk 23:35)

They demand action — that Jesus saves Himself — because they have completely misunderstand Our Lord’s mission, which is not to save Himself, but to save others. The Roman soldiers then join in and mock Christ saying:

“If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” (Lk 23:37)

In these words, power has been conflated with self-interest. Jesus, however, is not interested in saving Himself, but rather in saving us. He is the King of the Jews, born in Bethlehem of the line and lineage of David. And here Christ, in saving humanity, is doing what a proper King does: caring for His people, even at the cost of His own life. While the soldiers are mocking Jesus, they are actually proclaiming Him as a King. 

One of the men crucified with Jesus asks:

“Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” (Lk 23:39)

This man has been condemned to death for acts of robbery and rebellion, and he is only able to understand the Messiah in political terms. He is looking for a revolutionary leader, who can save him. This causes the other man being crucified to rebuke the first one, saying:

“Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” (Lk 23:40-41)

This second man understands that Jesus is innocent. This leads to one of the most memorable interactions in Luke’s Gospel, a demonstration of faith followed by its reward:

And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.” (Lk 23:42-43)

This man does not ask to be saved. He simply requests that Jesus keep him in mind, when He comes into His Kingdom. Christ immediately grants his request. The condemned man’s recognition of Jesus’ Kingship is rewarded with the promise of eternal life with God in Heaven. Here, in two sentences, we see salvation and redemption at work. Jesus’ death saves people — starting with the condemned man. That is what Christ’s kingship is all about: bringing healing and the forgiveness of sins to all who turn to Him in faith. 

We worship a Crucified God. One who suffers and dies for us, to offer us eternal life in Him. This is true kingship, shown in self-sacrificial love. Christ is the Good Shepherd, who lays down His life for His sheep. He wants to save others, because He is the Messiah, and He is God saving his people. The Hebrew for Jesus is Yeshua and means ‘God saves’. Here on the Cross Jesus fulfils His destiny: this is who and what He is. God saves His people by dying for them. This is real kingship — not robes, or power, but love — dying the death of a common criminal. It doesn’t make sense, and it isn’t supposed to. God’s ways are not our ways, nor His thoughts our thoughts. We cannot save ourselves. Only God can do that, in an act of generous love; an extravagant and exuberant gift that we can neither earn nor repay.

In the reading from St Paul’s Letter to the Colossians, we hear both what God has done for us, and who Christ is. God has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. We are able to go to Heaven because we have been delivered from darkness, into the kingdom of God’s beloved Son. In Christ we have redemption and forgiveness. Jesus has paid the debt we owe; our sins are forgiven. We do not need to slaughter lambs and be sprinkled with their blood, because we have been sprinkled with the Blood of the Lamb of God in our Baptism. We are redeemed, and our transgressions are forgiven, because of what Christ does for us on the Cross. This is the heart of our faith: Jesus died for us, because He loves us. 

In Christ we see that God loves us. He created all that is, therefore things are subject to Him. He is the head of His Body, the Church, of which we are a part through our baptism, and our participation in the Eucharist. As the firstborn from the dead, Christ, in His Resurrection, shows us that death is not the end.

This is the God we worship, and whom we hail as our true King: the God of love and healing. Christ has conquered on the Cross; Christ reigns as King of the Universe; Christ reigns in our hearts, and in our lives. May we then lift our hearts and voices to sing the praises of our Divine King: 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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Trinity XXII

‘As for you, brothers and sisters, do not grow weary in doing good’ 

‘A pheidiwch chwithau, frodyr a chwiorydd, â blino ar wneud daioni’ (2Thess 3:13)

Have you ever visited Greece or one of the Greek Islands? I have been lucky to have had the opportunity to do so. Saint Paul visited Northern Greece, founded Churches, and  wrote his earliest letters to a Christian community there. Thessalonica is now the second largest city in Greece. It was always important as a trading port, and also lay on the Via Egnatia, the route which connected the Adriatic Sea in the West with the Black Sea in the East. In Thessalonica the Christian community grew out of the synagogue. Because Paul, trained as a Pharisee, he began his evangelism within the community and traditions in which he had been raised. However, relations deteriorated and the new Christians found themselves facing persecution from the synagogue and its members. This, understandably, led the Christian community to focus, even to fixate, upon the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. They imagined that Our Lord’s Return was immanent, and that He would come back, and sort everything out.

Some people, however, took advantage of the situation as an excuse for laziness, and relying upon the generosity of others. Such behaviour was bound to attract the attention of St Paul. As well as being a religious and legal expert, Paul was a tent-maker. While he was in Corinth he lodged with Priscilla and Aquila, who also made their living through this trade, and perhaps he aided them in their work during his stay. The Apostle did not wish to be a burden for the communities he visited as he travelled around the Mediterranean proclaiming the Good News of Jesus Christ. 

In our epistle this morning, Paul begins by issuing a stern warning:

‘Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from any brother who is walking in idleness and not in accord with the tradition that you received from us.’ (2Thess 3:6)

The Christian Community was not supposed to a place for idle freeloaders. It was a place where people lived out generous love, but of course this could be taken advantage of. Paul offers the Thessalonians an example of how to live, and goes on to say:

‘For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us, because we were not idle when we were with you, nor did we eat anyone’s bread without paying for it, but with toil and labour we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you.’ (2Thess 3:7-8)

Paul’s vision of a Christian community is one that is well-ordered, with everyone contributing. Each member has their part to play. Living a Christian life is something which we do both as individuals and as a community. Hence St Paul’s advice to the Thessalonians: ‘As for you, brothers, do not grow weary in doing good’ (2Thess 3:13). We are called to be active and make a difference, here and now, in our community. As a Church we have been striving to do this for nearly two thousand years. It remains a work in progress. 

We may encounter problems in our life of faith, and all of St Paul’s Letters to Churches address these. Christians learn to overcome difficulties together, growing in grace, in love, and in forgiveness, as a family, brothers and sisters in Christ. And this is what the Kingdom of God looks like: people such as you and me, deepening our faith, growing in the love of God and the love of each other. Living the life of Heaven here on earth, today. 

This loving fellowship is what makes the Church attractive. The world around us finds it all to easy to get wrapped up in selfishness, concerned with wealth, power, and status. Whereas Christians value love and service — of God and each other — to help build a new society where all are loved, all are valued, and all are cared for. 

On the night before He died, Our Lord and Saviour washed His disciples feet, before celebrating the Eucharist with them. He commanded us to ‘do this in remembrance of him’, so that service and self-giving love should remain at the heart of who and what we are. This is the source and summit of the Christian life. Participating in the Eucharist helps us to grow together in love, and to proclaim God’s saving truth in who and what we are, and what we do. Christ offers the world the alternative which it longs for deeply.

Let us then come to Him, to be healed by Him. Let us be nourished with His Body and Blood and strengthened to proclaim Him in word and deed, so that the world may come to believe 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 glory, dominion and power, now and forever. Amen

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All Saints: Living the Beatitudes

I have an important message for you all this morning: God has a plan for your life! Now, you may well have heard these words before, possibly from someone preaching a sermon, but they contain a profound truth. They 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.

Oherwydd myfi sy’n gwybod fy mwriadau a drefnaf ar eich cyfer, medd yr Arglwydd, bwriadau o heddwch nid niwed, i roi ichwi ddyfodol gobeithiol. (Jer 29:11)

It can be hard to hold onto such a promise, especially when times are difficult and the outlook is bleak. We need to ask ourselves the question, ‘Do 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.

Fundamentally, the point of being a Christian is to reside in Heaven. Such a destination 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, died, and rose from the dead. God shows us both how to live, and what He desires for us. We can have faith, and put our trust in the God who loves us, in the clear hope that, after our earthly life is over, we may enjoy eternity with God and the Saints in Heaven. Most of all, in this hope, we can live earthly lives of love, loving both God and each other, foreshadowing the eternal joys of Heaven. 

In our current culture we are not used to hearing such a message. There is a tendency to think that holiness is for other people, certainly not for 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’ (which is peopled by sinners), 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.’

‘a mwyach, nid myfi sy’n byw, ond Crist sy’n byw ynof fi.’ (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 discover who we really are. This enables us to become 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.

Oherwydd pwy bynnag a fyn gadw ei fywyd, fe’i cyll, ond pwy bynnag a gyll ei fywyd er fy mwyn i, fe’i caiff. (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, and now there are many Churches with this dedication. It is a good thing to celebrate the fact that Heaven is full of saints. They are 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 understand 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 then should 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. 

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.”

“Gwyn eu byd y rhai sy’n dlodion yn yr ysbryd, oherwydd eiddynt hwy yw teyrnas nefoedd.” (Mt 5:3)

‘Poor in spirit’ is not a term we are used to using today, but it means the exact opposite of pride. Jesus 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.”

“Gwyn eu byd y rhai sy’n galaru, oherwydd cânt hwy eu cysuro.” (Mt 5:4)

We mourn those we love, those whom we see no longer in this life. We do so 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.”

“Gwyn eu byd y rhai addfwyn, oherwydd cânt hwy etifeddu’r ddaear.” (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.’ ‘Cymerwch fy iau arnoch a dysgwch gennyf, oherwydd addfwyn ydwyf a gostyngedig o galon, ac fe gewch orffwystra i’ch eneidiau.’ (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.”

“Gwyn eu byd y rhai sy’n newynu a sychedu am gyfiawnder, oherwydd cânt hwy eu digon.” (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? Definitely! Jesus taught us to pray this way. 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.”

“Gwyn eu byd y rhai trugarog, oherwydd cânt hwy dderbyn trugaredd.” (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 both 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.”

“Gwyn eu byd y rhai pur eu calon, oherwydd cânt hwy weld Duw.” (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 the very thing that Christ comes to restore to humanity, and it is our hope. 

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” 

“Gwyn eu byd y tangnefeddwyr, oherwydd cânt hwy eu galw’n feibion i Dduw.”(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’ ‘ar ôl gwneud heddwch trwy ei waed ar y groes’ (Col 1:20). We too are called to follow Christ’s example to take up our Cross, and work for peace. We are called to strive for 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.”

“Gwyn eu byd y rhai a erlidiwyd yn achos cyfiawnder, oherwydd eiddynt hwy yw teyrnas nefoedd. Gwyn eich byd pan fydd pobl yn eich gwaradwyddo a’ch erlid, ac yn dweud pob math o ddrygair celwyddog yn eich erbyn, o’m hachos i.” (Mt 5:10-11)

Following Jesus will not, by default, make us popular. Often people’s response is 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. 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 with the glory of the Resurrection and Eternal life. 

If we want to become saints, then we have to be like Christ. We have to share in His suffering and death, and we have to be prepared to be rejected by the world. We may not face imprisonment, torture and death in this country, but many Christians around the world do. However, we may be scorned, ignored, or criticised. 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 Kingdom — a community of faith, built on our relationship with Jesus Christ, who came to save humanity from itself. Our Lord came so that we might have life in all its fullness.This is what the Beatitudes mean. By living the life of God’s Kingdom in this place and at this time, we can live the life of Heaven (here and now) on earth. This is what God wants us to do. It is the way Jesus has showed us how to live. It is what the Saints have done before us.

So, on this feast of All Saints, let us be filled with faith and joy, and let us be ready to conform our lives to God’s will. May we live the life of the Kingdom together, and encourage others, so that all may join the choirs of Heaven to sing the praise 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 glory, dominion and power, now and forever. Amen

James Tissot, The Sermon on the Mount, Brooklyn Museum
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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 17 [28th of Year C]

One of the arms of the River Cleddau which flows into the sea at Aberdaugleddau (Milford Haven) has its source near here in the Preseli Hills. The other flows from Llygad Cleddau, a few miles from here. These two rivers join together and flow through the County of Pembrokeshire and form one of the deepest natural harbours in the world. It is therefore fitting that I am travelling from the sources of the rivers to their estuary. Rivers flow from their springs to the sea. They provide us with water, and a means of transport. Historically, both were important, they transported Bluestones towards Stonehenge in Wiltshire, and brought Vikings, Normans and Flemings who have all left their mark on this county.

Sources of water have been important in our religious history. Ffynnon Fair, St Teilo’s Well, and Bernard’s Well would all have provided water for baptism, just as the stream is still used at Rhydwilym. Baptism is how we enter the Church, it is how we become members of the Church. Not through paying fees, but by sharing in Christ’s Baptism, His Death and Resurrection, and looking forward to eternal life with Him in Heaven. Water is poured in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and we are washed clean, and grafted into the Body of Christ. An act so simple, and yet so profound, which lies at the heart of who and what we are as Christians. Baptism is a Sacrament, an outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace, by which we become united with Christ in this world and the next.

In our first reading this morning from the Second Book of Kings we meet Naaman, the commander of the Syrian army. He has been afflicted with leprosy, and he hears that there is a prophet in Samaria who can cure him. He writes to the King of Israel, to ask for the prophet to heal him. The King of Israel thinks that it is a trick, an excuse for the Syrians to start a war against Israel. The prophet Elisha reassures the king, and asks for Naaman to be sent to him. Elisha tells Naaman to wash seven times in the River Jordan. Naaman can’t quite believe his ears. He’s angry. This isn’t what healing is all about, it is far too simple, too easy. The point isn’t about having to do something difficult, but rather in letting God do something wonderful.


Eventually Naaman listens, and is obedient, and is healed. He goes back to Elisha to say that, ‘Dyma fi’n gwybod yn awr nad oes Duw mewn un wlad ond yn Israel’ ‘Behold, I know that there is no God in all the earth but in Israel’(v.15) Naaman is grateful, and comes to believe in God. The mention of washing in the Jordan reminds us of Baptism, how we were washed clean from sin, and given new life in Christ Jesus, sharing His Death and Resurrection, a sign of God’s generous love towards us. 


In this morning’s Gospel Jesus is in border country. He is in an uncomfortable place, heading towards Jerusalem, towards His Passion and Death. Ten people suffering from leprosy see Him, and cry, ‘Iesu, feistr, trugarha wrthym’ ‘Jesus, Master, have mercy on us’. Jesus tells them to go and show themselves to a priest, to prove that they are now clean and are no longer outcasts. Jesus complies with the law of Moses in Leviticus. The law commands them to sacrifice in order to be healed. Christ heals them, so that God might be glorified.


One of them returns to say, ‘Thank you’. The leper thanks God, and falls at Jesus’ feet. He shows gratitude. We wouldn’t want to live in a world where no-one said, ‘Thank you’. Thanksgiving is the heart of prayer, it’s why we celebrate Harvest in Autumn. We thank each other, but most importantly we thank God for what He has done for us. Thanksgiving goes hand in hand with faith, what we believe, and where we put our trust. As I prepare to bid you farewell, I give thanks to Almighty God for you, His people, and all that the last seven years have been. It has been a pleasure and a privilege to know you, to love you, to pray for and with you, and to serve you.


As Christians we thank God for many things, but first and foremost for what He has done in His Son, Jesus Christ, who died for us. This is why we celebrate the Eucharist, because Jesus told us to, and so that we might be fed with His Body and Blood. Not because we have earned it, certainly not because we deserve it, but so that we, like the lepers in Gospel, might be healed by Jesus. It is medicine for our sick souls, not a gold star or a prize for the righteous. Christ gives himself for us not because we are worthy, but so that we might BECOME worthy through Him. God loves us. He longs to heal us, and to reconcile us, to Himself, and each other. This is what the Church is for: to extend the saving work of God through both space and time.

Salvation is God’s work not ours, as Naaman and the lepers show us. God in Christ saves us and heals us. He dies for us, and rises again so that we might share His Risen life. This is true generosity. And we can receive God’s healing love here and now. We can prepare to be transformed into His likeness, by His Body and Blood, which cures not only lepers, but our sin-sick souls. So let us be thankful to God, for all that he has done for us. For giving us His Son, to bring about healing, to show mercy, to strengthen our faith. And may we follow Christ, and walk His Way of the Cross, enduring whatever sufferings come our way, with the assurance of God’s love and help.

Remember that Christ will never abandon us. His words are true. His promise is faithful:

‘os dyfalbarhawn, cawn deyrnasu hefyd gydag ef; …os ydym yn anffyddlon, y mae ef yn aros yn ffyddlon, oherwydd ni all ef ei wadu ei hun.’ ‘if we endure, we will also reign with Him …. if we are faithless, He remains faithful — for he cannot deny himself’ (2Tim 2: 12-13) 

As Christians, let us follow where Christ has gone before. Let us be confident in His promises, nourished with His Body and Blood. Let us turn from the shadows and images of this world, into the light of His Truth, who is the Truth, the Way, and the Life. And let us proclaim that truth to the world so that it may come to believe and give glory to Duw Dad, Duw y Mab, a Duw yr Ysbryd Glân. 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

Diolch yn fawr!

James Tissot The Healing of Ten Lepers (Guérison de dix lépreux) Brooklyn Museum
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Holy Cross Day

One of the important aspects of the liturgical life of the Church relates to the celebration of Saints’ Days in the Calendar. You might be aware that the 29th September is Michaelmas, but most people do not know why the feast is celebrated on that day. The date refers to the dedication of a church in Rome under St Michael’s patronage, which was dedicated on that day in the fifth century. Likewise, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, the site of Our Lord’s Crucifixion and Resurrection, was built under orders from the Roman Emperor Constantine and dedicated on the 13th September 335ad. On the following day, the 14th September, the True Cross, which his mother, St Helena, had discovered in 326AD, was brought out for the Christian faithful to venerate. The feast day also commemorates the exaltation of the Holy Cross in Constantinople in 629AD, when the True Cross was returned by the Persians, who had taken it during the sack of Jerusalem some fifteen years earlier. 

That is why we celebrate the Holy Cross today. But what are we celebrating? The Cross of Christ. The fact that God loves humanity enough to suffer and die for us, to take away our sins, and to offer us eternal life with God forever. This is the central truth of our faith, a life-changing reality which affects both this life and the next. The Holy Cross changes the world. We are freed and saved by the Cross.

In this morning’s Gospel, Our Lord is explaining His mission to Nicodemus:

“Ac fel y dyrchafodd Moses y sarff yn yr anialwch, felly y mae’n rhaid i Fab y Dyn gael ei ddyrchafu, er mwyn i bob un sy’n credu gael bywyd tragwyddol ynddo ef.”

‘And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.’ (Jn 3:14-15)

Jesus is drawing a parallel between His death and a significant event in the Exodus story, which is this morning’s Old Testament reading. Once again the people of Israel are complaining about the food and conditions on their journey: 

“Pam y daethoch â ni o’r Aifft i farw yn yr anialwch? Nid oes yma na bwyd na diod, ac y mae’n gas gennym y bwyd gwael hwn.”

‘Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we loathe this worthless food.’ (Num 21:5)

The Israelites are rejecting the manna, bread given from Heaven, a gift from God. In response, God sends snakes which kill them. This causes the people to realise their sin, and repent. They ask Moses to intercede for them with the Almighty, and Moses is instructed to do the following:

“Gwna sarff a’i gosod ar bolyn, a bydd pawb a frathwyd, o edrych arni, yn cael byw.”

‘Make a fiery serpent and set it on a pole, and everyone who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live.’ (Num 21:8)

God does not take the serpents away, but He does give healing, and life. The Exodus story points to Christ, the Saviour and giver of life. In the Gospel, Jesus is explaining the Crucifixion to Nicodemus, to help him begin to understand how God is giving life to humanity. Our Lord points out what causes death, and what will now bring life. 

Just as the serpent in the desert brought healing to the people of Israel, so now the Cross is our only hope. The sacrifice of God for humanity is a free gift of infinite value. God gives salvation to us, and to all the world, for one simple reason: because He loves us, and desires that we might become more lovely, more like Him. God sends His Son into the world not to condemn it, but so that the world might be saved through Him. This is an unselfish act of generosity, of grace, by our Maker so that we might be saved from sin and death, from ourselves, and so that we can share new life in Him.

‘Do, carodd Duw y byd gymaint nes iddo roi ei unig Fab, er mwyn i bob un sy’n credu ynddo ef beidio â mynd i ddistryw ond cael bywyd tragwyddol. Oherwydd nid i gondemnio’r byd yr anfonodd Duw ei Fab i’r byd, ond er mwyn i’r byd gael ei achub trwyddo ef.’

‘For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.’ (Jn 3:16-17)

These few words spoken by Jesus to Nicodemus, recorded in John’s Gospel, encapsulate what we believe as Christians, and why we believe these things. Strengthened through prayer, our study of the Bible, nourished by Our Lord’s Body and Blood, may we live out our beliefs, forgiven and forgiving, preparing to be caught up forever in the love of God. Christ liberates us from sin and death. He saves us so that we may enjoy eternal life with God. Our response to such generosity should be thankfulness: that we are loved by God, and saved by Him.

Jesus’ sacrifice on the Cross is the same sacrifice which we see here this morning, which we can taste and touch. Bread and Wine, The Body and Blood of Our Lord which we can eat and drink, so that our lives and our souls can be transformed to live Christ’s risen life. We treat these elements with the uttermost reverence because they are God, given for us. They transform us to live as children of the Holy Spirit, freed from the shackles of this world. They strengthen us to live for God, to live as He wants us to, as His new creation. On a hundred thousand successive Sundays Christians have participated in this sacrifice, in memory of Him, to make the holy people of God. We likewise do this to make us holy: so that everything which we say, or think, or do, may be for God’s praise and glory.

Let us, therefore, give thanks for the fact that God loves us. Let us cling to the Cross, and let us sing the praises of God, Duw Dad, Duw y Mab, a Duw yr Ysbryd Glân. 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

Diego Velazquez Christ Crucified (Museo del Prado, Madrid)
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Trinity XII: Take up your Cross

One of the curious aspects of life as a clergyman is the number of times that people ask you to pray for specific weather: be it rain, or sunshine. The 1662 Book of Common Prayer actually contains prayers for rain and fair weather, just after the Litany, after Morning and Evening Prayer. Therefore, I can only assume that weather-related prayers have always been high on the list of people’s priorities. Generally speaking, however, my response has been to say, “Sorry I’m in Sales, not Management”. I have always been concerned that people seem to think that I am somehow able to influence the Almighty when it comes to matters meteorological. Fundamentally, prayer doesn’t change God, it changes us. Now, on reflection, I’m more inclined to listen to their prayer request and honour it, as I do every other. 

All Christians are called to evangelise, to share the Good News of the Kingdom of God. However, doing so can feel a bit like being a salesperson. To some people you are just annoying. Most people show varying degrees of disinterest, but a few people are genuinely interested in what you have to say. However, if you were to use this morning’s Gospel as a sales-pitch, I doubt that you would meet with much success. Jesus’ stark presentation of the cost of discipleship is not necessarily an easy way to win people round. 

Christ has attracted a large group of people eager to hear what He has to say, so Our Lord explains what discipleship is all about:

“Os daw rhywun ataf fi heb gasáu ei dad ei hun, a’i fam a’i wraig a’i blant a’i frodyr a’i chwiorydd, a hyd yn oed ei fywyd ei hun, ni all fod yn ddisgybl imi.”

“If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.” (Lk 14:26-27)

Families do not always get on well, but Christians are called to ‘love their enemies’ (Lk 6:27) and to despise our own families, and even our own lives. This seems strange, and paradoxical. Aren’t Christians called to be people of love? Indeed we are, and the primary focus of our love as Christians should be God. Jesus is saying that God must be the most important thing in our life. Nothing should get in the way of the fact that our primary relationship is not with our parents, siblings, spouse, or offspring, but with the God in whose image we were created.

To make this a reality each and every one of us is called to bear a cross, to risk torture and death, and offer the whole of our lives to God. We are told we must follow Jesus, wherever that may lead. Our commitment has to be total, there is no room here for half-measures. Hence the stark imagery employed by Our Lord. Jesus uses strong and disturbing language to shock us. He reminds us that in Him we are called to a new relationship which takes us away from traditional social structures. That means that everyone in the Church becomes our brother and sister, and that our primary responsibility is to love Christ, and follow Him. To imitate Him, and take up our own Cross.

Our Lord then uses the images of a construction project and of warfare to reinforce the point that we need to see the matter through to its conclusion. Jerusalem was no stranger to either. King Herod’s rebuilding of the Temple took 46 years to complete, and war (or the threat of it) was a constant factor of everyday life. The point is being made that there is nothing worse than a half-finished building. It says, ‘The constructors didn’t plan properly, or get the finances in place first’. Likewise, in war you fight believing that you can win, otherwise you sue for peace. At this point, we remember and pray for our brothers and sisters in Ukraine and the Holy Land and throughout all the world where there is violence and war.

At the end of the Gospel passage Jesus reiterates His main point:

“Yr un modd, gan hynny, ni all neb ohonoch nad yw’n ymwrthod â’i holl feddiannau fod yn ddisgybl i mi.”

“So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.” (Lk 14:33)

Over-attachment to material things is a problem: our stuff cannot save us, only God can. Are possessions useful or pleasant? Certainly. Can we enjoy them? Yes. But the problem occurs when their importance becomes misplaced. All that really matters is eternal life with God, sharing the Divine life of Love. Nothing we ‘have’ is really ours. We can enjoy material things and share them with others, but in a few years time our earthly life will have ended. There are no pockets in shrouds! As the old saying goes: ‘you can’t take it with you when you go’. 

As Christians, we gather, to hear God’s word read and explained; to pray together; to be nourished together. We do these things so that we may grow together in love, and to embrace the Cross. Having died with Christ in our baptism, and being raised to new life with Him, we live out our faith in our lives. Our discipleship can be costly and difficult. It calls us to renounce the world and rely upon God, together, as a community of faith. To form a new community where old ties and distinctions are done away with, where we have a new identity, and where we are called to a higher purpose. 

These are not easy things to achieve, and the Christian community has, for two thousand years, struggled to live up to these goals. But we put our trust in a God who forgives our sins and failings, who understands our humanity from the inside. We are not written off, or cast aside. We are not abandoned or discarded. This is because we are all made in God’s image, people of infinite intrinsic value. Christ died for us, to give us eternal life, to heal our wounds. He calls us to follow Him, so that we may find His freedom, and share in His triumph over death and sin. 

As Christians, we are called to something great and wonderful: to stand, like Christ as a contradiction, offering the world a new way to live; a way of life not of death; a way of generosity rather than selfishness. We are called to renounce the world and instead to embrace the freedom, and joy, that is the life of the Kingdom of God. 

It is truly liberating to look at the world as Jesus wants us to, knowing that all that really matters is loving God, and loving our neighbour. Doing this can be difficult, especially when times are uncertain as they are today, but we know that we can trust the God who loves us, who gives His life for us. The God who comes to us to feed us with Himself. So let us together follow him and invite others to do so. Let us give thanks for all our blessings and sing the praises of God, Duw Dad, Duw y Mab, a Duw yr Ysbryd Glân. 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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Trinity XI: Come to the Banquet

Organising seating plans for a banquet is not something most of us have a great deal of experience doing. Most of our dining nowadays is not that formal. The closest we might come is organising the seating at a Wedding Breakfast. So it is difficult for us to understand quite how important seating arrangements at dinner were in the Ancient World. Where you sat mattered. Where you were seated was signified by your rank in society, with the most important placed next to the host. This morning’s Gospel begins with Jesus having been invited to a Friday night dinner, the most important meal in the Jewish week, by a senior Pharisee. Luke’s comment is instructive:

‘ac yr oeddent hwy â’u llygaid arno’

‘they were watching him closely’ (Lk 14:1)

Jesus is on display. He is being studied by all those present at the dinner — presumably other leading Pharisees. They want to see if Our Lord will do, or say, something that they can find fault with. They are keen to catch Him out, in order to criticise Him. Jesus uses this experience as a teaching opportunity:

‘Yna adroddodd ddameg wrth y gwesteion, wrth iddo sylwi sut yr oeddent yn dewis y seddau anrhydedd’

‘Now he told a parable to those who were invited, when he noticed how they chose the places of honour’ (Lk 14:7)

The self-important dinner guests are all trying to get as close to the host as possible. They want the best places, the best food, and to be seen as being superior. So Jesus tells the following parable:

“Pan wahoddir di gan rywun i wledd briodas, paid â chymryd y lle anrhydedd, rhag ofn ei fod wedi gwahodd rhywun amlycach na thi; oherwydd os felly, daw’r sawl a’ch gwahoddodd chwi’ch dau a dweud wrthyt, ‘Rho dy le i hwn’, ac yna byddi dithau mewn cywilydd yn cymryd y lle isaf. Yn hytrach, pan wahoddir di, dos a chymer y lle isaf, fel pan ddaw’r gwahoddwr y dywed wrthyt, ‘Gyfaill, tyrd yn uwch’; yna dangosir parch iti yng ngŵydd dy holl gyd-westeion.

“When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in a place of honour, lest someone more distinguished than you be invited by him, and he who invited you both will come and say to you, ‘Give your place to this person’, and then you will begin with shame to take the lowest place. But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when your host comes he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher.’ Then you will be honoured in the presence of all who sit at table with you.” (Lk 14:8-1o)

In practical terms, what Jesus is advising is sensible, and wise, because it removes the possibility of losing face. To this day in the Middle East, and elsewhere, the situation envisaged in the parable would be seen as a source of shame, or honour, depending on whether you were promoted to a place near the host, or demoted to a more distant seat. We tend not to be so aware of such considerations, and many people instinctively gravitate towards the back. Christ’s parable makes the point that humility is better than pride: 

“Oherwydd darostyngir pob un sy’n ei ddyrchafu ei hun, a dyrchefir pob un sy’n ei ddarostwng ei hun.”

“For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Lk 14:11)

To have an attitude which does not seek out the place of honour contrasts strongly with the guests who have done exactly that. Our Lord is pointing out that humility is the better way.

Christianity is a religion of humility. It starts from the premise that we have to rely upon God’s grace to save us, through faith. God takes the initiative, and we respond. We do not save ourselves. The point of salvation is that God is the host who says: ‘Friend come up higher’. We do not deserve a seat of honour, nor have we thought ourselves worthy of it. Yet a loving and generous God says to all who turn to Him: ‘Friend come up higher’. This is the Good News of the Kingdom, and it turns our human expectations on their head. Jesus then develops His teaching: 

Meddai hefyd wrth ei wahoddwr, “Pan fyddi’n trefnu cinio neu swper, paid â gwahodd dy gyfeillion na’th frodyr na’th berthnasau na’th gymdogion cyfoethog, rhag ofn iddynt hwythau yn eu tro dy wahodd di, ac iti gael dy ad-dalu. Pan fyddi’n trefnu gwledd, gwahodd yn hytrach y tlodion, yr anafusion, y cloffion, a’r deillion; a gwyn fydd dy fyd, am nad oes ganddynt fodd i dalu’n ôl iti; cei dy dalu’n ôl yn atgyfodiad y cyfiawn.”

He said also to the man who had invited him, “When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbours, lest they also invite you in return and you be repaid. But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.” (Lk 14: 12-14)

People were having parties to display their wealth, social status, and connections. This still happens today. But God has a different understanding of hospitality. In His vision it is not about what you get, but what you can give to others. Generosity is what really matters. By inviting those who cannot invite you back in return, you are being generous to those who are in no position to repay you. Jesus’ teaching here is also about the banquet of the Kingdom of God, the Eucharist. Jesus, as God, invites the poor, those in need of healing — in other words all of humanity, you and me — to the feast of the Kingdom. The purpose of the Eucharist is so that God can feed us, with His Body and Blood, to heal us. In this divine banquet God does for us what we cannot do for ourselves, and gives us a foretaste of Heaven. We cannot repay God, but we can be thankful, and accept what is offered, allowing it to transform us. 

Christ has an important and strong message for His host and his fellow diners. We see Our Lord advising them to be generous and not to seek any reward. Human Society is complex. The giving and receiving of gifts has always been a crucial part of how society works. It creates networks of obligation: if you give someone something, they may feel obliged to return the favour. That is fine in human terms, but when we transfer it to the divine realm we are faced with a problem. What can we give God? Does Our Heavenly Father need or want anything? No! Because God is by nature, perfect, complete, and self-sufficient. Almighty God cannot want or need anything. As a result of this God is able to give the purest form of gift, which does not require anything in return. There can be no obligation, because humanity cannot give Our Creator anything. God is able give without expecting anything in return. This is what happens in the Incarnation when Our Lord is given to and for us. Throughout His life and ministry, to His Passion, Death, and Resurrection all He is and does is for our benefit. God is generous to us, not so that we can be generous in return, but simply for our own good. Likewise our sacrifice of praise is not for God’s benefit, but ours, demonstrating that we are living the way we should: flourishing by being loving, generous, and thankful. 

Instead of the norms of human interaction and obligation, Christ presents us with a completely different paradigm. The dinner invitations in the Kingdom are for the ‘poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind’ (Lk 14:13). That means us! God longs to lavish His riches upon us; to heal our wounds, and to restore our sight. In turn, by our care for those who are weak, outcast, or deemed socially undesirable, we proclaim the Kingdom of God in our actions. Each one of us is called to the banquet here and now, in order that our souls may be nourished with Word and Sacrament. The Eucharist is the banquet of the Kingdom, which heals us, and transforms us more and more into God’s likeness.

God gives Himself, so the we might live in Him. This is true generosity — a generosity which expects nothing in return. Christ is the model of humility and loving service that we should imitate. Jesus takes the lowest place, bearing the weight of our sin, on the Cross. There He dies that we might live. There He dies to make us free.

Therefore, may we, in humility, recognise our need of God, and respond to His invitation to the Divine banquet. We pray that God will heal us, restore us and strengthen us to live lives of humility and love. In response we give thanks and sing the praises of God, Duw Dad, Duw y Mab, a Duw yr Ysbryd Glân. 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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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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Trinity VIII: Trust

These are certainly interesting times in which to live. But as Our Lord says in this morning’s Gospel, ‘Paid ag ofni’ ‘Do not be afraid’ (Lk 12:32) We can put our trust in one who will not abandon us, the God who loves us.

In this morning’s second reading from the Letter to the Hebrews, we hear words addressed to a community of believers facing persecution. They are tempted not to believe in Jesus, and instead to revert to their former Jewish faith. The author has explained that Christ is our great High Priest, and that His Sacrifice has atoned for our sins. In the passage we hear an overview of salvation history from the creation of the universe to the time of the patriarchs. Just as the people of Israel sought to return from their exile in Egypt, we too seek our eternal homeland: Heaven. We ‘desire a better country, that is a heavenly one’, and we trust that our real homeland is in Heaven with God. This is the end of our journey of faith; a better place, where the worries of this world are cast aside.

In today’s Gospel Jesus comforts his followers.We are reminded that the Church began small with only a few people. Two thousand years later it is a huge community. We may feel that we are only a tiny part of the whole, that we are not big enough, and that is ok. When the Church began it was fragile and faithful, a flock uncertain of what the future would hold. But God loved the early Christians, just as He loves us, and longs to see us flourish. God gives us the Kingdom, a realm where He is in charge, and we can live lives of freedom, love, and fulfilment. God’s kingdom is a place of generosity, where gifts are shared. It looks radically different to the world around us, where wealth, status, power, and possessions matter, and are seen to give people value. But these are, in Luke’s words, ‘purses that wear out.’ In the kingdom of God, on the other hand, all of humanity has infinite value and dignity. This is because we are all made in the image and likeness of God. This is what gives us value, and not any other reason. God pours out His Grace upon the church freely, out of love, so that humanity might flourish, and have life in all its fulness.

Christians have the sure hope of Heaven, of sharing in the divine nature, together, with the saints. To be united with love itself. The love that created all that is. The love which redeemed us through the Suffering, Death, and Resurrection of Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. That is why the second part of our Gospel reading this morning tells us to be prepared and ready for Our Lord’s Return.

Jesus, having ascended to the right hand of God the Father in Heaven, will return, as our Saviour and as Judge of all. Should we be afraid? Jesus tells us constantly not to be afraid. There is a choice for the hereafter: Heaven or Hell. It is up to us: what we believe and how we live our lives. The central message in the proclamation of the Kingdom is ‘Repent and Believe’. We can choose to turn away from sin, to turn to God, believe in Him, and live our lives accordingly. Or we can choose not to. We have a greater choice to make, which lasts for ever. Do we trust in a God who loves us so much that His Only Son died for us. Do we gather at this altar and receive the Eucharist so that we may be transformed by Him?

If we do these things, we open ourselves to living the Christian Life. The faith of our hearts affects who we are and what we do. We can be filled with joy as we await a judge who comes in mercy and love. The one who heals our wounds, and restores in us the image of the God who not only created us but all that exists. Our Christian faith leads us to action, which can transform the world around us, so that God’s kingdom becomes a reality, here and now. For where our treasure is, there our heart will be also. What greater treasure is there than eternal life in Heaven with God? This is offered to us freely. Nothing this world proffers comes close. It is all fleeting: wealth, power, privilege, do not last. But we can trust in the eternal promise of a God who loves us, and we can be ready to greet Him, when he comes again. Through the power of Christ’s sacrificial Death we have the hope of Heaven and the assurance of sins forgiven. This is GOOD NEWS. It helps us see the vanity of the world for what it is.

We all need to be ready for Jesus, when He comes. We do not know when this will be, but we are told that it will be at a time when we do not expect. Also Jesus will not come as we might expect. Instead of appearing as a judge, as someone powerful, Jesus reconfigures our understanding of power and authority. Rather than being someone who expects to be served, Jesus will come again to continue to serve. God, the Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer of all creation, will come and put on an apron and care for us. This image defies our expectation and understanding. It gives us a foretaste of the glory that is to come, where we will be transfigured like Our Lord, and experience the fulness of God’s kingdom.

However, for this to take place we need to be careful, and we need to be vigilant. Just because we do not know when Jesus will return does not mean that we can take things easy. Nor can we afford to be lax or lazy, and negligent in the way we treat others. That would be to go against the message of the Gospel. We need to both think and act as though Jesus will return NO —, during this very Eucharist — to judge and serve us. As we will welcome His Eucharistic presence with open hands and open hearts, so all of our lives should be open and welcoming to Him. We need to prefer Jesus and His Kingdom to anything else. For where our treasure is, there will our heart be also. We can have no excuse for not choosing Jesus and His message of the Kingdom over the cares and concerns of this world.

What we believe and how we act together are a sign and symbol of our relationship with God and one another. So then, let us continue to live lives together which proclaim the Gospel in word and deed, so that when Our Lord comes He may find us ready and doing his will, and singing 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.

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Trinity VI – Lord teach us how to pray

If I were to ask you if you could recite a text off by heart you might regale me with a poem, a passage from a book, or a speech from Shakespeare learned at school. If I then asked whether you knew any prayers off by heart you would probably say ‘The Lord’s Prayer’, ‘Y Gweddi’r Arglwydd’. Even if they do not know all the words, most people have heard the Lord’s Prayer. It is an important part of our Christian heritage.

Our readings this week focus on prayer. Christians know that God answers prayer. However, God may say, ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ or even ‘Not yet’. We may not like the answer, but one will be forthcoming. Prayer is both simple and mysterious. Simple, insofar as it is our conversation with the divine. Mysterious, in the fact that prayer changes us, and not the Almighty. So prayer is something of a paradox, being at the same time quite straightforward and also an enigma. We pray to God, but prayer doesn’t change God, it changes us. Pagans in Greece and Rome would bargain with their gods: if you do this for me, I will give you that. Jews and Christians, however, are profoundly different. We do not bargain with God, and we do not need to, because we are in a covenant relationship with our Heavenly Father who loves us.

It would be all too easy to see this morning’s first reading, where Abraham tries to save Sodom and Gomorrah, as being concerned with bargaining with God. However, prayer does not work in that way. What the reading from Genesis shows us is that we are in a covenant, a relationship with God, and that God is generous and loving. He wants the best for us.

The American Bishop Fulton J. Sheen summed it up as follows:

‘Prayer is helplessness casting itself on Power, infirmity leaning on Strength, misery reaching to Mercy, and a prisoner clamouring for Relief.’ Life Is Worth Living, Second Series (New York, 1954), p. 213.

In today’s Gospel the disciples ask Jesus:

“Arglwydd, dysg i ni weddïo, fel y dysgodd Ioan yntau i’w ddisgyblion ef.”

‘Lord teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples’ (Lk 11:1).

Jesus and John the Baptist were cousins. They both preached about the need for both repentance and belief in the Good News. Also, they both taught their disciples how to pray. Virtually all Christian prayer can be described by one or more of four phrases: ‘please’, ‘thank you’, ‘I’m sorry’, and ‘I love you’. God does not need our prayers, we do. This is because praying allows us to open our hearts and lives to God, allowing Him to change us. Jesus answers His disciple’s request to teach them how to pray as follows:

Ac meddai wrthynt, “Pan weddïwch, dywedwch: ‘Dad, sancteiddier dy enw; deled dy deyrnas; dyro inni o ddydd i ddydd ein bara beunyddiol; a maddau inni ein pechodau, oherwydd yr ydym ninnau yn maddau i bob un sy’n troseddu yn ein herbyn; a phaid â’n dwyn i brawf.’” 

He said to them, ‘Say this when you pray: ‘“Father, may your name be held holy, your kingdom come; give us each day our daily bread, and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive each one who is in debt to us. And do not put us to the test.”’  (Lk 11:2-4)

The version of Jesus’ words we are most familiar with is that found in Matthew’s Gospel, which is slightly longer than Luke’s prayer. But both contain the same elements. The prayer begins by calling God, ‘Abba’ ‘Father’ ‘Tâd’. Such a term expresses our close relationship with our Creator. The idea that God’s name should be kept holy goes hand in hand with the desire that God’s Kingdom may come. Christianity is all about the establishment of the Kingdom of God: that God may rule over our hearts and our lives.

Next, we ask God to feed us, to forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us, and to free us from temptation. It is important to note that every celebration of the Eucharist begins with us all acknowledging our own shortcomings and asking God’s forgiveness. Saying sorry to God is important, because it keeps us humble, and helps to maintain our relationship with God, and with each other. We all make mistakes, you do, I certainly do. Recognizing this is the start of a process which allows us to grow in virtue and holiness, through God’s love. The high point of the Eucharist is when God feeds us with His Body and Blood, providing us with spiritual food to nourish our souls. All our food is a gift from God, and being thankful for it, just like being humble, helps to keep us close to God. If you don’t already do so, try to get into the habit of saying a few words of thanks to God before you eat a meal.

There are good reasons why Christians regularly pray this prayer, which we call The Lord’s Prayer, Y Gweddi’r Arglwydd. Jesus has told us how to pray and gave us these words. Similarly, we celebrate the Eucharist because Jesus told us to ‘do this in memory of Him’ and so we do. We use the Lord’s Prayer when we pray, because it honours God, and it forms us as Christians. We will soon pray it together before Communion, asking that God will continue the process of transforming us day by day into His image and likeness. 

In the Gospel reading Jesus continues to teach His disciples using parables. In this narrative, there is a late-night hospitality emergency. A friend is on a journey (just like Jesus and His disciples), and arrives at your home (just like Jesus visited Mary and Martha last week). Naturally you want to be hospitable as a sign of your friendship. So, you pop round to a next door and ask to borrow some food. However, the initial response you receive from your neighbour is not very positive:

‘Paid â’m blino; y mae’r drws erbyn hyn wedi ei folltio, a’m plant gyda mi yn y gwely; ni allaf godi i roi dim iti’, rwy’n dweud wrthych, hyd yn oed os gwrthyd ef godi a rhoi rhywbeth iddo o achos eu cyfeillgarwch, eto oherwydd ei daerni digywilydd fe fydd yn codi ac yn rhoi iddo gymaint ag sydd arno ei eisiau.’

“Do not bother me. The door is bolted now, and my children and I are in bed; I cannot get up to give it you.” I tell you, if the man does not get up and give it him for friendship’s sake, persistence will be enough to make him get up and give his friend all he wants. (Lk 11:7-8)

Jesus shows that, despite the neighbour not wanting to get up and be bothered with the request for food, because the person is persistent and stays there, disregarding the initial reluctance, his request is granted. Perseverance is rewarded. The point Our Lord is making is that God hears our prayers and answers our requests. We might need to ask more than once, and commit time to prayer, but we will not be ignored.

‘Ac yr wyf fi’n dweud wrthych: gofynnwch, ac fe roddir i chwi; ceisiwch, ac fe gewch; curwch, ac fe agorir i chwi. Oherwydd y mae pawb sy’n gofyn yn derbyn, a’r sawl sy’n ceisio yn cael, ac i’r un sy’n curo agorir y drws.’

‘So I say to you: Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. For the one who asks always receives; the one who searches always finds; the one who knocks will always have the door opened to him.’ (Lk 11:9-10)

The phrase ‘knock, and the door will be opened to you’ ‘curwch, ac fe agorir i chwi’ reinforces the teaching in the parable. The neighbour opens the door and gives the requested provisions. Jesus then develops His teaching, by drawing a comparison between the lesser and the greater. This is a common rabbinic practice:

‘Os bydd mab un ohonoch yn gofyn i’w dad am bysgodyn, a rydd ef iddo sarff yn lle pysgodyn? Neu os bydd yn gofyn am wy, a rydd ef iddo ysgorpion? Am hynny, os ydych chwi, sy’n ddrwg, yn medru rhoi rhoddion da i’ch plant, gymaint mwy y rhydd y Tad nefol yr Ysbryd Glân i’r rhai sy’n gofyn ganddo.’

‘What father among you would hand his son a stone when he asked for bread? Or hand him a snake instead of a fish? Or hand him a scorpion if he asked for an egg? If you then, who are evil, know how to give your children what is good, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!’ (Lk 11:11-13)

The Good News of the Kingdom is that God answers prayer. Not only that, but He gives us more than we ask Him for. God also grants us the Holy Spirit. This is an important concept in the wider narrative of Luke’s Gospel and the Acts of the Apostles, where the Church is filled with God’s Spirit. God answers prayer because He is our Creator, and we are in a special relationship with Him. In today’s Old Testament reading God listens to Abraham’s pleas for mercy and then grants them. 

Turning to St Paul’s Letter to the Colossians, the apostle can proclaim baptism as the way to salvation, because this enables us to share in Christ’s Death and Resurrection, and the forgiveness of our sins:

‘Y mae wedi ei bwrw hi o’r neilltu; fe’i hoeliodd ar y groes.’ 

‘he has done away with it by nailing it to the cross’ (Col 2:14)

God cancels our debt by paying it Himself, overcoming evil and sin through an outpouring of healing love. This is the demonstration that God loves us and hears our prayers, and so we continue to remember the Passion through our celebration of the Eucharist. God forgives our sins, and gave His life for us, nailing our sins to the Cross. He suffered in His flesh so that we who have died with Christ in our baptism may also share His risen life. That is why Jesus can assure us that God listens to our prayers and answers them, giving us the good things we need.

My brothers and sisters in Christ, through practising both prayer and action, may we be agents of God’s love and grace in the world. May we transform our homes, our communities, and the whole world. Filled with God’s generous love, compassion and forgiveness, let us give glory to God, Duw Dad, Duw y Mab, a Duw yr Ysbryd Glân. 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.

James Tissot – The Lord’s Prayer [Brooklyn Museum]
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Trinity IV – The Good Samaritan

This year I have re-kindled my love of reading fiction. I have been introduced to some new authors by books lent to me by friends and neighbours or recommended by my wife. Taking time to lose yourself in a good book is one of life’s greatest (and cheapest) pleasures. Everybody loves a good yarn. Stories are also a useful way to make a point and to convey a deeper truth about human nature. They help us to understand who we are and how we should live. As Jesus travels from Galilee to Jerusalem He teaches, using parables, vivid stories we know and love. As I said, everyone likes to hear a good yarn, but the parables are much more than that. Jesus uses parables to explain the Kingdom and His Mission — who He is, and what He is doing — so that His followers can understand and share that knowledge with others.

In today’s Gospel, Our Lord encounters a legal expert. This lawyer wants to put Jesus to the test, to check whether what He says is acceptable under Jewish religious law. This man of the law asks Him: 

“Athro, beth a wnaf i etifeddu bywyd tragwyddol?”

“Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” (Lk 10:26)

Jesus replies by asking the lawyer to tell Him what is written in the Law, and questions how, as a legal expert, he interprets it. The man replies, by reciting scripture:

‘Câr yr Arglwydd dy Dduw â’th holl galon ac â’th holl enaid ac â’th holl nerth ac â’th holl feddwl, a châr dy gymydog fel ti dy hun.’

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbour as yourself.” (Lk 10:27)

The first part of the lawyer’s answer is a quotation from the book of Deuteronomy (6:5), part of the Shema, a Jewish declaration of faith in God, which begins ‘Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God is one’. The second part is a quotation from Leviticus (19:18). This summary of the Law outlines humanity’s duty both towards God and also towards our neighbours. This legal expert understands how he should behave, and how he should live his life. He has basically repeated Jesus’ teaching word-for-word. So far, so good. The lawyer then asks Our Lord another question:

‘Ond yr oedd ef am ei gyfiawnhau ei hun, ac meddai wrth Iesu, “A phwy yw fy nghymydog?”’

‘But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbour?”’ (Lk 10:29)

The lawyer wants to legitimise himself, and so he asks Jesus to define his terms. In a legal argument, this is a typical response. However, the lawyer’s motives are questionable. He is interested in self-justification, in making himself look good. Our Lord is happy to answer, and does so with a parable: The Parable of the Good Samaritan. This well-known story is set on road from Jerusalem to Jericho. Despite being a major route, it is steep and windy (a bit like some of the roads around here!), dropping over three thousand feet in seventeen miles. The road takes a traveller through lots of empty desert land, where bandits made a living robbing travellers. The sight of someone who has been attacked and robbed was probably not an unusual one along this route. 

In the parable, a priest and a Levite pass by one such victim, crossing to the other side as they do not wish to become ritually impure. Under Jewish law, if they touched a dead body, they would become unclean, and unable to offer sacrifice and worship in the Temple until they had been ritually cleansed. Rather than risk this, these Temple officials assume that the man is dead and simply pass on by. Soon afterwards another traveller sees the man who has been attacked:

‘Ond daeth teithiwr o Samariad ato; pan welodd hwn ef, tosturiodd wrtho. Aeth ato a rhwymo ei glwyfau, gan arllwys olew a gwin arnynt; gosododd ef ar ei anifail ei hun, a’i arwain i lety, a gofalu amdano.’

‘But a Samaritan traveller who came upon him was moved with compassion when he saw him. He went up and bandaged his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them. He then lifted him on to his own mount, carried him to the inn and looked after him.’ (Lk 10:33-34)

Samaritans and Jews generally kept separate from each other. They had profound theological differences, and the Jews worshipped on Mt Zion, while the Samaritans worshipped on Mt Gerizim. When the Jews went into exile in Babylon, the Samaritans remained behind. Despite the fact that they all worshipped the same God, they were completely estranged from each other. However, the Samaritan has compassion. He is deeply moved to help someone in need, and so he crosses the cultural boundaries and takes care of the man. We are told that he pours oil and wine on the injured man. This was current medical practice. It was also what one would do at a sacrifice at the Temple. Therefore, it is possible that Jesus’ image relates to some words of the prophet Hosea:

‘Oherwydd ffyddlondeb a geisiaf, ac nid aberth, gwybodaeth o Dduw yn hytrach na phoethoffrymau.’

‘For I desire mercy and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.’ (Hosea 6:6)

The priest and the Levite are concerned with sacrifice and purity, but the Samaritan shows the mercy that God desires. He binds up the injured man’s wounds, treats them, brings him to an inn, and takes care of his needs. The parable shows true love and mercy in action.

Traditionally the Church has also seen deeper meanings at work in this story. It has understood the Parable of the Good Samaritan in a symbolic way, which explains both the human condition, and Christ’s saving work. In one reading, the traveller represents Adam, and stands for all humanity. His wounds are those of sin and disobedience. The Samaritan is Jesus, the one who has compassion on us. The inn stands for the Church, the place where sinners are healed, and the oil and wine are the sacraments of the Church, which heal us. However, Christ is also the man wounded for our transgressions, who suffers for humanity, to heal our wounds.

Such an interpretation shows us how rich this parable is. Jesus tells it to His followersas He is travelling up to Jerusalem — the place where He will suffer and die. Our Lord is teaching His disciples what they need to understand in order to put mercy and love into action. Love and mercy are signs of the Kingdom of God. God’s Kingdom is where Jesus reigns from the Cross. It is where Christ overcomes sin and Death, to offer eternal life to all humanity. This is why St Paul can write:

‘Oherwydd gwelodd Duw yn dda i’w holl gyflawnder breswylio ynddo ef, a thrwyddo ef, ar ôl gwneud heddwch trwy ei waed ar y groes, i gymodi pob peth ag ef ei hun, y pethau sydd ar y ddaear a’r pethau sydd yn y nefoedd.’

‘Because God wanted all perfection to be found in him and all things to be reconciled through him and for him, everything in heaven and everything on earth, when he made peace by his death on the cross.’ (Col 1:19-20)

Our Lord’s Passion is a work of reconciliation. It is the job of every Christian to carry on that work. The Parable of the Good Samaritan is also about the reconciliation of people from different cultures — through Christ. Today Christians from so many different backgrounds gather together to read and study scripture. To pray together. To be healed and nourished by God, through the Sacraments. Both Baptism and the Eucharist are outward signs of spiritual grace, the power of God to heal, reconcile, and transform us all. We are gathered today in the ‘inn’ of the Church, so that God can heal us, and strengthen us to go out and share God’s saving love with others.

Following the example of the Good Samaritan, may we also be agents of God’s love and grace in the world. May we transform our homes, our communities, and the whole world. Filled with God’s love, compassion, and healing, let us give glory to God, Duw Dad, Duw y Mab, a Duw yr Ysbryd Glân. 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.

James Tissot – The Good Samaritan (Brooklyn Museum)
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Trinity I

Children love to ask questions: who? what? where? when? and, especially, why? The Questions we ask and the Answers we give can say an awful lot about who we are. One of the most fundamental question is one concerning identity: ‘Pwy wyt ti?’ ‘Who are you?’ My response would be: ‘I am Adrian, and I am a priest’. The name I was given in baptism, and the fact that God has called me to share in the priesthood of His Son Jesus Christ, define who I am, and what I do. They are why I am standing here, saying this to you, today.

From the time of their exile in Babylon, and before, the people of Israel had looked for a Messiah, a leader of the House of David. They sought someone who would bring them the peace and security that they longed for. The first reading this morning comes from the prophecy of Zechariah, and was written perhaps as late as two hundred years before the birth of Jesus Christ. At this time the Jewish people were struggling under Greek rulers who tried to abolish their identity, and all that they held sacred. The prophet Zechariah looks forward to a messianic future, when the people of the House of David :

‘edrychant ar yr un a drywanwyd ganddynt, a galaru amdano fel am uniganedig, ac wylo amdano fel am gyntafanedig.’

‘They will look on the one whom they have pierced; they will mourn for him as for an only son, and weep for him as people weep for a first-born child’ (Zech 12:10)

The mention of looking upon one whom they have pierced anticipates Christ and His Crucifixion, as noted by John’s Gospel: ‘They will look on him whom they have pierced’ (19:37). Zechariah also writes of the outpouring of a ‘spirit of kindness and prayer’, just as we have seen at Pentecost. Here Jesus’ Death, Resurrection and gift of the Holy Spirit are clearly prefigured: God’s saving plan is announced in the words of the prophet. A few verses later, Zechariah prophesies:

‘Yn y dydd hwnnw bydd ffynnon wedi ei hagor i linach Dafydd ac i drigolion Jerwsalem, ar gyfer pechod ac aflendid.’

‘On that day there shall be a fountain opened for the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to cleanse themselves from sin and uncleanness.’ (Zech 13:1)

This is what the Cross achieves for those who are washed in the Blood of Lamb, as we are at our Baptism. Christ’s death takes away our sins. Through Baptism and the Eucharist we share in Jesus’ Death and are raised to new life with Him. When St Paul writes to the Galatian Church, he stresses their common baptism:

‘Oblegid yr ydych bawb, trwy ffydd, yn blant Duw yng Nghrist Iesu. Oherwydd y mae pob un ohonoch sydd wedi ei fedyddio i Grist wedi gwisgo Crist amdano. Nid oes rhagor rhwng Iddewon a Groegiaid, rhwng caeth a rhydd, rhwng gwryw a benyw, oherwydd un person ydych chwi oll yng Nghrist Iesu.’

‘You are, all of you, sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. All baptised in Christ, you have all clothed yourselves in Christ, and there are no more distinctions between Jew and Greek, slave and free, male and female, but all of you are one in Christ Jesus.’ (Gal 3:26-28)

St Paul is preaching a profound message. He explains that none of the distinctions which the world makes matter in God’s eyes. There is no difference. All people are one in Christ. There is a radical equality in the Church: all are welcome to come and experience God’s saving love. When Paul preached, nearly two thousand years ago, this was a revolutionary idea, and it still is today. We are all one in Christ: young and old, rich and poor. It doesn’t matter who we are, where we are from, or anything else. All that matters is that we find our true identity in Christ. This makes us heirs of God’s promise: that we would enjoy eternity in Heaven with our Creator and Sustainer.

In today’s Gospel Jesus begins by asking His disciples this question:

“Pwy y mae’r tyrfaoedd yn dweud ydwyf fi?”

“Who do the crowds say that I am?” (Lk 9:18)

His followers reply that the people think a variety of things: John the Baptist, Elijah, or another of the prophets. They recognise Jesus’ proclamation of the Good News of the Kingdom and understand Him in terms that are familiar to them. Christ, however, presses the issue by asking His disciples another question:

“pwy meddwch chwi ydwyf fi?”

“But who you say that I am?” (Lk 9:20)

Peter answers, ‘Meseia Duw, the Christ of God’ (Lk 9:20). By this answer Peter confesses that Jesus is the Messiah, God’s Anointed, the fulfilment of Zechariah’s prophecy. The disciple’s confession of belief is also our confession of belief as Christians: Jesus is the Christ, the Saviour, the Son of God. As we will soon declare in the words of the Nicene Creed.

Jesus instructs the disciples that they should not communicate this knowledge to anyone, at this time. He then explains what is about to happen:

“”Y mae’n rhaid i Fab y Dyn,” meddai, “ddioddef llawer a chael ei wrthod gan yr henuriaid a’r prif offeiriaid a’r ysgrifenyddion, a’i ladd, a’r trydydd dydd ei gyfodi.”

“The Son of Man is destined to suffer grievously, to be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes and to be put to death, and to be raised up on the third day” (Lk 9:22)

Jesus tells the disciples about His Passion, Death and Resurrection, because it is His mission. He has come to reconcile God and humanity, and to restore and heal our broken relationship. Christ then invites His followers to follow His example:

“Os myn neb ddod ar fy ôl i, rhaid iddo ymwadu ag ef ei hun a chodi ei groes bob dydd a’m canlyn i. Oherwydd pwy bynnag a fyn gadw ei fywyd, fe’i cyll, ond pwy bynnag a gyll ei fywyd er fy mwyn i, fe’i ceidw. Pa elw a gaiff rhywun o ennill yr holl fyd a’i ddifetha neu ei fforffedu ei hun?

‘If anyone wants to be a follower of mine, let him renounce himself and take up his cross every day and follow me. For anyone who wants to save his life will lose it; but anyone who loses his life for my sake, that man will save it.’ (Lk 9:23-24)

At the beginning of His public ministry, Jesus invites people to repent and believe. Now He calls us to self-denial, and to embrace the Cross. Christ asks us to accept the most shameful way to die, a form of torture, used by the Romans to execute slaves. As those saved and made free by the Cross of Christ, we take up our own cross and follow Jesus. We imitate Him, in selfless love and devotion, and we bear the weight of the cross in life’s difficulties and disappointments. Following Christ is hard. It is a struggle, and we cannot just rely solely upon our own willpower to succeed. Instead, the Christian life needs to be a corporate effort, something we do together, trusting in God’s Grace to be at work in us, both individually and as a community.

Christ wants us to lose our lives for His sake, and find freedom in His service. There is something paradoxical in Jesus’ teaching. We are to find perfect freedom in obedience, in service of God and each other. Each of us needs to be humble enough to accept what God offers us, and be prepared to try to live it out together. It isn’t about us, but rather letting God be at work in us. When we co-operate with God, and live in love, and joy, and peace, we flourish as human beings. This is liberating, and it is what Our Heavenly Father wants for us. This is what true freedom looks like, and we are called to live it together, today and every day.

So, as we celebrate the joy of our Salvation, let us pray that we may be changed by God’s love, and share this love with others. Let us give thanks for the mystery and wonder that is God, Duw Dad, Duw y Mab, a Duw yr Ysbryd Glân. 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.

Jesus discourses with his disciples – James Tissot (Brooklyn Museum)
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Trinity Sunday 2025

In the Science fiction film, ‘The Matrix’ and its sequels there is a character called ‘Trinity’, played by Carrie-Anne Moss. The name comes from her handle as a computer hacker. She, apparently, chose this moniker to give the impression that she is as mysterious and enigmatic as the concept of a Three-in-one being (God the Holy Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). So what do Christians believe about the Trinity?

In today’s Gospel Jesus promises His disciples that,

“Ond pan ddaw ef, Ysbryd y Gwirionedd, fe’ch arwain chwi yn yr holl wirionedd. Oherwydd nid ohono’i hun y bydd yn llefaru; ond yr hyn a glyw y bydd yn ei lefaru, a’r hyn sy’n dod y bydd yn ei fynegi i chwi.”

“When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.” (Jn 16:13)

God gives us the Holy Spirit to guide us and lead us in our lives. We are invited into a relationship and journey of faith, which enables us to grow and develop. As Christians, we worship One God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. They are not three Gods, but one God. That the three persons of the Trinity are one God is itself a mystery. It is the enigma of God’s very self: a Trinity of Persons, consubstantial, co-equal, and co-eternal. ‘Consubstantial’ means ‘of one being’, i.e. they are One. ‘Co-equal’ means that the persons of the Trinity are equal to one another, none is greater or lesser than another. ‘Co-eternal’ means that they all have no beginning in time all three are eternal. We know God most fully in the person of Jesus Christ, the Incarnate Word of God, who was born of the Virgin Mary, died upon the Cross for our sins, was raised to New Life at Easter, and sent the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. In Christ, God discloses who and what He is. We know Him through His outpouring of love into our lives.

All Christians are baptised in the name of the Trinity. Our worship is Trinitarian. The service this morning began with the words ‘Yn enw’r Tad, a’r Mab, a’r Ysbryd Glân, In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.’ Eucharistic Services have begun by invoking the name of the Trinity, and making the sign of the Cross, for as long as we have descriptions of them, going back almost 1900 years. And 1700 years ago just before the Council of Nicaea, this morning’s first reading was one of the most controversial passages in Scripture: 

“Lluniodd yr Arglwydd fi ar ddechrau ei waith, yn gyntaf o’i weithredoedd gynt.”

“The Lord possessed me at the beginning of his work, the first of his acts of old.” (Proverbs 8:22)

In the Greek text of Proverbs, used widely around the Mediterranean at that time, the verb translated as ‘possessed’ was one that meant ‘created’. This lead some people — the followers of Arius — to argue that this passage means that Jesus Christ was created and not begotten. This would therefore mean that Jesus had a beginning in time, and was not eternal. He was therefore somewhat lesser than God the Father. To discuss this theological issue Church Councils were called at Nicaea in ad325, and Constantinople in ad381. These meetings of bishops rejected the Arian ideas and gave us the doctrinal statement known as the Nicene Creed, which we will say together in a few minutes time. Our faith, as Christians, is rooted in our belief in God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, consubstantial, co-equal, and co-eternal. This is why the Creed is made up of three sections. It begins by stating what we believe about God the Father. The text then moves on to what we believe about Jesus the Son. The statement of faith then finishes with the Christian beliefs concerning the Holy Spirit. What we believe and how we worship God matters.

Last Sunday we celebrated Whitsun, Y Sulgwyn, the Feast of Pentecost: the Descent of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples in the Upper Room, fifty days after Easter, and ten days after Jesus’ Ascension into Heaven. With the coming of the Holy Spirit, we see the fullness of who God is. As St Paul puts it in his Letter to the Romans:

“oherwydd y mae cariad Duw wedi ei dywallt yn ein calonnau trwy’r Ysbryd Glân y mae ef wedi ei roi i ni.”

“God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” (Romans 5:5)

As Christians, we are given the gift of the Holy Spirit — a spirit of love and joy. This allows us to experience God as He is: the Father who created all that exists; the Son who redeemed humanity; and the Spirit who sanctifies and encourages God’s people. God calls us into a relationship and we respond with worship which honours our Creator and Sustainer. We do this not because God requires our worship, but because of our own need to acknowledge our dependance upon Him. God loves us, and because we know that we are loved, we respond with love and praise. 

The wonderful thing about the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost is that it enables us to encounter and experience God in a deeper way. We can know Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh. He speaks to us in Scripture, and He comes to us in the Eucharist, so that we may be nourished by God. In our prayer and worship, we are filled with the Holy Spirit, who transforms us. The Trinity is not an abstract philosophical concept, but rather the manifestation of a generous and loving God. The Christian understanding of God is not of a remote being. God makes His home with us. He gives us His life, and He transforms and heals us in love. This is all possible through the relationship God has with us, through His Son and His Spirit, which is personal to each and every one of us. That is why we celebrate the Trinity today.

In Christ God becomes human, allowing Him to understand us from the inside, so to speak. This is not a distant, impersonal divinity, but one who lives a human life. One who understands our frailty, and who loves us. God sends His Spirit so that we may be encouraged and live out our true potential. We will face difficulties and hardships. Christ promises us no less, as does St Paul in our second reading. But the point is that these experiences, while difficult to endure, can also be positive: we grow and develop through them. It is often through the experience of suffering that we become more loving and forgiving.

God makes us new by his redeeming love and transforms us into what He wants us to be. God — Father, Son, and Holy Spirit — offers us all the opportunity to be something different, something more than we are. If we let Him change us. If we co-operate with His grace. When we are filled with the Holy Spirit, and nourished by Word and Sacrament, God is at work in us, transforming us into His likeness.

So, as we celebrate the mystery of the Holy and Life-giving Trinity, let us pray that we may be changed by God’s love, and share this love with others. Let us give thanks for the mystery and wonder that is God, Duw Dad, Duw y Mab, a Duw yr Ysbryd Glân. 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.

The Trinity Lance McNeel 2009

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Pentecost 2025

Every Sunday, and also on solemn Feast days, Christians make a public declaration of their faith in God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, using the words of the Nicene Creed — which we will all say together in a few minutes time. This statement of belief was drawn up seventeen hundred years ago at the First Ecumenical Council, which was called by the Roman Emperor Constantine to sort out divisions within the Church concerning the Divinity of Jesus Christ. The council met at Nicaea in Asia Minor (modern day Turkey) and comprised of three hundred and eighteen bishops of the Church. One of these was Nicholas of Myra, St Nicholas, the patron saint of this church. 

Questions about belief matter. They have the potential to divide the Church. Taking it away from its core purpose of being united in a common faith, and making a consistent proclamation of that faith. This is the situation in today’s reading from the Acts of the Apostles. Having been promised the Holy Spirit by Our Lord at His Ascension, the disciples wait and pray. At Pentecost they are filled with the Spirit. Emboldened, they are able to tell Jews from all over the Mediterranean world, who have gathered in Jerusalem, who Jesus is, and what He has done. From this moment on the disciples are known as Apostles from the Greek ἀπόστολος (meaning one who is sent, a messenger). The message they deliver is that all people should repent and believe the Good News of Jesus Christ. 

The outpouring of the Holy Spirit is not a one-off event, but rather a permanent state of affairs. This is how God continues to be active in the world: inspiring and strengthening Christ’s followers in living and proclaiming their faith. In John’s Gospel, Jesus promises His disciples:

‘Os ydych yn fy ngharu i, fe gadwch fy ngorchmynion i. Ac fe ofynnaf finnau i’m Tad, ac fe rydd ef i chwi Eiriolwr arall i fod gyda chwi am byth,’

‘If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you for ever.’ (Jn 14:15-16)

The promise is that God’s Spirit will be present in perpetuity. God will continue to pour out His Spirit to strengthen the Church. This is what we are celebrating today at Pentecost. Indeed, during the Eucharistic Prayer I, as your priest,  will pray that God continues to do this and ‘trwy nerth dy Ysbryd, i’r rhoddion hyn o fara a gwin fod i ni ei gorff a’i waed ef’ ‘that, by the power of your [God’s] Spirit, these gifts of bread and wine may be for us his body and blood’. Our heavenly Father makes wonderful things happen. Disciples who have been scared and have been in hiding are transformed into fearless evangelists, going out to preach Christ’s message of love and forgiveness. They become enthusiastic fellow-workers in the vineyard. God is able to completely change people and situations, because His love for us knows no bounds.  

The 318 bishops, who met at Nicaea, in 325AD, were able to put into words what Christians believe because they began their deliberations by praying for the gift of the Holy Spirit to guide and direct their thoughts and actions. This is entirely in line with Our Lord’s teaching in the Gospel: 

‘Ond bydd yr Eiriolwr, yr Ysbryd Glân, a anfona’r Tad yn fy enw i, yn dysgu popeth ichwi, ac yn dwyn ar gof ichwi y cwbl a ddywedais i wrthych.’

‘But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.’ (Jn 14:26)

The Bishops, including St Nicholas, were strengthened by God to proclaim the truth, and to bear witness to it, in the face of those who would deny it. They bore witness to the truth of Jesus Christ: true God and true man, who promised the gift of the Holy Spirit. God’s Spirit gives Christians strength and brings us together as brothers and sisters in a new family, which we call the Church. 

It is thanks to the preaching of the Gospel begun by the Apostles at Pentecost, and continued by their successors at Nicaea, that we are here today. It is how billions of people have come to know, love, and serve Our Lord Jesus Christ. As people who are in Christ, who have entered the Church through our Baptism, we are given a very important job to do. We need to tell people about Jesus!

The world-wide Christian Church is wonderful in its diversity. We are all different, we do not speak the same language, or have the same culture. However, we are all equally empowered through having received the Holy Spirit at our Baptism, in our Confirmation, and through all the sacramental actions of the church, which are the outward and visible signs of the inward and spiritual grace of God. This is how the Holy Spirit works. This is how God builds us up together in love. Through the Eucharist, through prayer and through Scripture, we are nourished spiritually to keep doing all that God desires of us.

So, my brothers and sisters in Christ, let us pray earnestly for the gift of the Spirit. Just as St Nicholas was inspired by the Spirit, may God also fill us with His love and equip us to proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom. May the fire of the Holy Spirit embolden us to encourage others to come to know, and love Duw Dad, Duw y Mab, a Duw yr Ysbryd Glân. 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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Maundy Thursday 2025

Celebrations of important events, such as the forthcoming VE Day on the 8th of May, usually involve eating food and telling a story. The Jewish celebration of Passover (Pesach) is no different. This feast’s food includes lamb and unleavened bread. The story (Hebrew Haggadah, literally ‘telling’) is the account, from the Book of Exodus, of Israel’s journey from slavery in Egypt — part of which was the first reading this evening. Over the next few days both Jews and Christians will tell stories and eat food in order to relive the events of the past. This is done in such a way as to make these events become present to us, here and now, so that we can enter into them, and re-live them.

Tonight we are all guests at the Lord’s Supper. Tonight Jesus institutes the Eucharist before He suffers and dies. What Our Lord does on this night, the Church has continued to observe for a hundred thousand successive Sundays, and will continue to do so until the end of time. Jesus told us to ‘do this’ ‘gwnewch hyn’ and so we do. This is more than sacred drama. We are not simply spectators watching a re-enactment, we are active participants in the mysteries themselves!

The Liturgy of the Eucharist, which Jesus instituted this evening, means a number of things. Firstly, the Eucharist is our thanksgiving to God for who Christ is, and what He does for us. Secondly, the Eucharist is an act of obedience. Our Lord told His disciples to ‘do this’, and so, for two thousand years Christians have obeyed His command. Thirdly, the Eucharist is a mystery which makes present the Body and Blood of Christ, who suffered and died for us on Calvary. As Jesus fed His disciples, so He feeds us. Tonight’s Eucharist is just as real as the first one, in the Upper Room, and each and every one ever since. That is why Christ’s followers celebrate this evening. On the night before He suffered and died for us, Jesus took bread and wine, gave thanks to God, and gave them to His disciples, telling them to do this in remembrance of Him. In the celebration of the Eucharist we do not just remember Jesus, but by doing what He did, and saying what He said, He feeds us with Himself. Christ is the priest who gives Himself. At the same time, He is the servant who washes our feet. 

God gives Himself to us as nourishment. God gives Himself to us, so that we might have life in Him. The role of the Church is to carry on the offering of the Son to the Father, to make redemption present across space and time. That is why we are here, tonight, gathered as disciples of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. As followers of Christ we are called to be people of love. It is love that makes us Christians. God’s infinite love for us leads to Our Lord sacrificing Himself, to take away our sins, to heal our wounds, and restore us to God’s loving embrace.

God takes ordinary food — water, bread, and wine — along with simple rituals and does something extraordinary. The God who spoke the universe into being kneels, takes off his outer clothing and washes the feet of humanity:

‘Os wyf fi, felly, a minnau’n Arglwydd ac yn Athro, wedi golchi eich traed chwi, fe ddylech chwithau hefyd olchi traed eich gilydd. Yr wyf wedi rhoi esiampl i chwi; yr ydych chwithau i wneud fel yr wyf fi wedi ei wneud i chwi.’ 

‘If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you.’ (Jn 13:14-15)

Tonight Christ washes our feet. Kneeling on the floor, He pours water over our feet and wipes them with a towel. This is something that is both humble and utterly wonderful. Jesus gives us an example of loving service, which the Church is tasked with continuing. Those in positions of Christian leadership are called to be shepherds in the service of God’s people. Here, tonight, we see love and service made real. It becomes something we can feel, touch and taste. These things are given for us, so that we might be transformed, prepared for Heaven, to enjoy eternity with God. 

Christ gives us an example to follow, a ceremony of service and nourishment, so that we can continue to re-live and experience God’s generous love. The hands which tonight wash feet and celebrate the Eucharist will tomorrow be nailed to the Cross. This is how much God loves us. This is how far God goes to reconcile each of us to Him, and to heal our wounds. Never was a lamb set upon the altar that could take away the sins of the world, until God Himself took on the nature of a servant. This way of living goes against everything people are told about putting themselves and their lives first and judging their importance and worth by what they own, rather than how they live their lives. And yet this world, in its selfish searching, truly wants and needs to be healed, and to be embraced by a loving God. That is why tomorrow, on the Cross, Our Lord’s Arms will be flung wide open to embrace all people with God’s divine love.

Let us then prepare ourselves for the journey ahead. Let us have our feet washed by Christ. Let us be fed by Him, and strengthened by Him. Let us fashion our lives after His example. Let us prepare to go to Calvary with Jesus, and lay down our lives in His service. Let us pick up our Cross and follow Him to death and beyond, to the New Life of Easter. Let us live His Risen Life, and share our joy with others. And let us give glory 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.

Philippe de Champagne: The Last Supper (Musee de Louvre, Paris)

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Palm Sunday 2025

J.R.R. Tolkien’s famous novel, The Lord of the Rings is a long and complicated book. The main story is the journey of an unlikely group of heroes across Middle Earth to destroy a powerful Ring at Mount Doom, where it was forged. But it is also the tale of how Aragorn becomes the King of Middle Earth. He does this by reuniting the lands of Arnor and Gondor, and defeating the evil Sauron with a coalition of men, elves, dwarves, and hobbits. In constructing his narrative Tolkien drew on his encyclopaedic knowledge of medieval European literature and his deep Christian faith. The desire to see a monarchy re-established lies at the Jewish and Christian faiths. Jews await the coming of the Messiah, the anointed Davidic King, which Christians believe is Jesus. We believe that the Messiah has already come, to set His people free, and to inaugurate a kingdom of love, forgiveness, and reconciliation. 

The service this morning begins with Luke’s account of the first Palm Sunday, when Jesus enters Jerusalem on a donkey, an animal of peace and not war. The prophet Zechariah, writing 500 years before Jesus, looks forward to a messianic future:

‘Bydd lawen iawn, ti ferch Seion; a chrechwena, ha ferch Jerwsalem: wele dy frenin yn dyfod atat: cyfiawn ac achubydd yw efe; y mae efe yn llariaidd, ac yn marchogaeth ar asyn, ac ar ebol llwdn asen.’

‘Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’ (Zech 9:9)

The donkey ridden by Jesus reminds us of the humble beast of burden, which carried his Mother to Bethlehem for His birth, and then carried the Holy Family into exile in Egypt. This is an act of humble leadership which realizes what the prophets foresaw. It shows us that Jesus Christ is truly the one who fulfils the hopes of the people of Israel. The Hebrew Scriptures look forward to His deliverance of Israel. This is what is made real in front of the eyes of those watching the Carpenter’s son enter the Holy City of Jerusalem.

Scripture is fulfilled and there is a burst of popular enthusiasm — people wave palm branches and cry out. However, having someone claim to be a relative of King David is a direct challenge to Herod, the puppet ruler installed to comply with the Romans. The events we heard described, before our procession this morning, sound something like a political coup — a bid to replace a leader lacking legitimacy. Such an attempt is bound to have wide repercussions. It represents a direct challenge to the ruling house and to Rome, and therefore it has to be countered. The masses in Jerusalem are expecting a king of the Davidic line. One who would be seen as a threat to the ruling élite, a challenge to the status quo. But in Christ, God gives Israel something else. Yes, he is a King of the line of David, but Jesus is the one who rules with love. He has no desire for power, or honour. Naturally, the leaders and those in authority are threatened by Him: Christ turns their world on its head. He is an awkward inconvenience. Jesus, however, does not want their power. He has come to accomplish something completely different. What is seen as a potential political coup is in fact a renewal of religion, the fulfilment of prophecy, and a new hope for Israel. Political and religious leaders can only see the threat to their hold on power, rather than the opportunity which Christ offers.

At its heart Christianity is the offer of new life in Jesus Christ. This starts with repentance, and acceptance of our need for God. As we grow in faith, we come to believe and trust in a God who loves us, and gives Himself for us. Then we can experience healing, wholeness, and fullness of life in and through Him. Such gifts come at great cost to the giver, which the week ahead will make clear to us in the most stark and direct way. 

One way of reading St Luke’s account of Christ’s Passion and Death is through the lens of conversion and reconciliation. After Jesus celebrates the Eucharist a dispute arises amongst His disciples as to which of them is the greatest. There is something of a contrast here between the institution of the most solemn and sacred act of Christian worship, and the actions of the disciples who seem to be arguing like children in a playground: ‘I’m greater than you!’ ‘No, I’m greater than you!’. This is not how they should behave, so Our Lord explains:

‘Y mae brenhinoedd y Cenhedloedd yn arglwyddiaethu arnynt, a’r rhai sydd ag awdurdod drostynt yn cael eu galw yn gymwynaswyr. Ond peidiwch chwi â gwneud felly. Yn hytrach, bydded y mwyaf yn eich plith fel yr ieuengaf, a’r arweinydd fel un sy’n gweini.’

‘The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those in authority over them are called benefactors. But not so with you. Rather, let the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves.’ (Lk 22:25-26)

Service of others lies at the heart of Christianity, not exercising power or influence. Christ is offering the world a new way to be, and the church needs to take this seriously, and follow His teachings.

As Jesus goes to Calvary, He tells the women of Jerusalem not to mourn for Him, but instead to mourn for themselves and their children. He says this because He understands that in a few years time the Romans will sack Jerusalem, and the people will be scattered in exile. Christ is more concerned with the needs of others than Himself, and as He goes to His execution, Our Lord is still a servant, caring for others.

As the Roman soldiers crucify Jesus He says:

“O Dad, maddau iddynt, oherwydd ni wyddant beth y maent yn ei wneud.”

‘Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.’ (Lk 23:34)

Christ’s concern is for forgiveness and reconciliation — just as it has been throughout His earthly ministry. His life’s work is to restore each and every one of us to God and to pour out the Creator’s love on us. This is also evident from Jesus interaction with the penitent thief a few verses later:

Yna dywedodd, “Iesu, cofia fi pan ddoi i’th deyrnas.” Atebodd yntau, “Yn wir, rwy’n dweud wrthyt, heddiw byddi gyda mi ym Mharadwys.”

“And he said, ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.’” (Lk 23:42-43)

The criminal being executed for seditious acts against Rome expresses faith in Christ, and is rewarded with the grace earned for humanity on the Cross. Our Lord’s dying words are taken from Psalm 31:6, a confident prayer:

“O Dad, i’th ddwylo di yr wyf yn cyflwyno fy ysbryd.”

‘Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!’ (Lk 23:46)

Immediately afterwards the centurion in charge of the Crucifixion acts in a surprising manner, praising God and declaring Jesus to be innocent:

‘Pan welodd y canwriad yr hyn oedd wedi digwydd, dechreuodd ogoneddu Duw gan ddweud, “Yn wir, dyn cyfiawn oedd hwn.”’

‘Now when the centurion saw what had taken place, he praised God, saying, “Certainly this man was innocent!”’ (Lk 23:47)

The gathered crowds also do something unusual:

‘Ac wedi gweld yr hyn a ddigwyddodd, troes yr holl dyrfaoedd, a oedd wedi ymgynnull i wylio’r olygfa, tuag adref gan guro eu bronnau.’

‘And all the crowds that had assembled for this spectacle, when they saw what had taken place, returned home beating their breasts.’ (Lk 23:48)

In acting in this way they are expressing contrition and repentance, the necessary prerequisite to the acceptance of God’s grace. Salvation has become a reality and it is changing people’s lives. Just as it did two thousand years ago, it is still doing so today, and will continue to do so until the end of time itself.

Let us then, as followers of Jesus, hold up our palms as we rejoice in the generous love of God and prepare ourselves to celebrate Christ’s Passion. Let us give thanks for the fact that we are loved by God. And let us give glory 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. Amen. To whom be ascribed all glory, dominion and power, now and forever. Amen.

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Lent IV

IT may seem strange that on the day in the year when we particularly remember mothers, the Gospel reading focuses on a father. However, given that the theme is love and generosity, the two are not as far apart as they may seem at first glance.

In the Gospels Jesus is often criticised for the company He keeps. Our Lord is shown associating with the ‘wrong sort of people’: sinners and tax collectors, those shunned by ‘polite society’. So, to make a point, Jesus tells a parable. 

A man has two sons, and the younger of the two asks his father for his inheritance:

‘Fy nhad, dyro imi’r gyfran o’th ystad sydd i ddod imi.’

‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ (Lk 15:12)

At one level it is clear what is going on. The young man is asking for his inheritance, which he would normally receive after his father’s death. When he is given the money he goes off into the big, bad world. He is young, inexperienced, and not terribly wise. Like most young people he makes mistakes, and does foolish things. I know that I did, and I suspect that I’m not alone in that.

‘ymfudodd y mab ieuengaf i wlad bell, ac yno gwastraffodd ei eiddo ar fyw’n afradlon.’

‘the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living.’ (Lk 15:13)

The impetuous nature of youth has not changed much in two thousand years. We can see that things are going to go wrong, and they do.When the money runs out, the young man does try to get himself out of his mess by gaining employment, looking after someone’s pigs. For those of us living in the countryside this seems like a very sensible idea. However, under Jewish ritual law, animal husbandry was suspect, and those who did this work were deemed to be ritually impure. Also, swine were considered unclean animals. What the son has done is beyond the pale, and completely unacceptable to Jesus’ Jewish audience. 

Despite getting a job, the young man’s situation is not good:

‘Buasai’n falch o wneud pryd o’r plisg yr oedd y moch yn eu bwyta; ond nid oedd neb yn cynnig dim iddo.’

‘And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything.’ (Lk 15:16)

What is noticeable is that nobody is doing anything to help him: there is a distinct lack of charity and compassion amongst the people. The son, therefore,  decides to return home, and ask his father for forgiveness:

“Fe godaf, ac fe af at fy nhad a dweud wrtho, ‘Fy nhad, pechais yn erbyn y nef ac yn dy erbyn di. Nid wyf mwyach yn haeddu fy ngalw’n fab iti; cymer fi fel un o’th weision cyflog.’”

“I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.’” (Lk 15:18-19)

The son makes the journey back to his home. However, his father sees him a long way off, and runs to meet him. This behaviour, while normal and understandable to us, would have appeared strange to Jesus’ audience. Running wasn’t something that adults did. The father is breaking the rules, and acting in a way which defied the conventions of society. He has given away his property to his two sons, and now risks destroying his social capital. But he doesn’t care; it doesn’t matter. What is important is that his son has returned. The father embraces his lost son, kisses him, and then tells his servants:

‘Brysiwch! Dewch â gwisg allan, yr orau, a’i gosod amdano. Rhowch fodrwy ar ei fys a sandalau am ei draed. Dewch â’r llo sydd wedi ei besgi, a lladdwch ef. Gadewch inni wledda a llawenhau, oherwydd yr oedd hwn, fy mab, wedi marw, a daeth yn fyw eto; yr oedd ar goll, a chafwyd hyd iddo.’

“Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.” (Lk 15:22-24)

The younger son is returned to his former state. He is accepted back into the family he left, he is treated with honour, and he is given respect. The calf that is slaughtered could potentially feed an entire community. The father is throwing a party for everyone to celebrate. However, the elder brother is (understandably) unhappy at his father’s reckless generosity. However, the purpose of Jesus’ parable is to teach people about the generous love of God, who longs to see prodigal humanity reconciled. God loves us enough to send His Son to die for us, to reconcile us to God, and to each other. 

In some ways, we are all like the prodigal son, and God is like the father in the parable. God loves us, and will do anything to see us return to where we belong: back home, embraced, restored, and made whole again. This is the central message of the Christian Faith: GOD LOVES US! We don’t deserve to be loved, we often turn away from God’s love, but God doesn’t abandon us, or reject us. Instead, our Heavenly Father welcomes us back, so that we may be transformed by His love. Love and forgiveness have the power to change us like nothing else. This love transforms the world. Like the prodigal son’s father, God is generous, extravagant, and loves us more than we can know or fully understand. As Christians, we experience that love, through the Church, when we read the Bible, in our Baptism, in the forgiveness of sin, and in the Eucharist, where we taste God’s real love and generosity. We receive it and are transformed by it. These things change and make us more generous and loving. They build up a community of faith, transformed by love, which can change the world.

So, my brothers and sisters, let us rejoice in the generous love of God and prepare ourselves to celebrate the Paschal mystery. Let us give thanks for our families and give glory i 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: The Return of the Prodigal Son (Brooklyn Museum)
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Lent III

SOME of you may have visited the Egypt Centre on the campus of Swansea University. This small museum contains a fascinating collection of artefacts from a civilisation which is both strange and intriguing. In Ancient Egypt, gods were everywhere. Almost everything was worshipped as a god. This included the River Nile, which brought life, crops and fertility. Also there was the bull Apis in whose likeness the Israelites fashioned a Golden Calf. Another was Anubis with his black dog’s head, who was responsible for funerary rites. But in order to worship a divinity you first needed to know their name, and know who they were. 

In this morning’s first reading we hear that Moses is shepherding his father-in-law’s flock in the wilderness of Sinai. It is a difficult place: arid, rocky and mountainous. In the Ancient World, mountains were places for encounter with the divine. So when Moses sees a bush that is burning, but is not consumed by the fire, he wants to investigate what is going on. This leads to a meeting with God which will result in the Exodus, the journey from slavery to freedom; from Egypt to the Promised Land. 

God begins by saying who he is:

“Duw dy dadau wyf fi, Duw Abraham, Duw Isaac a Duw Jacob.”

‘I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ (Exod 3:6)

God has heard the cry of His people and is preparing to do something about their situation. He will lead them from Egypt to a land flowing with milk and honey. Moses then tells God that if he explains to the people that the God of their Ancestors has sent him, they will ask, ‘What is his name?’ The point of addressing a divinity by name was that then they would then listen to your prayers. This leads God to reply:

“Ydwyf yr hyn ydwyf. Dywed hyn wrth bobl Israel, ‘Ydwyf sydd wedi fy anfon atoch.’”

‘I Am Who I Am.’ And he said, ‘Say this to the people of Israel: “I Am has sent me to you.”’ (Exod 3:14)

God refuses to be named. God is who God is: the Creator of all, God of all. Almighty God is not to be reduced to a name or a category. However, He loves His People and intends, through Moses, to lead them from slavery in Egypt to freedom in the Promised Land. This journey is the event that will establish the people of Israel, and it also will provide the template for Jesus’ Passion, Death and Resurrection. 

Lent, at its heart, is a penitential season for Christians to prepare to celebrate the Passover which offers salvation to the whole world. This is why St Paul uses the story of the Exodus to remind the faithful of the importance of humility, and of knowing and acknowledging our need of God. As the Israelites were fed with spiritual food — manna — so Christians are fed with the Living Bread — Jesus Christ. As the Israelites were refreshed with spiritual drink, Christians drink the Blood of Christ, and are washed in the waters of Baptism. As Moses strikes the rock at Massah and Meribah, the Rock is Christ, upon whom we can build with sure foundations, against the storms of this world. Nourished by the Eucharist, we are fed by God, with God, so that He may transform us, so that we can share His Eternal Life. The Corinthians are taking this for granted, hence Paul’s warnings in the Epistle. Like the people of Corinth, we need to avoid sin, and turn back to God, and be sustained and upheld by Him, so that we can grow in faith.

Turning to this morning’s Gospel, we do not know who the Galileans that Pilate killed were. Galilee was renowned as a hotbed of political revolutionaries, full of people who wanted to free the Jewish people from Roman Rule. Forty years after Christ’s Passion, Rome will crush a revolution in Judea, and slaughter many people. Our Lord’s message to His followers is simple: repent. Repentance means changing your mind. Repentance means loving your enemies, and Repentance means living your life in a radically different way.

Once again, Jesus tells people a parable. A fig tree has not borne fruit in three years A man makes three visits to the fig tree. These visits represent the Patriarchs, the Prophets and the Gospel — the warnings given in Scripture to repent — and also the three years of Jesus’ earthly ministry. Despite the guidance, the fig does not bear fruit, therefore it should be cut down

However, the unproductive tree is not cut down, but instead it is given a reprieve. The gardener allows the fig tree another chance. This is grace: the free gift of God, granted and not earned. Only through God’s grace can we hope to bear fruit. God, the gardener who created humanity in Paradise, will offer himself as both Priest and Victim upon the Tree of Life, to bleed and die for love of us. This gardener will meet Mary Magdalene by the empty tomb on Easter Day so that we, and all humanity, may share Christ’s risen life. The fact that we are here today is proof that for two thousand years this tree has borne fruit in the Church.

God loves humanity, which is why — like the fig tree — we are given another chance. We are granted the opportunity to repent, to turn back to the God who loves us, and who longs to see us flourish. Our lives as Christians are a continual cycle of falling short, and turning back in repentance to the source of grace, love, and mercy: God. We receive God’s gifts, even though we are not worthy of His generosity, but that’s the point. Our Heavenly Father satisfies our deepest needs and desires out of love for us, so that, enfolded in His love, we might become more lovely, and be filled with God’s infinite love and grace. Only when we are watered by God’s love can we truly bear fruit. We are all forgiven, and we are all loved. That is what the Cross demonstrates: God’s unconditional love and forgiveness. Jesus’ willing sacrifice stands for all time, and fundamentally changes our relationship with our Creator and each other. Ours is a faith rooted in love, freely given for the life of the world and for every individual human being.

So, my brothers and sisters, let us prepare ourselves to celebrate the Paschal mystery so that we, and all the world, may give glory i 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.

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Lent I

The first reading this morning taken from the book of Deuteronomy, is part of the account of the Feast of First-fruits, called Shavuot. This feast celebrates the grain harvest in Israel, seven weeks after Passover. ‘What?’ you say, “Harvest Festivals?’ This seems a strange topic when we have just begun a six-week penitential season which is characterised by, amongst other things, fasting, abstaining from food. Yes, at first glance it does appear somewhat strange, but there is a reason. 

The reading from Deuteronomy is mostly an account of the words and actions made by the person offering the fruits of the earth to God. This includes a narration of preceding events: Israel’s journey from slavery in Egypt to Freedom in the Promised Land. It is a prayerful retelling of the Passover story, which gives thanks to God for His mighty acts. At the same time that the Jews re-live salvation history, we as Christians are preparing to do the same. Lent precedes Our Lord’s Passion, Death, and Resurrection (around the time of Passover), and also commemorates Jesus’ fasting in the desert at the beginning of His public ministry. 

The Christian journey through Lent is something of a trek through the desert. It is characterised by fasting, penitence and charity. These are the ways by which we prepare our souls and bodies to celebrate Our Lord’s Passion, Death, and Resurrection. We take time to solemnly ask forgiveness for all our wrongdoings, but we are also joyful knowing that Christ has overcome sin and death. There is a joy in what we do, and who we are, because of all that Christ has taught us and done for us. Lent is a hopeful and a healing time. And the world certainly needs hope and healing at the moment! These six weeks are both an opportunity to give ourselves a bit of encouragement in our spiritual lives, and they are also a time to prepare. As Christians, we travel with Christ from the wilderness of sin to the promised land of reunion with God the Father, and with each other.

The reading from Paul’s Letter to the Romans also begins by quoting from Deuteronomy (30:14), just before Moses offers Israel the choice between life and death, good and evil. But for Paul:

‘Os cyffesi Iesu yn Arglwydd â’th enau, a chredu yn dy galon fod Duw wedi ei gyfodi ef oddi wrth y meirw, cei dy achub.” Oherwydd credu â’r galon sy’n esgor ar gyfiawnder, a chyffesu â’r genau sy’n esgor ar iachawdwriaeth.’

‘if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.’ (Rom 10:9)

This is the heart of our faith as Christians: Jesus is Lord, not Caesar, nor any power of this world. Christ alone saves us, by His Death and Resurrection. We believe this and bear witness to our belief. 

Today’s Gospel takes us back to the time immediately after Jesus’ Baptism, when He begins His public ministry. Christ goes out into the desert to be alone, to be quiet, to fast and to pray, and to be close to God the Father. While He is in the desert, Jesus is tempted by the Devil. Satan uses three different approaches, beginning by saying: 

‘Os Mab Duw wyt ti, dywed wrth y garreg hon am droi’n fara.’

‘If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.’ (Lk 4:3)

This is a temptation to be relevant, Jesus is hungry. The Devil is saying, ‘If you are the Son of God then do this’. This is the same thing that the crowd will say to Our Lord as He goes to be crucified. The Devil and the crowd both demand that God prove Himself, rather than accepting the presence of the Holy Spirit and the voice of God the Father at Christ’s Baptism: ‘Ti yw fy Mab, yr Anwylyd; ynot ti yr wyf yn ymhyfrydu.’ ‘You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.’ (Lk 3:22) Jesus is pleasing to God because He is obedient, but Satan is all about disobedience; not listening to God, not obeying Him. Whereas Adam, the first man, causes sin to enter into the world by eating forbidden fruit. Christ, who is the second Adam, conquers by abstaining. The desert is the exact opposite of the garden of Eden. While Eden was full of plants, trees and animals, the desert is an empty, lifeless place.However, it becomes the setting for obedience, reconciliation and healing.

The second temptation put to Jesus is the allure of earthly power. The Devil says to Our Lord: 

‘I ti y rhof yr holl awdurdod ar y rhain a’u gogoniant hwy; oherwydd i mi y mae wedi ei draddodi, ac yr wyf yn ei roi i bwy bynnag a fynnaf. Felly, os addoli di fi, dy eiddo di fydd y cyfan.’

‘To you I will give all this authority and their glory, for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will. If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.’ (Lk 4:6-7)

Jesus chooses heavenly glory and the salvation of humanity rather than worldly power. The Devil can only offer a false god and fleeting influence, whereas Christ stands for what is true and eternal. The temptation to seek influence, and prestige, symbolised here by worshipping the Devil, leads to the misuse of power. It’s a very human failing. One that we see all too clearly in our world today.

The third temptation for Jesus, is to put God to the test. Here Christ is encouraged to be spectacular and self-seeking. Whenever we say, ‘look at me’ we are not saying, ‘look at God’. Jesus quotes Deuteronomy 6:16: ‘Peidiwch â gosod yr Arglwydd eich Duw ar ei brawf’ ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test’. God does not need to prove anything. He loves us, and sent His Son for us. If Jesus threw himself from the Temple it would be a great spectacle, but it wouldn’t achieve anything. The high place which Jesus will go up to is the Cross on the hill of Calvary. Here He will suffer and die to save humanity. This is where God shows His love for the world, through humiliation rather than by a glory-seeking stunt. 

Eventually the Devil gives up and departs. Christ’s faith and trust in God is stronger than temptation. We face the same temptations in our lives, but Jesus shows us that we can resist them. This isn’t easy — quite the opposite — but it is possible. This should encourage us as we try to follow Christ’s example, and grow in holiness this Lent. God does not ask the impossible of us, instead we try, and, when we fail, we ask for forgiveness. We grow in holiness in Lent through prayer, almsgiving, and fasting. Prayer offers us the opportunity to deepen our relationship with God. It is more about quality than quantity: expressing true repentance, for what we have done and failed to do, and resolving to do better in the future. Almsgiving helps us to be charitable and generous, to care for those in need, just as God is generous towards us.

Fasting is key, because it helps us to master our bodily cravings, to control what we eat and what we do, rather than being controlled by our appetites. This doesn’t mean that we should starve ourselves, but that we should be mindful of our actions and not give in to all our desires. Just as prayer is not about getting God’s attention or changing His mind, but rather changing who and what we are, making us more loving, humble and dependant on God. In the same way fasting stops us being slaves to our desires. It sets us free, and helps us to listen to God, and draw closer to Him. Through abstinence we enter into Christ’s suffering, so that we can follow the way of the Cross. We do this joyfully, because we are following Christ. We are learning to resist temptation, aided by prayer and a generous heart. Our aspiration is that this Lenten season will help us to grow in faith, hope, and love, and enable us to celebrate Our Lord’s Passion, Death and Resurrection with greater joy. 

So, my brothers and sisters, let us prepare ourselves to celebrate the Paschal mystery so that we, and all the world, may give glory i 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.

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Quinquagesima 2025

LIVING in the Welsh countryside we are surrounded by trees (coed). At this time of year we notice changes in them as catkins and buds appear. Spring is arriving, a new season, and the trees prepare for the transformations they will undergo during the months ahead. Likewise, we too need to prepare to enter a new season: Lent. The time of preparation for the transformation of Easter, when death turns to life through the Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

In our first reading this morning we are given a criterion for judgement:

‘Fel y mae ffrwyth pren yn dangos y driniaeth a gafodd, felly y mae mynegiant rhywun o’i feddyliau yn dangos ei ddiwylliant’

‘The fruit discloses the cultivation of a tree; so the expression of a thought discloses the cultivation of a person’s mind.’ (Eccles. 27:6)

However, mention of trees and fruit makes us look both backwards and forwards. Back to Genesis, where humanity falls through eating forbidden fruit, and forward to Calvary, where the Cross becomes the tree of salvation. Christ is the fruit that hangs upon this tree, who heals our wounds, and who offers us eternal life.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus begins by telling a parable which seeks to criticise the Pharisees, and Religious Authorities of His day. 

“Adroddodd Iesu ddameg wrth ei ddisgyblion: “A fedr y dall arwain y dall? Onid syrthio i bydew a wna’r ddau? Nid yw disgybl yn well na’i athro; ond wedi ei lwyr gymhwyso bydd pob un fel ei athro.”

“Jesus told his disciples a parable: ‘Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit? A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher. ”(Lk 6:39-40)

The Pharisees are described as the blind leading the blind; teachers leading people the wrong way, oblivious to their own faults and shortcomings, yet judging others. They appear as hypocrites, as the teaching goes on to explain:

“Pam yr wyt yn edrych ar y brycheuyn sydd yn llygad dy gyfaill, a thithau heb sylwi ar y trawst sydd yn dy lygad dy hun? Sut y gelli ddweud wrth dy gyfaill, ‘Gyfaill, gad imi dynnu allan y brycheuyn sydd yn dy lygad di’, a thi dy hun heb weld y trawst sydd yn dy lygad di? Ragrithiwr, yn gyntaf tyn y trawst allan o’th lygad dy hun, ac yna fe weli yn ddigon eglur i dynnu’r brycheuyn sydd yn llygad dy gyfaill.”

“Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take out the speck that is in your eye’, when you yourself do not see the log that is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take out the speck that is in your brother’s eye.” (Lk 6:41-42)

To recognise that you have ‘a log in your own eye’ requires both self-examination and the humility to recognise your own failures and shortcomings before making any criticism of others. Here Jesus is clearly telling His followers not to be judgemental. Logs and splinters are made of wood, which comes from trees. With a beam in our own eyes we cannot see anything, let alone assist someone with a splinter in their eye. Making the world a better place starts with each of us as individuals, and not with someone else.

Our Lord then goes on to point out the need to bear good fruit, using an analogy from the natural world:

“Oherwydd nid yw coeden dda yn dwyn ffrwyth gwael, ac nid yw coeden wael chwaith yn dwyn ffrwyth da. Wrth ei ffrwyth ei hun y mae pob coeden yn cael ei hadnabod; nid oddi ar ddrain y mae casglu ffigys, ac nid oddi ar lwyni mieri y mae tynnu grawnwin.”

“For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit, for each tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thorn bushes, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush.” (Lk 6:43-44)

This vivid imagery is simple and straightforward. If we as Christians are to bear good fruit, then we need to live good lives. The Pharisees are trees bearing bad fruit, whereas Our Lord has come to offer humanity life in all its fulness. But for this, He will be rejected and hung on a tree. However, this fruit is the greatest that there is. God gives himself for us and to us, so that we may have life in Him. So that we may grow and flourish.

Our taking part in and receiving of the Eucharist is the way in which we are strengthened as Christians. It is the medicine for our souls. If we are nourished by Jesus then we can be built up in love and faith, and strengthened to bear witness to Christ. We need God’s grace to be at work in us, to fortify, and sustain us. 

At its heart Christianity is a religion of transformation. In the Incarnation Christ became what we are, so that we might share His Divine Life. God does not want us to stay as we are. When we encounter Him in prayer, in reading Holy Scripture, and in the Sacraments, we are changed by that experience. We become something which we were not before. Our faith is deepened, we grow in holiness, and we reflect more fully the light of Him in whose image we were created.

So, let us prepare to deepen our encounter with God as we approach the season of Lent. Let us use self-examination, and prayer, so that we may grow in holiness. Let us become firmly rooted in Christ, living out our faith to proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom, so that the world may believe and give glory i 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.

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Sexagesima 2025

The majority of human civilisations, religions, and philosophies champion some version of the phrase ‘Do unto others as you would have them do unto you’. This doctrine is known as The Golden Rule, and it is good advice. If we want other people to be nice to us, then being nice to them is a good place to start. However, is it enough? No, not as far as Our Lord is concerned. He calls us to something deeper, something more radical, and more world-changing.

‘Meddai’r Iesu wrth ei ddisgyblion, “Ond wrthych chwi sy’n gwrando rwy’n dweud: carwch eich gelynion, gwnewch ddaioni i’r rhai sy’n eich casáu, bendithiwch y rhai sy’n eich melltithio, gweddïwch dros y rhai sy’n eich cam-drin.”’

‘Jesus said to his disciples, “But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.”’ (Lk 6:27-28)

At the heart of Christianity is an idea: love your enemies. To love one’s enemies seems completely counter-intuitive. Our enemies often want to harm us. Naturally, we want to resist them, even crush them. But instead we are told to love them! We do this because love is at the heart of the Gospel. God loves us and God is born as one of us in order to transform each and every one of us, by His Grace. Jesus dies on the Cross for love of us, that we might be healed and reconciled with God. Love wills the good of another, and has the power to end conflict. This is what Jesus shows us. He bridges the gulf between God and humanity by dying for us. As Christians we are called to follow Christ’s example and put His love into practice in our lives. Jesus asks us to follow His example, living lives which are radically distinct from the ways of the world.

Just as Jesus calls us to live differently and provides us with an example of how to put the theory into practice, He also teaches us what God expects of us in terms of generous love:

‘Pan fydd rhywun yn dy daro di ar dy foch, cynigia’r llall iddo hefyd; pan fydd un yn cymryd dy fantell, paid â’i rwystro rhag cymryd dy grys hefyd. Rho i bawb sy’n gofyn gennyt, ac os bydd rhywun yn cymryd dy eiddo, paid â gofyn amdano’n ôl. Fel y dymunwch i eraill wneud i chwi, gwnewch chwithau yr un fath iddynt hwy’

‘To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic either. Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back. And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them.’ (Lk 6:29-31)

The generosity Jesus expects of His followers is exacting. We are told not to react to violence with violence, to give away what we have, and also to follow the Golden Rule, treating others as we would wish to be treated. 

The world around us is not very good at forgiveness, or turning the other cheek. It prefers to write people off than to admit the possibility of change: that’s how someone is, and that’s how they are going to stay. In showing forgiveness and generosity we recognise the fact that we too are human, that we too are flawed, and that we too make mistakes. Change is possible; things do not have to stay the same. People tend to love those who love them back, and hate those who hate them. The point is to also show love to those who do not love us, so that they become lovely to us, and loveable in themselves. Only love can transform something filled with hate and anger. Love and generosity are how God in Christ shows humanity how to live. Jesus’ life and death demonstrate what love in action means.

Jesus then reiterates His teaching to His disciples:

‘Nage, carwch eich gelynion a gwnewch ddaioni a rhowch fenthyg heb ddisgwyl dim yn ôl. Bydd eich gwobr yn fawr a byddwch yn blant y Goruchaf, oherwydd y mae ef yn garedig wrth yr anniolchgar a’r drygionus. Byddwch yn drugarog fel y mae eich Tad yn drugarog.’

“But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.” (Lk 6:35-36)

There is a paradoxical quality to what Jesus demands of us. We are to expect nothing, and yet we are told that we will receive everything. God’s love and mercy are to be experienced rather than understood. We can be merciful because God has shown us mercy, and continues so to do. The transforming power of God’s love and mercy is shown fully in the Mystery of the Eucharist, where we are fed by God and fed with God, so that His Love might transform us. This is God’s generosity, shown to us so that we might be generous in return. Through this generosity we have the opportunity to live in a different way, and encourage others to do the same. Jesus offers the world a way out of selfishness and sin, a chance to be God’s people living life in all its fulness.

As well as being non-violent and generous, Christ calls us to be non-judgemental:

“Peidiwch â barnu, ac ni chewch eich barnu. Peidiwch â chondemnio, ac ni chewch eich condemnio. Maddeuwch, ac fe faddeuir i chwi. Rhowch, ac fe roir i chwi; rhoir yn eich côl fesur da, wedi ei wasgu i lawr a’i ysgwyd ynghyd nes gorlifo; oherwydd â’r mesur y rhowch y rhoir i chwi yn ôl.”

“Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven; give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.” (Lk 6:37-38)

If we want God to be loving and merciful towards us, then we need to demonstrate in our lives that we are living the way God wants us to live. What Jesus proposes is something costly and difficult, which requires us to go against the human instincts which lead us to be selfish, judgmental and unkind. But if we all try to follow this teaching together we will be built up as a community of loving generosity,making the Kingdom a reality here and now.

Each of us, on our own, is not able to do this. Even as a Christian community we will struggle. But if we trust God to be at work in us, with His Grace perfecting our nature, then it becomes a possibility. God asks the impossible of us, not so that we will fail, but so that we rely entirely upon our Creator and Sustainer to bring this miracle to pass. 

When we rely upon God together then we can be built up in love, as living stones, a temple to God’s glory. We proclaim God’s love and truth to the world, through forgiveness and sacrificial love. Clothed in the humility of our knowledge of our need of God’s love and mercy, let us come to Him. Let us be fed by Him, be fed with Him. Let us be healed and restored by Him, so that we can live lives which speak of the power of His kingdom. So that the world may believe and give glory i 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.

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Septuagesima 2025

When we think back over our lives some of the people we remember the most vividly are our teachers. Teachers are important. They form us, they instruct us, they inspire us, and they shape our lives in countless ways. We would not be the people we are without their hard work and inspiration.

At one level Jesus, Christ is the greatest teacher humanity has ever had. This is because His mission was to proclaim the Kingdom of God and to educate humanity about it, so that we might flourish. Christ’s mission is rooted in the simple fact that God loves us. We may make plenty of mistakes, but nonetheless God comes to us, lives as one of us, and shows us how to live life in all its fulness.

The readings this morning outline two possibilities: living in accordance with God’s will, or living by our own desires. It is clear which is preferable, and which way leads to human flourishing. So we have the challenge set before us to live as children of God. It is not necessarily an easy path, and it may involve hardship and suffering. However, nothing worth achieving comes without effort, struggle, and even suffering. 

The prophet Jeremiah offers us a vision of what happens when we put our trust in God:

‘Bendigedig yw’r gŵr sy’n hyderu yn yr Arglwydd, a’r Arglwydd yn hyder iddo. Y mae fel pren a blannwyd ar lan dyfroedd, yn gwthio’i wreiddiau i’r afon, heb ofni gwres pan ddaw, a’i ddail yn ir; ar dymor sych ni prydera, ac ni phaid â ffrwytho’’

“Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.” (Jer 17:7-8)

Here we see an image of human flourishing. This is how things should be. Also, references to trees in the Bible tend to look backwards to the Garden of Eden, and forwards to the tree of Calvary. Salvation history starts with humanity taking the wrong path after an interaction with a tree, and reaches a climax with God using a tree to make things right again. When my best friend got someone he’d worked with in Syria over here, he took them out into the British countryside, and they wept, because they had never seen so much green: grass and trees, and water. Coming from the Middle East, they were used to dryness and desert. The prophet Jeremiah is showing how good things can be, and paving the way for the proclamation which lies at the heart of today’s readings.

In Luke’s Gospel we see the continuation of Christ’s ministry of teaching and healing. People come to Jesus because they want to know God. They have travelled from a wide area, and are a diverse group of people, all united by a common desire: to be closer to God. Unlike in Matthew’s account, here Jesus does not go up a mountain to teach, but comes down to where people are. There He proclaims the values of the Kingdom:

‘Gwyn eich byd chwi’r tlodion, oherwydd eiddoch chwi yw teyrnas Dduw’

“Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.” (Lk 6:20)

To be poor in the world’s eyes is to lack money, possessions, power, and influence. All these worldly things do not matter in the Kingdom of God. There those who are poor, those who recognise their complete dependance upon God, are truly rich. This is because they have the humility to let God be at work in them, and they rely upon God, rather than their own strength, which enables them to be transformed. Two thousand years ago the poor were looked down upon, and their poverty was blamed on sin or fecklessness. They were at the bottom of the pile. To say that the Kingdom of God belongs to such people is to make a truly radical statement, turning societal norms and expectations on their head. What Our Lord is proposing is literally world-changing. This is the Good News of Jesus Christ. 

However, Our Lord recognises that His radical vision will meet with opposition:

‘Gwyn eich byd pan fydd dynion yn eich casáu a’ch ysgymuno a’ch gwaradwyddo, a dirmygi eich enw fel peth drwg, o achos Mab y Dyn. Byddwch lawen y dydd hwnnw a llamwch o orfoledd, oherwydd, ystyriwch, y mae eich gwobr yn fawr yn y nef.’

“Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man! Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven.” (Lk 6:22-23)

To live the Christian life is to be different, to offer the world something new, something challenging, and something disturbing. It will be resisted, and it will lead to difficult times. Our reaction towards any persecution, however, is to be joy. At first sight this seems a little strange and it is definitely a challenge

Jesus then makes a series of four statements beginning with ‘Gwai chwi …Woe to you’. These parallel the earlier positive statements about the Kingdom and turn human values upside down. These speak to those people who trust in themselves, their riches and abilities, saying that all will not go well for them in the future. Those who will not listen to Jesus’ words, because they think they do not need to, will find out that they are wrong. 

In some important ways, Christianity looks dangerous and suspect to the world around us, and so it should. As Christians, we are not conformed to the ways of the world, but rather to the will of God. We do not simply go along with things, because that is what everyone does. Instead, we follow a higher authority. We cannot be bought off with baubles and trinkets, with wealth or power — the things of this world. This is because we acknowledge someone greater, namely God. We try to live as God wants us to live, acknowledging Him before all things. As Christians, there should be something different about us, something that others can see, something that reflects Christ.

Jesus died to reconcile us to God and each other, and He was raised from the dead to give humanity hope in the God who loves us. This hope inspired St Paul to preach the Good News, and it should inspire us as well. We are called to live out our faith in our lives. Our beliefs need to make a difference to who and what we are, so that others might see the truth of the Gospel. What we do here, today, in church helps us to follow in Jesus’ footsteps. We hear God’s word, and we are nourished by it. We pray together for the Church and the World, and those in need. In the Eucharist, Christ fill us with His grace to strengthen and transform us, and then sends us out into the world to love our neighbour.

May we, today and every day, live out and proclaim the coming of God’s Kingdom, so that the world may believe and give glory i 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.

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Candelmas 2025

As a child growing up in Wales in the 1980s, I was brought up with tales of rugby glory, which then (as now) seemed sadly lacking. We had won the Five Nations Championship eight times between 1969-1980, but it wasn’t until 2005 that I saw Wales win a Grand Slam. It was a long time to wait. As someone who has spend a large part of their life living in England, rugby mattered. It was part of my identity, I was proud to be Welsh, and I wanted them to win. I wanted more glory days.

Seeing glory return is at the heart of today’s celebration. Forty days after the birth of a first-born son, the Law of Moses required the sacrifice of two doves be made at the Temple. At the same time the mother was purified in a mikvah, a ritual bath. Today the Church celebrates the Presentation of Christ in the Temple, also known as the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and commonly called Candlemas. The name Candlemas comes from the fact that this is the day when the candles to be used in church over the coming year are traditionally blessed. This is so that they may burn as lights which proclaim Christ, the true Light, the light to lighten the world. Today, therefore has three different titles, but it is one feast. On February 2nd, Christians celebrate who and what Jesus Christ is, and what He does. We give thanks that in Him we see the glory of God. 

The account of presentation of Christ in the Temple begins with the obedience of Mary and Joseph, the Holy Family, as they follow the law of Moses. The focus then moves to Simeon:

‘dyn cyfiawn a duwiol oedd hwn, yn disgwyl am ddiddanwch Israel; ac yr oedd yr Ysbryd Glân arno. Yr oedd wedi cael datguddiad gan yr Ysbryd Glân na welai farwolaeth cyn gweld Meseia’r Arglwydd’

‘this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.’(Lk 2:25-26)

God has spoken to Simeon, telling him that during his lifetime he will see the Messiah, the consolation of Israel. This elderly holy man longs to see God put things right once again. And today the promise made to him by God, revealed through the Holy Spirit, has been fulfilled in the six-week-old infant he holds in his arms. Simeon can prepare to meet his maker happy in the knowledge that Salvation has dawned in this little child.

At Epiphany Christ was made manifest to the whole world. Now His saving message is proclaimed, so that all people may know that salvation has come in the person of Jesus Christ. The Glory of God has returned to the Temple. However, along with the joy there is sadness. Simeon speaks to the Blessed Virgin Mary of her Son’s future, and of the pain she will endure at the foot of the Cross. Before he dies Simeon is looking to the Cross, the vehicle of our salvation. It is at the Cross that Mary will stand to see humanity freed from its sin through God’s love and mercy. Through grace, the free gift of God in Christ.

Candlemas marks the conclusion of our celebration of Christmas. We now move on from the mystery of the Incarnation, to that which gives it its true meaning: the Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Candlemas is a preparation for the coming season of Lent. It changes our focus and attention from Jesus’ birth to His death, on the Cross.

The significance of what is happening is not only recognised by Simeon, but also by Anna. Anna is a woman who is close to God, a woman of prayer, a holy woman. She recognises what God is doing in Christ, and she proclaims it, so that God’s redemption of His people may be known. As Christians we are called to be like her. Our lives, everything that we say, or think, or do, should proclaim the saving truth of God’s love to the world. 

After leaving the Temple the Holy Family finally return to Nazareth. There Jesus begins to grow up, obedient to God and to His parents. In today’s Gospel we see all of human life — birth, death, work, and normality — all hallowed by the God who loves us, and who gives His Son for us. God shares our human life, as He will share our death, to restore us, to heal us.

For almost two thousand years Christians have celebrated the proclamation of the Glory of God through the Eucharist. This is the Thanksgiving which Our Lord entrusted to us, so that we can be nourished and healed by Him by partaking in His Body and Blood. We do this so that we might be transformed. Nourished by Word and Sacrament, we are sent out into the world to invite others to share the joy and love of the Lord. United with our brothers and sisters in every land we 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.

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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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Epiphany 2025

IN Britain there is a tradition that royal births are announced by a notice placed on an easel outside Buckingham Palace. When the present King was born in 1948 the notice read: ‘Buckingham Palace November 14th, The Princess Elizabeth, Duchess of Edinburgh was safely delivered of a prince at nine fourteen pm today. Her Royal Highness and her son are both doing well.’ Historically, royal births were witnessed by important people. They were public occasions rather than private ones. Everyone wants to know what is happening. 

Meanwhile, out in the East, in what is now modern day Iraq and Iran, astrologers noticed something in the sky. This phenomenon possibly involved Jupiter and either Saturn, or the star Regulus in the constellation Leo. It was a significant astronomical event, which signified a royal birth. These Magi travelled to Judaea, as that was the direction that the celestial sign was pointing them towards. As they were looking for a royal birth, their first stop was, naturally, the palace. When they arrived at Herod’s palace they asked:

‘Ble mae’r hwn a anwyd yn frenin yr Iddewon? Oherwydd gwelsom ei seren ef ar ei chyfodiad, a daethom i’w addoli.’

‘Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.’ (Mt 2:2)

They make a reasonable statement, but their words have a strange effect:

‘A phan glywodd y Brenin Herod hyn, cythruddwyd ef, a Jerwsalem i gyd gydag ef. Galwodd ynghyd yr holl brif offeiriaid ac ysgrifenyddion y bobl, a holi ganddynt ble yr oedd y Meseia i gael ei eni’

‘When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he enquired of them where the Christ was to be born’ (Mt 2:3-4)

News of a royal birth is troubling to Herod, an Aramean who bought the right to be king by paying the Romans. He was very concerned by questions of legitimacy because his own claim was based on shaky ground. Herod’s religious experts then explain where the child will be born, quoting a prophecy of Micah, which we heard on the Fourth Sunday of Advent:

“Ym Methlehem Jwdea, oherwydd felly yr ysgrifennwyd gan y proffwyd: ‘A thithau Bethlehem yng ngwlad Jwda, nid y lleiaf wyt ti o lawer ymysg tywysogion Jwda, canys ohonot ti y daw allan arweinydd a fydd yn fugail ar fy mhobl Israel.'”

‘In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet: “And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.”’ (Mt 2:5-6)

Bethlehem, the city of David, is where a King of the lineage of David will be born. A Davidic King poses a huge threat to Herod. There could be an uprising, and regime change. Herod needs to know what is going on. Since knowledge is power, he sends the Magi off to find the child and to report back.

What looks like a simple and straightforward enquiry is actually the first part of a plan to eliminate this potential threat to Herod’s rule. This will later be carried out in the Massacre of the Innocents — the wholesale slaughter of young male children in Bethlehem. Herod certainly has no intention of relinquishing his power, his behaviour is a sham. The Wise Men then leave the royal palace and head for Bethlehem.

‘a dyma’r seren a welsent ar ei chyfodiad yn mynd o’u blaen hyd nes iddi ddod ac aros uwchlaw’r man lle’r oedd y plentyn. A phan welsant y seren, yr oeddent yn llawen dros ben.’

‘And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.’ (Mt 2:9-10)

The Magi have journeyed hundreds of miles because they saw a celestial event. Now this heavenly light is above Bethlehem, and the travellers have reached the new-born King. 

‘Daethant i’r tŷ a gweld y plentyn gyda Mair ei fam; syrthiasant i lawr a’i addoli, ac wedi agor eu trysorau offrymasant iddo anrhegion, aur a thus a myrr.’

‘And going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshipped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.’ (Mt 2:11) 

Gold, frankincense, and myrrh seem to us unusual presents. They are, however, all expensive, costly, and precious things, and therefore suitable royal gifts. These offerings were prophesied by Isaiah: 

‘byddant i gyd yn cludo aur a thus, ac yn mynegi moliant yr Arglwydd.’

‘They shall bring gold and frankincense, and shall bring good news, the praises of the Lord’ (Isa 60:6)

Gold, is a precious metal, which is pure and does not tarnish. It is a gift fit for a king. Gold’s purity points to a life of perfect obedience, the pattern of how life should be lived. Incense, from Arabia, was offered to God in the Temple in Jerusalem. As the sweet-smelling smoke rose, it looked like prayers rising to God. Frankincense is a sign of worship, and honour, representing how humanity should respond to God. Myrrh was often a component of the ointment used for embalming bodies. These three gifts given at Jesus’ birth point to Christ’s kingly power, and His role in worship as our great High Priest, which leads to His to Death and Burial.

The Wise Men are warned by a dream not to go back to Herod, and not to tell him who Jesus is. This is because the Judean king does not want to worship Jesus, he wants to kill Him, and safeguard his own position. And so the unexpected visitors leave as mysteriously as they arrived. These pilgrims from afar gave Our Lord gifts which celebrate His Humanity and Divinity, and which look forward to His Death and Resurrection. The beginning of Jesus’ earthly life looks to its end, because it is all part of the outworking of salvation history.

The events that we are celebrating today were prophesied by Isaiah in the first reading this morning:

‘Cod, llewyrcha, oherwydd daeth dy oleuni; llewyrchodd gogoniant yr Arglwydd arnat.’

‘Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you’ (Isa 60:1)

The birth of the Messiah is a sign of God’s glory, and the salvation He will bring for all people: 

‘Fe ddaw’r cenhedloedd at dy oleuni, a brenhinoedd at ddisgleirdeb dy wawr.’

‘And nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising’ (Isa 60:3)

These pilgrims are the Magi, the Wise Men, the Kings who represent the entire Gentile (non-Jewish) World. They have come to worship God born among us. The travellers recognise who it is they have come to see, and their gifts fulfil Isaiah’s prophecy. What might appear strange at first sight is, in fact, both apt and right: to worship God and honour a King, and to recognise the Saviour in their midst. Today, the World recognises the Birth of Jesus Christ, and the mystery of salvation is proclaimed to all.

Likewise, as we celebrate the Feast of the Epiphany, we also look forward.Both to Our Lord’s Baptism in the River Jordan and to His first miracle at the Wedding at Cana. Christ, He who is without sin shows humanity how to be freed from sin and to have new life in Him.

So, today, as we continue to celebrate Jesus’ birth, let us raise our voices to join with the wise men in giving 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.

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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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Christ the King 2024

LIVING on the edge of Western Europe it is not surprising that many British people have something of a fascination with the Roman Empire. In the first century AD, the Romans conquered Britain and ruled here for nearly four hundred years. They gave us many things: including straight roads, plumbing and under-floor heating, and founded towns many towns such as Carmarthen. Just off Priory Street in Carmarthen are the remains of a Roman amphitheatre which could hold about five thousand spectators. It isn’t quite the size of Colosseum in Rome — and it is highly unlikely that it was ever flooded to stage a mock sea-battle — but it is a reminder of how far Roman influence stretched. 

Rome was an empire, with an emperor at its head. The bad emperors are generally portrayed as cruel autocrats in films like Gladiator. However, these depictions tend to gloss over the fact that these emperors were worshipped as  being divine. One of their first acts on accession to the throne would be for the new Emperor to declare their predecessor, or father, a God. They would then be referred to as ‘DIVI FILIVS’, ‘Son of a god’, ‘Fab duw’. This feels alien to us, because we are Christians, and we are followers of Jesus, the Son of God the Father, the Creator and Sustainer of us all. 

In this morning’s Gospel, Jesus is in Pilate’s headquarters, being questioned, before He is condemned to death on the Cross. Since Our Lord’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem a few days earlier, He has been hailed as the Davidic King, the Messiah. This is viewed as a clear challenge to Herod, and thus to the Roman occupation. Pilate is afraid of an insurrection leading to a rebellion and a change of government, all of which could mean his own death. So he asks Jesus:

“Ai ti yw Brenin yr Iddewon?”

“Are you the King of the Jews?” (Jn 18:33)

Our Lord does not answer, but instead asks Pilate a question:

“Ai ohonot dy hun yr wyt ti’n dweud hyn, ai ynteu eraill a ddywedodd hyn wrthyt amdanaf fi?”

“Do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about me?” (Jn 18:34)

Pilate then replies:

“Dy genedl dy hun a’i phrif offeiriaid sydd wedi dy drosglwyddo di i mi. Beth wnaethost ti?”

“Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered you over to me. What have you done?” (Jn 18:35)

The back and forth is an attempt by the Roman Governor to see if there is substance to the charges, and to see whether Jesus will confess, or whether evidence can be gleaned, which would substantiate the accusation against Him. This leads Our Lord to make the following declaration:

“Nid yw fy nheyrnas i o’r byd hwn. Pe bai fy nheyrnas i o’r byd hwn, byddai fy ngwasanaethwyr i yn ymladd, rhag imi gael fy nhrosglwyddo i’r Iddewon. Ond y gwir yw, nid dyma darddle fy nheyrnas i.”

“My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.” (Jn 18:36)

Jesus Christ is not an earthly king, concerned with power, honour, wealth, and prestige, but rather a heavenly one, seeking to establish the Kingdom of God in the hearts and minds of men, women, and children. He seeks to build a kingdom of peace, love, and joy, and of healing and reconciliation. Pilate fails to grasp the nuance of Jesus’ proclamation, and instead focuses on what Jesus says, rather than what He means.

‘Yna meddai Pilat wrtho, “Yr wyt ti yn frenin, ynteu?”’

‘Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?”’ (Jn 18:37)

The Roman Governor is concerned with law, and not theology. He takes Our Lord’s words as a statement that Christ considers Himself a King, and that the charges against Him are true. So Jesus makes the following reply:

“Ti sy’n dweud fy mod yn frenin,” atebodd Iesu. “Er mwyn hyn yr wyf fi wedi cael fy ngeni, ac er mwyn hyn y deuthum i’r byd, i dystiolaethu i’r gwirionedd. Y mae pawb sy’n perthyn i’r gwirionedd yn gwrando ar fy llais i.”

“You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” (Jn 18:37)

Christ’s purpose is to bear witness to the truth, that He is God, and is calling people to repent and believe in Him. Pilate, however, is not listening to Jesus. The Governor focuses on the surface meaning, ignoring the truth beneath Christ’s words. And yet the truth will out in the end. A few hours later Our Lord will be crucified and the title fixed to the Cross will read: ‘Iesu o Nasareth, Brenin yr Iddewon’, ‘Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews’, in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek. In this way Pilate will proclaim Christ’s Kingship to the whole world. Because of this all people can see and know what a true King looks like; not robed in splendour in a palace, but nailed to a Cross, and dying the death ascribed to a criminal. In His Passion and Death, Christ bears witness to the truth, namely that:

‘Do, carodd Duw y byd gymaint nes iddo roi ei unig Fab, er mwyn i bob sy’n credu ynddo ef beidio â mynd i ddistryw ond cael bywyd tragwyddol. Oherwydd nid i gondemnio’r byd yr anfonodd Duw ei Fab i’r byd, ond er mwyn i’r byd gael ei achud trwyddo ef.’

‘God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God sent the Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.’ (Jn 3:16-17) 

This is what real kingship looks like: selfless love and sacrifice. This is what Jesus offers the world in the Eucharist — His self-giving love with the power to transform the world. God gives Himself to us, so the world can share Eternal Life in Him. It is not about acquiring and displaying wealth, power, or privilege — things of this world. Instead, as Christians, we look to God and Heaven, as both the source of our being and as our eternal home.

To acknowledge Christ’s kingship is to do something truly radical. It is to say to those with worldly power, ‘We recognize something far greater and more powerful than you!’ This is a profound political act, which terrifies those who are insecure, just as it terrified Pilate and Herod. As followers of Jesus we have built the house of our faith on the rock which is Christ, and not the shifting sands of this world. 

So, my brothers and sisters, let us acknowledge Christ as our King. Let us serve Him, filled with His love for us, and for all people. Let this love form a Kingdom with God as its head. And as citizens of God’s Kingdom let us 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 before Pilate (First interview) Brooklyn Museum
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Trinity XXV

WHEN I was first ordained, I lived in a house in Leicestershire. One of the previous residents, an Italian lady, planted a fig tree against the rear wall of the garage, which faced due south. Provided that I could keep the wasps and birds at bay, it was possible in the summer to enjoy ripe figs plucked fresh from the tree. What feels like an exotic treat in this country is a common fruit around the Mediterranean. They are a good indicator of the approach of summer, when fig trees put out buds and leaves you know that winter is over and warmer weather is on its way. As Christians we need to be alert, and read the signs given to us.

In this morning’s Gospel, Jesus is in Jerusalem, explaining to His disciples what will happen before the Last Judgement. As we approach the beginning of a new liturgical year, we start to look towards Advent with its theme of Christ’s coming, both as a baby in Bethlehem, and as the Judge of all. The Jewish Scriptures, especially the prophetic writings, contain visions of the end times — of conflict followed by judgement, which will see all things set aright by God. 

‘Bydd llawer o’r rhai sy’n cysgu yn llwch y ddaear yn deffro, rhai i fywyd tragwyddol, a rhai i waradwydd a dirmyg tragwyddol.’

‘And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.’ (Dan 12:2)

Such a vision sounds stark, and even a little troubling, but when we remember that the God whom we worship is loving and merciful, then we do not need to be afraid. This passage speaks of the resurrection of the dead, so here for the first time the hope of eternal life is offered to God’s people: 

‘A’r pryd hwnnw gwelant Fab y Dyn yn dyfod yn y cymylau gyda nerth mawr a gogoniant. Ac yna’r anfona ei angylion a chynnull ei etholedigion o’r pedwar gwynt, o eithaf y ddaear hyd at eithaf y nef.’

‘And then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. And then he will send out the angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.’ (Mk 13:26-27)

Christ’s vision of the end times is in complete agreement with Daniel’s — set out in today’s first reading. Jesus explains what will come to pass so that the disciples can understand who God is, and prepare for the Day of the Lord. This is the last fixed point in time. The previous one is Christ’s Death and Resurrection. 

Our Lord once again uses an illustration from the natural world. When the fig tree develops leaves you know that summer is close at hand. Similarly, before Jesus comes again, there will be clear signs. ‘But when will this be?’ you might ask. I cannot tell you. No-one knows, except God the Father. Given this fact, there is no point in worrying about which day it will be: today, tomorrow, or hundreds of years in the future. We will know when the day has arrived, even if we currently do not know how we will know this. Christ will come as our Saviour and our loving and merciful Judge. He died on the Cross and rose from the dead on Easter Day so that we can be sure of the forgiveness of our sins and our resurrection to eternal life in Him. 

None of us deserve a place in Heaven. However, God is gentle and generous, and forgives our sins when we make a mess of things. When we say ‘sorry’ He gives us another chance. We keep on making mistakes, and God keeps on forgiving us, giving us countless opportunities to do what God wants us to do. I find such generosity amazing. God’s love goes far beyond what we can understand or expect. We experience it day by day, week by week, in the Eucharist. Here Jesus gives us Himself, by His Body and Blood, to take away our sins, and to transform us into Him, preparing us for the joy of Heaven. The Eucharist offersus a foretaste of the joy that is to come.  

As the writer of the Letter to the Hebrews puts it:

‘Oherwydd ag un offrwm y mae wedi perffeithio am byth y rhai a sancteiddir.’

‘For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.’ (Heb 10:14)

Christ’s offering of Himself makes us holy. That offering is made present in the Eucharist, which is why we celebrate it. Jesus told us to do this, so that might be fed by Him, and sanctified by Him. 

So my brothers and sisters in Christ, let us be nourished by Him in Word and Sacrament. Let us look forward to the joys of Heaven, and be filled with the love of God and love of our neighbours. Let this love form who we are and what we do. And let us also 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 speaks near the Treasury (Brooklyn Museum)
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Trinity XXII – Living the life of Faith

To the sighted, the experience of being blind is difficult to imagine. We hear that the other senses are often stronger in those with minimal or no sight. The former Home Secretary, David Blunkett, blind from birth, was once heard to comment on the quality of a pass made during a football game. When he was asked how he knew, he replied that the sound of the kick and the reaction of the crowd meant that it must have been a good ball from a player to a teammate.

In this morning’s Gospel, Jesus and His disciples arrive at Jericho. They have walked about seventy miles from the Sea of Galilee, presumably down the Jordan River Valley, and are fast approaching Jerusalem. As the group leaves the town of Jericho they meet some beggars by the roadside. One of them is a blind man named Bartimaeus. On learning that Jesus is passing by, he cries out:

“Iesu, Fab Dafydd, trugarha wyrthyf.”

“Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” (Mk 10:47)

Bartimaeus somehow recognises Jesus as the Messiah and asks Him for mercy. We do the same at the beginning of every Eucharist when we say, ‘Christe eleison, Crist trugarha, Christ have mercy’. The cries of Bartimaeus annoy the people around him, who tell him to be quiet and to stop causing a commotion. However, Bartimaeus does not listen to them. Instead he cries out all the more:

“Fab Dafydd, trugarha wrthyf.”

“Son of David, have mercy on me!” (Mk 10:48)

Bartimaeus is desperate. He longs for God’s mercy, and he longs for healing. Though he may be blind, Bartimaeus can see what many others cannot: that Jesus is the Messiah, the one who will heal and restore Israel. His faith in Jesus and his insistence pay off, as Jesus stops and asks to see him. 

Taflodd yntau ei fantell oddi arno, llamu ar ei draed a dod at Iesu. Cyfarchodd Iesu ef a dweud, “Beth yr wyt ti am i mi ei wneud iti?” Ac meddai’r dyn dall wrtho, “Rabbwni, y mae arnaf eisiau cael fy ngolwg yn ôl.”

And throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. And Jesus said to him, “What do you want me to do for you?” And the blind man said to him, “Rabbi, let me recover my sight.” (Mk 10:50-51)

Bartimaeus does not want to beg for alms, he wants to see again, and he trusts Jesus to be able to help him. As he moves towards the Messiah, the blind man drops his cloak. This is his most valuable possession: the one thing that kept him warm and dry. He gives up everything for Jesus.

Dywedodd Iesu wrtho, “Dos, y mae dy ffydd wedi dy iacháu di.” A chafodd ei olwg yn ôl yn y fan, a dechreuodd ei ganlyn ef ar hyd y ffordd.

And Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him on the way. (Mk 10:52)

Without even touching Bartimaeus, Jesus heals him. It is because of his trust and faith in Christ, that Bartimaeus is healed. Note that instead of rushing off, Bartimaeus follows the Saviour, and starts living the life of faith there and then. He is healed and immediately becomes a follower of Jesus. When he was blind Bartimaeus longed for the light and now he follows Jesus, the Light of the world. This healing miracle becomes a story of faith, and in that faith we too can follow Bartimaeus’ example.

The first believers in Jesus were known as followers of The Way, (Acts 9:2) and this is what Bartimaeus becomes. He follows Jesus on the way, both literally and metaphorically. He trusts Jesus, he has faith in Him, and he follows Him. In Mark’s Gospel the story of Bartimaeus acts as a bridge between the teaching and miracles of Jesus’ ministry in Galilee and His time in Jerusalem leading up to His death. Christ will enter Jerusalem on a donkey, as the Messiah, and will teach the people of Jerusalem how to follow God, fulfilling the hope and expectation of the prophets. Bartimaeus’ faith allows him to recognize the Messiah. The people of Jerusalem, on the other hand, cannot see that Jesus is the Christ, the Anointed One. They are blind to the Truth.

We too are ‘on The Way’, followers of Jesus who long for the same healing and restoration that takes Bartimaeus from being a beggar to becoming a disciple. We are called to be like Bartimaeus and to trust in Christ to be at work in our lives: transforming us, helping us to see the true way, and helping us to follow Him. Jesus, whose name means ‘God saves’ ‘Yeshua’, is in Jericho. In the Old Testament Joshua conquers Jericho. While in the New Testament, Jesus brings healing to this city. Through His Son, God is saving His people, who respond like Bartimaeus by following Him.

Today, in Mark’s Gospel, we see prophecy fulfilled. The Messiah has come to restore the faithful and to bring the healing for which each individual deeply longs. Christ offers the world healing and restoration. All we have to do is to accept His offer and follow Him, casting off the things that hold us back. We are called to follow both the lead and the example of Jesus as we make our journey through life.

So my brothers and sisters in Christ, let us follow Jesus on The Way, and live out God’s love, and mercy in our own lives. As we do so, let us 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.

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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 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)
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Trinity XIII: Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life!

LIFE in the twenty-first century seems to involve an ever-increasing amount of decisions. If we want to buy a cup of coffee we have to make many quick decisions about size, strength, type of coffee, milk, sugar, etc. It can be quite exhausting. Our readings this week focus on the choices and decisions people make. To follow the Christian faith is something we choose to do. We choose to trust God, we are not forced to. The decision to follow Christ is the most important choice we ever make. It affects both our life on earth and in the hereafter.

This morning’s first reading is an account of the renewal of the covenant between God and Israel brought about by Joshua at Shechem. The people of Israel are asked if they want to worship God and follow his laws. Joshua makes his position clear:

“But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

“Ond byddaf fi a’m teulu yn gwasanaethu’r Arglwydd.” (Josh 24:15)

The people of Israel follow his example and renew their covenant with God:

“Therefore we also will serve the Lord, for he is our God.”

“Yr ydym ninnau hefyd am wasanaethu’r Arglwydd, oherwydd ef yw ein Duw.” (Josh 24:18)

Their religious faith is a conscious act of the will. They choose to serve the God who has saved them. God has shown that He is their God.

In a similar way, the events of Chapter 6 of St John’s Gospel happen around the time of Passover, the festival which marks Israel’s deliverance from slavery in Egypt and the start of their journey to the Promised Land. This is a key moment in Salvation history. Our Lord has been teaching about the Bread of Life, and stressing the importance of eating His flesh and drinking His blood. Such teaching was difficult for a Jewish audience to hear, as it violated fundamental principles of their dietary laws. 

When many of his disciples heard it, they said, “This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?”

Wedi iddynt ei glywed, meddai llawer o’i ddisgyblion, “Geiriau caled yw’r rhain. Pwy all wrando arnynt?” (Jn 6:60)

Jesus is teaching in a synagogue in Capernaum, and those present are not used to this kind of instruction. It turns everything they know on its head. In Hebrew the word for flesh (baśar) and the word for good news, glad tidings, or the Gospel(besorah), sound similar. Such word-play is intentional, and may be linked to the Hebrew Wisdom tradition, such as we heard last week in the Book of Proverbs. Our Lord does not, however, back down, or change His teaching, but instead develops it further:

“Do you take offence at this? Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. But there are some of you who do not believe.”

“A yw hyn yn peri tramgwydd i chwi? Beth ynteu os gwelwch Fab y Dyn yn esgyn i’r lle’r oedd o’r blaen? Yr Ysbryd sy’n rhoi bywyd; nid yw’r cnawd yn tycio dim. Y mae’r geiriau yr wyf fi wedi eu llefaru wrthych yn ysbryd ac yn fywyd. Ac eto y mae rhai ohonoch sydd heb gredu.” (Jn 6:61-64)

Having described the Institution of the Eucharist as a way of understanding His Passion and Death, Jesus goes on to talk about events after His Resurrection, namely His Ascension, and the Sending of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. These are all linked, because they form the culmination of Salvation History. This is the Good News of Jesus Christ. This is God saving His people, the outworking of the covenant at Shechem into the New Covenant of Our Lord and Saviour. However its proclamation does not draw people to Jesus, instead it has the opposite effect:

After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. So Jesus said to the Twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?”

O’r amser hwn trodd llawer o’i ddisgyblion yn eu holau a pheidio mwyach â mynd o gwmpas gydag ef. Yna gofynnodd Iesu i’r Deuddeg, “A ydych chwithau hefyd, efallai, am fy ngadael?” (Jn 6:66-67)

Jesus does not force people to follow Him. Then, as now, the choice to follow (or not follow) Christ is a personal decision made freely by each individual. Our Lord asks the Twelve if they want to leave as well, which leads to the following declaration of faith by St Peter:

Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.”

Atebodd Simon Pedr ef, “Arglwydd, at bwy yr awn ni? Y mae geiriau bywyd tragwyddol gennyt ti, ac yr ydym ni wedi dod i gredu a gwybod mai ti yw Sanct Duw.” (Jn 6:68-69)

Simon Peter trusts Our Lord. He expresses that faith and trust. No-one else can offer what Jesus does, because He is God. Only God can make such incredible claims. To be a Christian is to make the same confession as Peter, and to have the same hope of eternal life in and through Jesus Christ. 

Jesus’ teaching is hard to accept, and difficult to understand, but we can experience it, when we receive Holy Communion. For Peter, and for us, belief precedes knowledge. We believe and then we come to understand.

Faith revolves around the question of commitment. It involves love and sacrifice — the two go hand in hand. This is what marriage is all about, and commitment also describes God’s relationship with us, and ours with God. It will see Jesus die on the Cross for us, to show us just how much God loves us, and wants to restore our relationship with Him, and with each other. To be close to God is wonderful, but it isn’t something God forces us into: we may choose to accept God’s love, or to refuse it. This love is freely given.

St Paul’s advice to the Christians in Ephesus is another difficult text, which revolves around making a choice. For St Paul, Christian marriage is all about loving service of one another, as demonstrated by Christ. Jesus lays down His life for us, so we should do the same for each other. Thus, in marriage in particular, and in society in general, loving service and self-sacrifice are the ways by which we should live. It is a generous form of life, because its model is Jesus, the most unselfish person ever, who created all that there is, and who redeemed it by offering His life as a ransom for many. We see this on the Cross and we commemorate it in the Eucharist, where Christ continues to feed us —His people— with Himself, so that we might have life in Him.

So, my brothers and sister in Christ, let us follow the example of St Peter and St Paul in trusting Jesus and being fed with Him, to prepare us for Heaven. Let us demonstrate our commitment by singing 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.

Jesus Teaches in the Synagogues – James Tissot (Brooklyn Museum)
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Trinity XII: The Bread of Life

THE poet Robert Browning once wrote: ‘If thou tastest a crust of bread, thou tastest all the stars and all the heavens’. This connection between bread and Heaven is the subject of today’s Gospel.

Our Lord has been teaching His followers about the Bread of Life. This is a topic which He returns to at the Last Supper. Seated with His disciples, Jesus says, ‘This is My Body’ ‘hwn yw nghorff’ and ‘This is My Blood’ ‘hwn yw fy ngwaed i’. He means what He says. For a hundred thousand successive Sundays the Church has followed Christ’s instruction to ‘do this in memory of me’. Not simply as a memorial, but to feed God’s people with God Himself: Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity. To transform us, and prepare us for Heaven.

During the Roman Empire, when the Church was persecuted, followers of Jesus were accused of three false things. Firstly, atheism, because of their refusal to believe in, or worship pagan gods. Secondly, incest, because Christians called each other brother and sister, and loved each other. Thirdly, cannibalism — Christians were accused of eating human flesh. These last two charges are rooted in a misunderstanding of Christian worship. They are also evidence that, from the beginning, Christians were gathering for worship and consuming the Body and Blood of Christ.

Christ is being controversial when He teaches the people,

“I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live for ever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”

“Myfi yw’r bara bywiol hwn a ddisgynnodd o’r nef. Caiff pwy bynnag sy’n bwyta o’r bara hwn fyw am byth. A’r bara sydd gennyf fi i’w roi yw fy nghnawd; a’i roi a wnaf dros fywyd y byd.” (Jn 6:51)

Our Lord is greater than the manna which God sent down to the Israelites during their wanderings in the desert. He is living bread. He is the bread which gives eternal life. God shares Himself with us, so that we might live in Him. But Christ’s teaching is deeply problematic for His audience. Jewish law prohibited the consumption of blood and human flesh. So what Jesus is proposing is impossible for His followers to accept. It is something that they cannot do, and yet they are told that they must. 

Jesus then repeats His teaching. He explains that anyone who wants to have life, needs to eat His Flesh and drink His Blood. Christ invites believers to the Eucharist and, in doing so, pledges to them that they will share in His Resurrection:

‘Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.’

‘Y mae gan y sawl sy’n bwyta fy nghnawd i ac yn yfed fy ngwaed i fywyd tragwyddol, a byddaf fi’n ei atgyfodi yn y dydd olaf.’ (Jn 6:54)

The purpose of the Eucharist is to transform us, to give us Eternal Life in Christ, so that we are part of Him. United with God and incorporated with Him forever.  As the bread is broken, and the wine is poured, so Jesus suffers and dies on the Cross. Our Lord’s Passion, Death and Resurrection are the core of our faith as Christians. In them we see how much God loves us. God’s love is freely given. We do not earn it, we do not deserve it; yet it is given to us. It is through Divine love that we may grow into something better, something greater, something more Christ-like. Such is the power of God’s sacrificial love at work in our lives. This is the treasure which we have come here to receive today. If it were ordinary food then we would eat it, and remain unchanged. But, instead, we who eat the Bread of Heaven are united with Christ. This is strong food! 

The Book of Proverbs speaks of Wisdom, which in the Christian tradition is identified with Christ, the Word made Flesh. Wisdom issues an invitation. She has constructed a house — the Church — and she has built seven pillars — the sacraments of the Church — the means of God’s grace to be active in our lives. The people of God are called to eat and drink, to live, and to walk in the way of wisdom, by following Jesus Christ. The message of New Testament is prefigured in the Hebrew Scriptures, which point to — and find their fulfilment in — Jesus Christ. He is the Wisdom of God, and the Word made Flesh. Christ’s invitation is an echo of the words of the Book of Proverbs:

“Come, eat of my bread and drink of the wine I have mixed. Leave your simple ways, and live, and walk in the way of insight.”

“Dewch, bwytewch gyda mi, ac yfwch y gwin a gymysgais. Gadewch eich gwiriondeb, ichwi gael byw; rhodiwch yn ffordd deall.” (Prov 9:5-6)

Throughout the Scriptures God issues an invitation to His people to be nourished, and walk in the way of truth. So my brothers and sisters in Christ, let us come to the banquet of the Lord, the feast of the Kingdom. May God’s grace transform us more and more into His likeness, and give us eternal life in Him. In the name of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Amen.

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Trinity VIII – ‘Like Sheep without a Shepherd’

Most of us who drive around these parts are used to slowing down or swerving to avoid a sheep on the road. Whether it is the warm tarmac, or a tasty morsel nearby, sheep are happy to lie down or move without any thought of the cars around them. These animals are often characterised as being foolish, stubborn, and easily led. Sheep need shepherds, to keep them safe and healthy, to watch over them, and to protect them from danger. Sheep, therefore, may not, at first glance, be the most flattering metaphor to use for God’s people (both as the people of Israel and the Church) but they represent an ancient image, with deep resonance in Scripture. David, Israel’s second king, was taken from the sheep-folds, and God is described as a shepherd in Psalm 23: ‘The Lord is my shepherd’. This image speaks of a relationship of love and care, and of someone who protects us from harm, and who is willing to defend us at all costs. This points to Jesus: the Good Shepherd, who lays down his life for us on Calvary.

The first reading this morning is taken from the prophet Jeremiah, who is castigating the leaders of Israel. According to the prophet, they have failed to look after God’s people: 

“Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture!” declares the Lord. 

“Gwae chwi fugeiliaid, sydd yn gwasgaru defaid fy mhorfa ac yn eu harwain ar grwydr,” medd yr Arglwydd (Jer 23:1)

The Kings and Priests of Israel are supposed to act as shepherds, and protect and care for their flock. But they are not true shepherds because they exercise power selfishly, driving away and destroying the sheep. Such leaders seek power for its own sake, to make themselves feel grand and important. They become cruel and selfish. These types of rulers do not care for the well-being of their people. Jeremiah then contrasts the leaders who fail to look after the people, with God who loves and cares for them.

“Then I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven them, and I will bring them back to their fold, and they shall be fruitful and multiply. I will set shepherds over them who will care for them, and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall any be missing,” declares the Lord.

“Yr wyf fi am gasglu ynghyd weddill fy mhraidd o’r holl wledydd lle y gyrrais hwy, a’u dwyn drachefn i’w corlan; ac fe amlhânt yn ffrwythlon. Gosodaf arnynt fugeiliaid a’u bugeilia, ac nid ofnant mwyach, na chael braw; ac ni chosbir hwy,” medd yr Arglwydd. (Jer 23:3-4)

The prophet then speaks of a future when God will ‘raise up for David a righteous branch’ ‘y cyfodaf i Ddafydd Flaguryn cyfiawn’ (Jer 23:5). This is understood as pointing to Jesus, the righteous King, sent by God to care for His people.

Meanwhile, in this morning’s Gospel, the disciples return to Jesus, after having been sent out  in pairs to preach, teach, and heal. Once they have told the Lord what they have done, He replies:

“Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.”

“Dewch chwi eich hunain o’r neilltu i le unig a gorffwyswch am dipyn.” (Mk 6:31)

Jesus understands that for ministry to be effective there needs to be a balance between action, rest, and reflection. Otherwise, the disciples will end up exhausted, as their pastoral ministry is demanding:

‘For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat.’

‘Oherwydd yr oedd llawer yn mynd a dod, ac nid oedd cyfle iddynt hyd yn oed i fwyta.’ (Mk 6:32)

Clearly the apostles need time to rest and to have some food. They also need time to learn from Jesus, and to take care of the people. Our Lord takes them by boat to a secluded spot, but they are recognised, and crowds run to greet them. It looks like the situation is about to be repeated, when Jesus intervenes:

‘When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And he began to teach them many things.’

‘Pan laniodd Iesu gwelodd dyrfa fawr, a thosturiodd wrthynt am eu bod fel defaid heb fugail; a dechreuodd ddysgu llawer iddynt.’ (Mk 6:34)

‘Like sheep without a shepherd’ ‘fel defaid heb fugail’ these are people in great need. They have heard the proclamation of the Kingdom of God, and they come to learn more, to be healed, and to be fed and nourished. Christ recognizes their longings and ministers to them, giving His disciples an opportunity to eat and rest. Jeremiah’s prophecy is fulfilled by Our Lord, and the people of Israel are cared for. They are loved, and they are nourished. When their needs were not met by their political and religious leaders, they turn to Christ, the Good Shepherd, who looks after God’s people. 

On the Cross, the Good Shepherd lays down His life for His sheep. This sacrifice lies at the heart of St Paul’s message to the Ephesians in this morning’s second reading. Jesus gives humanity life through His suffering and death. On the night before He died He told us, His flock, what to do, so that God’s people might continue to be fed and nourished by Him, and with Him. Our Lord continues to care for us, because He loves us. God gives Himself to us, so that we might share in His life, and be transformed by His Grace, more and more into His likeness. 

So, my brothers and sisters in Christ, let us rejoice that we are nourished and cared for by the true Shepherd of our souls. Let us prepare for the banquet of the Kingdom, by allowing God’s grace to transform us. And let us 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.

James Tissot – He sent them out two by two (Brooklyn Museum)
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Trinity I

THE novel by Robert Llewellyn —‘How green was my valley’ — reached millions through its 1941 film adaptation by John Ford. Telling the story of a family in a South Wales mining community, it criticises the unjust labour practises of the early twentieth century. Earlier in 1887 the historian Lord Acton wrote to the Professor of Ecclesiastical History at the University of Cambridge, saying that, ‘Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.’ While this maxim now tends to be applied generally, it was originally a comment on religious institutions in general, and the medieval Papacy in particular. The truth of this statement is a reflection on our fallen human nature.

In the Gospels we often see Our Lord come into conflict with the Scribes, Priests, and Pharisees. These religious leaders are depicted as being more concerned with power and prestige than with the worship of Almighty God. If Religion is important then there will be a status attached to its ministers. They, therefore, have a responsibility to use this status for good, and to bring people closer to God.

In today’s Gospel it is the Sabbath, a day of rest. Jesus and His disciples are travelling, and the Pharisees notice that some of them have plucked ears of corn to eat. The Pharisees ask Our Lord:

‘Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?’

‘Edrych, pam y maent yn gwneud peth sy’n groes i’r Gyfraith ar y Saboth?’  (Mk 2:24)

Jews are forbidden from doing any work on Sabbath, and the harvesting of grain, no matter how little, counts as work. This appears to be a clear-cut case, but Jesus replies as follows:

‘Have you never read what David did, when he was in need and was hungry, he and those who were with him: how he entered the house of God, in the time of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and also gave it to those who were with him?’

‘Onid ydych chwi erioed wedi darllen beth a wnaeth Dafydd, pan oedd mewn angen, ac eisiau bwyd arno ef a’r rhai oedd gydag ef? Sut yr aeth i mewn i dŷ Dduw, yn amser Abiathar yr archoffeiriad, a bwyta’r torthau cysegredig nad yw’n gyfreithlon i neb eu bwyta ond yr offeiriaid; ac fe’u rhoddodd hefyd i’r rhai oedd gydag ef?’ (Mk 2:25-26)

This story is recounted in 1Samuel 21:1-7. By referring to it Our Lord is making the point that if David’s actions were acceptable, then why is such a fuss being made about the disciples plucking a few ears of corn. Jesus underlines this by pointing out that:

‘The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath’

‘Y Saboth a wnaethpwyd er mwyn dyn, ac nid dyn er mwyn y Saboth’ (Mk 2:27)

The legalism of the Pharisees has led them to forget what the Sabbath is really about: rest. The point of having a Sabbath is to ensure that people have a day of rest. Instead this day has become bound up with rules and observances which neither honour God, nor encourage humanity to rest. 

Jesus and His disciples arrive at a synagogue where there is a man with a withered hand. Clearly this is another opportunity for the legalism of the Pharisees to come to the fore.

‘And they watched Jesus, to see whether he would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse him.’

‘Ac yr oeddent â’u llygaid arno i weld a fyddai’n iacháu’r dyn ar y Saboth, er mwyn cael cyhuddiad i’w ddwyn yn ei erbyn.’ (Mk 3:2)

Rather than rejoicing that God has performed a miracle, and that a man with a disability has been healed, all the Pharisees can see is an opportunity to complain about rule-breaking, and to bring an accusation against Jesus. Our Lord calls the man to Him, and says to the Pharisees:

‘Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill?’

‘A yw’n gyfreithlon gwneud da ar y Saboth, ynteu gwneud drwg, achub bywyd, ynteu lladd?’ (Mk3:4)

They give no reply because they know that in order to save a life one may break every rule regarding the observance of the Sabbath. Jesus’ knowledge and interpretation of Jewish Scripture and Law is superior to theirs. Our Lord then asks the man to stretch out his hand, and he is miraculously healed. No law has been broken. Instead someone who was suffering, and who was probably shunned and made an outcast in society, has been cured and brought back into the fold of the community. God’s power to heal and restore humanity has been displayed. The Kingdom of God has been announced in deed.  

The response of the religious authorities is telling. Do they rejoice at this miracle? The answer is definitely no.

‘The Pharisees went out and immediately held counsel with the Herodians against him, how to destroy him.’

‘Ac fe aeth y Phariseaid allan ar eu hunion a chynllwyn â’r Herodianiaid yn ei erbyn, sut i’w ladd.’ (Mk 3:6)

The Pharisees have formed an alliance with a priestly party, keen on political independence. Both sides share a common aim — to get rid of Jesus. This is because He represents a threat to their power. Our Lord’s words and actions are understood by the Pharisees as an assault on their privileged position, with their innate goodness being ignored. From the start of His public ministry, Christ faces opposition from people who want Him dead. They think that they can destroy Jesus, and that will be the end of the matter, whereas it will only be the beginning. Our Lord will die on a Cross, but will be raised to new life at Easter. Calvary and the Empty Tomb are the salvation of humanity, part of God’s plan.

As Christians we gather on the Lord’s Day, the first day of the week, to celebrate Christ’s Death and Resurrection. By means of the Eucharist, we do that which Jesus commanded us to do until He comes again. For one hundred thousand successive Sundays the faithful have gathered to share in Holy Communion, because it matters, it is important. We are fed with the Bread of Angels, with the Body and Blood of Christ, so that we may be healed and given a foretaste of Heaven.

So, my brothers and sisters, let us rejoice in the healing salvation of Christ. Let us proclaim the Good News, so that all people 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 – The Man with a withered hand (Brooklyn Museum)
Tissot: The Disciples Eat Wheat on the Sabbath (Brooklyn Museum)
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Easter VI

CHRISTIANITY is a religion which has at its heart a number of paradoxes. The Good News of the Kingdom of God is both simple and straightforward. But it is also difficult and complex. The basic theory is simple: ‘Love God, and love your neighbour’ ‘Câr Duw a Châr dy gymydog’. However, when we try to do this, we find that the practice is a little more complicated than the theory.

The Gospel passage for today is all about love. According to St Thomas Aquinas, ‘Love is… willing the good of the other.’ ‘Mae cariad ewyllysio y Dda o’r eraill’ [(STh I-II, q.26 a.4, CCC 1766) Respondeo dicendum quod, sicut Philosophus dicit in II Rhetoric, amare est velle alicui bonum]. To love, then, is not simply an act of passion or emotion — something which we feel — but it is also something which we choose to do. As Christians, we want to see others flourish, and we work towards that end. Love takes effort.

Jesus’ teaching is clear:

“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.”

“Dyma fy ngorchymyn i: carwch eich gilydd fel y cerais i chwi. Nid oes gan neb gariad mwy na hyn, sef bod rhywun yn rhoi ei einioes dros ei gyfeillion.” (Jn 15:12-13)

Christians are called to love one another as Christ loves us. In other words we are to love, even to the point of laying down our lives for each other. This is pertinent  as we remember those who gave their lives during the Second World War, eighty years ago. At the heart of our faith is the Cross. This is the ultimate demonstration of God’s love for us: God loves us so much that He dies for us, so that we might live in Him. The Cross is not the end, it leads to the Empty Tomb, and to the Triumph of Easter. Jesus dies to break the power of death, and to offer humanity eternal life with Him in Heaven. This is why we spend time in our celebration of Easter pondering the mystery of our redemption, entering ever deeper into the experience of God’s love for us.

When Our Lord speaks to His disciples, He speaks to us as well. He does not call us servants (weision), but friends (gyfeillion). To be a Christian is to be a friend of God and to enter into an intimate and loving relationship with the Creator and Redeemer of the Universe. God wants to be our friend. He wants to be united with us in a relationship characterised by love and generosity. 

We experience God’s love most fully in the Eucharist, where Christ continues to give Himself to, and for, us. Out of love, He continues to heal our wounds, to restore our relationship with God and each other, and gives us a foretaste of Heaven in the here and now. There is no other thing on earth as precious as this love. Nothing is more wondrous than this sign and token of God’s love for us. To dwell in Christ’s love is to be united with Him in physical and spiritual communion, so that God’s grace can transform us more and more into His likeness.

At this point in John’s Gospel Our Lord is in the Upper Room with His disciples. He has washed their feet and celebrated the Eucharist. Jesus has also talked about His Passion and Death in order to explain to His followers, including us, what He is about to do and why it matters. Christ is putting everything in place for there to be a Church to continue His work on Earth. This is why he addresses His disciples as follows:

“You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.”

“Nid chwi a’m dewisodd i, ond myfi a’ch dewisodd chwi, a’ch penodi i fynd allan a dwyn ffrwyth, ffrwyth sy’n aros. Ac yna, fe rydd y Tad i chwi beth bynnag a ofynnwch ganddo yn fy enw i.” (Jn 15:16)

We did not choose Jesus. He chose us. The Church is a vine which bears fruit. This is how it has continued for two thousand years. The Good News of the Kingdom has been proclaimed, and, throughout the world, people have grown and been nurtured in their faith. We have had a relationship with Jesus, which unites us with all Christians through both space and time, making us brothers and sisters in Christ, part of a family. Because of this relationship, with our Creator and each other, we are able to ask things of God in prayer. God listens to our prayer, and is generous in granting our requests. He gives his only Son to die for us and to rise again so that we might be certain of eternal life in Him. 

Finally, Jesus reminds His disciples of the need to love one another:

“These things I command you, so that you will love one another.”

“Dyma’r gorchymyn yr wyf yn ei roi i chwi: carwch eich gilydd.” (Jn 15:17)

Our Lord tells us what to do, so that we may bring about the will of God: that we love each other and flourish. God loves us, and wishes us to remain in a relationship with Him, and each other, that is characterised by generosity, and which takes as its model the Son of God, Our Risen Saviour. This conviction inspires the argument of the First Letter of John:

“In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”

“Yn hyn y mae cariad: nid ein bod ni’n caru Duw, ond ei fod ef wedi ein caru ni, ac wedi anfon ei Fab i fod yn aberth cymod dros ein pechodau.” (1Jn 4:10)

Jesus, through His self-sacrifice, makes up for all that we have done wrong. He offers Himself — the Righteous for the unrighteous — to restore our relationship with God and with each other. Jesus reconciles God and humanity, bringing back together what sin has thrust apart. This is the heart of the Good News. As well as dying for us, Christ also rose again. Our Lord reunites God and humanity, by laying down His life for His friends, and also gives us the hope of Heaven. We cannot earn our way there, but the generous love of our Creator offers us the opportunity to be united with Him forever.

My brothers and sisters in Christ, as we continue to celebrate Our Lord’s resurrection, may we rejoice in the abundance of divine generosity. May God’s grace transform us more and more into His likeness. Let us join with all our Christian brethren in rejoicing and singing 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.

James Tissot: The Last Sermon of Our Lord  (Brooklyn Museum)
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Easter IV – The Good Shepherd

Living in Pembrokeshire, many of us know people who keep sheep. We are also aware of how difficult it has been for them, and all farmers, in the recent months with fields waterlogged due to unprecedented levels of rainfall. Sheep farming is a vital part of our rural life and so the image of Jesus as the Good Shepherd is something we find easy to identify with, unlike those who live in large cities.

Shepherds played an important part in Jesus’ life. Angels told them about the birth and they came down from the hills to worship Him in  the stable in Bethlehem. Not wishing to leave their animals behind, Nativity scenes depict the shepherds bringing sheep to the manger. This may be why Our Lord has an affinity with those who look after sheep and care for them. Jesus describes himself as the Good Shepherd, the one who lays down His life for His sheep. Christ dies so that we may have eternal life in Him. This model of self-sacrificial love lies at the heart of the Christian faith, and because of it, we are able to live the new life of Easter.

Jesus says, ‘I am the Good Shepherd’ ‘Myfi yw’r bugail da’ (Jn 10:11). This is straightforward: He cares for His flock. But then He says, ‘The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.’ ‘Y mae’r bugail da yn rhoi ei einioes dros y defaid’ (Jn 10:11). This goes above and beyond what we would expect of a shepherd, even a very good one! Jesus is using the image of the Good Shepherd to explain what will happen on Good Friday. He will suffer and die to protect us, His flock. 

Protect us from what? From Sin and Death. By dying for us, and rising from the dead, Jesus offers humanity freedom in Him. The Christian faith offers salvation, through faith. As St Peter puts it in this morning’s reading from the Acts of the Apostles: 

‘And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.’

‘Ac nid oes iachawdwriaeth yn neb arall, oblegid nid oes enw arall dan y nef, wedi ei roi i’r ddynolryw, y mae’n rhaid i ni gael ein hachub drwyddo.’ (Acts 4:12)

Jesus offers what no-one else can: salvation and eternal life to those who believe in Him, and follow Him. Eccentric American millionaires employ bizarre methods in an attempt to defy the ageing process, but they are still going to die. Each and every human being is. That is the fate of all living things. But, because of who Christ is — namely true God and true man — and what He has done on the Cross and at the empty tomb, death is no longer something to be feared. Instead, it can be embraced, as the entry to eternal life, with God, forever. 

This way of looking at life and death is profoundly different from the world around us, because Christians are not bound by the primal human fear that our life is finite. Our Lord has opened to us the gates of Heaven, and shown us once and for all that God loves us.

At the heart of our faith as Christians is the profound conviction that we are people who are loved by God. As Archbishop Michael Ramsay said, ‘God is Christlike, and in him is no un-Christlikeness at all’ [God, Christ & the World: A Study in Contemporary Theology, London 1969, p.98]. When we see Jesus, we see God; when we hear Him speak, we hear the voice of God. We can know who God is, the Creator and Redeemer of the universe, through His Son, Jesus Christ. God is not a distant bearded man on a cloud. He is a loving Father, as illustrated in the Parable of the Prodigal Son. He loves us so much that He suffers and dies for us, to give us life in Him. This is the God who searches for lost sheep; who longs to love, restore, and reconcile; who can heal our wounds if we let Him. This is abundant life, offered to us by Our Lord, the Good Shepherd.

This life, this love is offered to us in the Eucharist, where we can touch and taste God’s profound love for us. In the bread and the wine we are given a foretaste of the heavenly banquet and a pledge of eternal life in Christ. Here today, as on a hundred thousand successive Sundays, we meet to be fed by Christ, and fed with Christ. To be healed, and to know His love. We are the sheep cared for by the Good Shepherd, who provides for all our needs. Who gives Himself so that we might have life.

So my brothers and sisters in Christ, as we continue to rejoice In Our Lord’s triumph over death, may we emulate His example and live the new life of Easter. Following Our Good Shepherd, who longs for us to be safe with Him forever in Heaven, let us share the Good News of His Kingdom with others. Let us pray that that all 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.

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The Second Sunday of Easter

This morning we welcome baby Alice into the Christian community. This is an important day for her, as well as her family, and for all of us present here today.

At the beginning of His ministry, Jesus was baptised by John in the River Jordan. Today I will use the blessed water in the font and holy oil. The font is placed near the door of the church because baptism is the way that we enter the Church and become a member of the Christian community.

Today’s reading from the First Letter of John speaks of loving the children of God (plant Duw) and of keeping God’s commandments. M____ and C_____ are following God’s commandments by bringing their daughter Alice to be baptised, and we are all here to support them in their actions.

The Gospel for today records the risen Jesus appearing to the disciples. Peter and John have already witnessed the empty tomb, Mary Magdalen has even talked with the Risen Christ. However, the disciples are afraid. Their Teacher has gone from being hailed as the Messiah and King, to being crucified. Christ’s followers are all scared for their lives, lest a mob come and attack them. Some of their number are saying that the tomb is empty, and that Jesus has risen. Then, suddenly, the risen Lord is there among them saying: 

“Peace be with you!” 

‘Tangnefedd i chwi!’ (John 20: 19)

In a situation of heightened emotion, Our Lord’s gift is peace. God’s peace is not just the absence of noise or violence (heddwch) but something richer and deeper. This is the ‘Peace which passeth all understanding’ ‘Tangnefedd sydd uchlaw pob deall’, something given to us by God to transform our lives. Next, Jesus breathes on His disciples giving them the Holy Spirit and the power to forgive sins. Christ’s followers are equipped for the work of proclamation and reconciliation. This is what Jesus came to do, and He commits the Church to continue His mission and His saving work. To help His followers, Christ gives them (and us) the Holy Spirit, God’s free gift to His people, a sign of His generous love.

When Jesus appears to the disciples, one of them is absent. Thomas is not there — maybe he has been to get them all some food. When Thomas returns and hears what has happened, he feels somewhat left out. He is unsure and wants to have physical proof of Jesus’ Resurrection before he is able to fully believe:

“Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.”

“Os na welaf ôl yr hoelion yn ei ddwylo, a rhoi fy mys yn ôl yr hoelion, a’m llaw yn ei ystlys, ni chredaf fi byth.” (John 20: 6-7)

These are the words of someone who longs to experience the reality of the Resurrection. Like the other disciples, Thomas has been on something of an emotional rollercoaster. It is understandable that he wants to be certain, to experience with his own eyes and hands that Jesus is alive.

A week later, Jesus comes to the disciples again, and says to them: 

“Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.”

“Tangnefedd i chwi!” Yna meddai wrth Thomas, “Estyn dy fys yma. Edrych ar fy nwylo. Estyn dy law a’i rhoi yn fy ystlys. A phaid â bod yn anghredadun, bydd yn gredadun.” (Jn 20:26-27)

Jesus gives Thomas what he wants: the opportunity to experience the reality of the Resurrection and to touch the wounds of love and mercy. This leads Thomas to reply to Jesus:

“My Lord and my God!”

“Fy Arglwydd a’m Duw!” (Jn 20:28)

Thomas no longer doubts. Instead he confesses that Jesus is God, and the Lord of his life. This is a profound and concise statement of faith, declaring both who Jesus is, and what He has done. Thomas has journeyed from doubt and despair to true faith. Doubt is the starting point, but it is not the end of the journey. St Thomas should not be known as ‘Doubting Thomas’, but rather as ‘Believing Thomas’, as this is what he becomes. Thomas’ belief changes his life, and leads him to take the Gospel to be proclaimed far and wide. He travels as far as India, founding Christian communities which have endured for two thousand years. Such faith is our inheritance, and in it we are blessed, as those who have not seen, but yet believe. We too are called to be like Thomas, and to share the Good News of Christ’s Resurrection with the world. 

At its heart today’s Gospel should be understood as something to encourage us in our life of faith:

‘but these [things] are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.’

‘Ond y mae’r rhain wedi eu cofnodi er mwyn i chwi gredu mai Iesu yw’r Meseia, Mab Duw, ac er mwyn i chwi trwy gredu gael bywyd yn ei enw ef.’ (Jn 20:31)

Belief in Jesus leads to New Life. This underlines the Christian understanding of baptism. Through baptism we share in Jesus’ Death and Resurrection, and are given new life. This new life is eternal life with Christ, and in Christ.

At the Easter Vigil, last week, we renewed our baptismal promises to remind ourselves of what Our Lord has done for us. What Jesus has done for you, and for me, and for every Christian over the past two thousand years. In our Baptism we are united with Christ and made brothers and sisters. We become part of a new family which we call the Church. This new family is called to live in a new way. This is made clear in the first reading from the Acts of the Apostles. Here we see people of faith being loving and generous, caring for each other. We pray that we may be inspired by their example, and live out the faith of our baptism throughout our lives. 

Next to the font is our wonderful Easter Garden, which includes the Empty Tomb, the site of Jesus Resurrection.It is important to take our time over our celebration of Easter. We need time to allow the reality of what we commemorate to sink in. Something this wonderful, this world-changing, needs to be pondered, and shared. We gather today to do what the disciples did, and are filled with joy at Our Lord’s Resurrection from the dead. Through Christ’s Resurrection we are changed, transformed, and filled with God’s love. In the same way Alice will shortly be changed, transformed and filled with God’s love. Easter is a traditional time for baptism, and as a Christian community we welcome Alice and pray for her, and for her family. Today, and every day, we give thanks and 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.

Tissot: L’Incredulité de Saint Thomas, (Brooklyn Museum)
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Good Friday 2024

The Practice of Crucifixion as a punishment was designed to be both as painful and as shameful as possible. Public torture was dressed up as execution, with the condemned having to struggle for each breath, before finally succumbing to asphyxiation. People could potentially hang there for days until exhaustion took its toll. It is possibly the most horrific and gruesome means to end a human life devised by humanity. A public crucifixion is also one of the central moments of the Christian Faith. This is how much God loves us. Jesus willingly undergoes a shameful death, and acts of brutal torture, for our sake. 

There are two Old Testament texts which are key to understanding this Good Friday Service. The first is Psalm 22, whose opening words are spoken by Jesus before He dies: ‘Fy Nuw, fy Nuw pam yr wyt wedi fy ngadael’ ‘My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me’ (in Hebrew Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani). The second is the passage from Isaiah Chapters 52 and 53 which was today’s first reading. In Isaiah we see all of Christ’s suffering and death both foretold, and interpreted:

‘he bore the sin of many’ ‘with his stripes we are healed’ ‘He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is lead to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth.’ ‘he makes himself an offering for sin’. (Isa 53:12, 5, 7, 10)

The meaning is clear. The wounds of human sin, which cry out for healing, are healed in Christ. Such is God’s love for us. What disobedience has destroyed, love restores. Here we see the glory of God. In willingly accepting His death on the Cross, Our Lord fulfils Isaiah’s prophecy — the suffering servant is the Messiah, the Christ, God’s anointed. At the time when the Passover lambs are slaughtered in the Temple, Christ, as both priest and victim, offers himself upon the Altar of the Cross as the true lamb to take away the sins of the whole world. When Jesus dies the veil of the Temple is torn in two — the barrier between heaven and earth is taken away, and God is reconciled to humanity. This sacred drama takes place on a hill outside Jerusalem, close to where Abraham attempted to sacrifice Isaac.  Then a ram was sacrificed in the boy’s place, but now God sends His Son to die for us.

Two people are present at Calvary as witnesses. These are Mary, Jesus’ Mother, and John, the Beloved disciple. Thirty-three years before this day, the Archangel Gabriel announced to Mary that she would bear the Son of God. Now she stands at the foot of the Cross to see her beloved Son suffer and die. Simeon had once told her that a sword would pierce her soul, and now that prophecy comes true. But before He dies, Jesus does something wonderful:

‘When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.’ 

‘Pan welodd Iesu ei fam, felly, a’r disgybl yr oedd yn ei garu yn sefyll yn ei hymyl, meddai wrth ei fam, “Wraig, dyma dy fab di.” Yna dywedodd wrth y disgybl, “Dyma dy fam di.” Ac o’r awr honno, cymerodd y disgybl hi i mewn i’w gartref.’ (Jn 19:26-27)

Here we see a new family being formed. One not based on ties of blood, but of love. This is what the Church is, a family of love, and it starts here, at the foot of the Cross, where Christ, our great High Priest, offers Himself as both priest and victim. The Christian Church begins with three people on a hill outside Jerusalem. One of these three is about to die, condemned as a blasphemer and trouble-maker. Despite this less-than auspicious beginning we are gathered here today, nearly twenty centuries later. Christ’s Church starts as a failure in worldly terms. However it is a divine institution: it isn’t supposed to make sense in human terms. The Church’s mission is to draw us into the mystery of God’s love. Today we see that love made real in Jesus. This is love we can touch and taste, on the Cross, and in the Sacrament of the Altar. 

Let every one of us, today and every day, cling to the Cross, and find there all the grace we need. Let us rejoice that we have been redeemed at so great a cost. Let us glory in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. He is our salvation, our life, and our resurrection, through whom each and every one of us is saved and set free. Amen

Diego Velazquez – Christ Crucified (Museo del Prado, Madrid)
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Maundy Thursday 2024

To those of us living in cold northern climes, the idea of foot-washing is strange. However, if we lived in the Middle East it would not be. In hot and dusty parts of the world, if you wear sandals, your feet will get hot, tired, and dirty. In the time of Jesus, to wash a visitor’s feet was a sign of hospitality, and was usually something done by a servant. For a host or householder to do the foot-washing themselves was a sign both of humility and the importance of those being welcomed. Tonight Christ washes our feet. We are all guests at the Lord’s Supper, where Jesus institutes the Eucharist on the night before He suffers and dies.

St Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians (our Second Reading tonight) was written about twenty years after Christ’s Death and Resurrection. This is the earliest account we possess of what happened on this night. Paul describes how Our Lord blesses bread and wine and feeds his followers. Jesus also explains what He is doing, saying, ‘This is my Body … This is my Blood’ ‘hwn yw fy nghorff … hwn yw fy ngwaed’. These words are repeated whenever the Eucharist is celebrated because Our Lord told us to ‘Do this’ ‘gwnewch hyn’, and so we do. We are fed by Christ, fed with Christ, both to proclaim His Death, but also to share His New Life. This is no ordinary meal, but rather a proclamation of God’s saving work.

At the Last Supper Jesus takes on the role of a servant, the Teacher washes His disciples’ feet, and feeds them with Himself. These acts of humility and generosity, help to bring the Christian Church into being. It starts here, tonight. This is why the Church commemorates it every year, both to remind us where we have come from, and where we are going. This is the Wedding Banquet of the Lamb, the Heavenly Feast of the Kingdom to which all people are invited. 

God (through me) washes our feet, kneeling on the floor, and wipes them with a towel. This is something that is both humble and utterly wonderful. Jesus gives us an example of loving service: this is what the Church is supposed to be. Those in positions of Christian leadership are called to be shepherds in the service of God’s people. Likewise, as Christ’s followers, we are all called to serve each other. As Jesus said:

‘If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you.’

‘Os wyf fi, felly, a minnau’n Arglwydd ac yn Athro, wedi golchi eich traed chwi, fe ddylech chwithau hefyd olchi traed eich gilydd. Yr wyf wedi rhoi esiampl i chwi; yr ydych chwithau i wneud fel yr wyf fi wedi ei wneud i chwi. ’ (Jn 13:14-15)

We follow Christ’s example. In the same way we celebrate the Eucharist because Christ told us to ‘do this’ ‘gwnewch hyn’ and so Christians have for nearly two thousand years, and we will continue to do so until Our Lord comes again. This is more than sacred drama. We are not simply spectators watching a reenactment, we are active participants in the mysteries themselves! The Eucharist, which Jesus instituted this evening, means a number of things. Firstly, the Eucharist is our thanksgiving to God for who Christ is, and what He does. Secondly, the Eucharist is an act of obedience: Our Lord told His disciples to ‘do this’, and so, for two thousand years the Church has obeyed His command. Thirdly, the Eucharist is a mystery that makes present the Body and Blood of Christ, which suffered and died for us on Calvary. As Christ fed His disciples, so He feeds us too. Tonight’s Eucharist is just as real as the first one, in the Upper Room, and each and every one ever since. That is why Christians celebrate this evening. On the night before He suffered and died for us, Jesus took bread and wine, gave thanks to God, and gave them to His disciples, telling them to do this in remembrance of Him.

God gives Himself to us as nourishment. God gives Himself to us, so that we might have life in Him. The role of the Church is to carry on the offering of the Son to the Father, to make it present across space and time. That is why we are here, tonight, gathered as disciples of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. As Christians we are to be people of love. It is love that makes us Christians. God’s love for us: a love which sees Our Lord offer Himself, to take away our sins, to heal our wounds, and restore us to God’s loving embrace. 

So my brothers and sisters in Christ, let us come to the Lord, and be washed. Let us feed on the heavenly banquet, which strengthens us. And let us to sing the praises of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. To whom be ascribed, all majesty, glory, dominion, and power, now and forever. Amen.

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Palm Sunday 2024

IN THIS COUNTRY when we want to celebrate something there is often some kind of procession. Sports teams who win trophies go on an open-topped bus. After King Charles’ Coronation, there was a great procession from Westminster Abbey back to Buckingham Palace. Today, we see the entry of the Messiah into Jerusalem. The Davidic King has made His triumphal entry, something which we have reenacted ourselves this morning, waving palms and singing, ‘Hosanna to the Son of David!’. The prophet Zechariah, writing 500 years before Jesus, looks forward to a messianic future:

‘Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’

‘Bydd lawen iawn, ti ferch Seion; a chrechwena, ha ferch Jerwsalem: wele dy frenin yn dyfod atat: cyfiawn ac achubydd yw efe; y mae efe yn llariaidd, ac yn marchogaeth ar asyn, ac ar ebol llwdn asen.’ (Zech 9:9)

The donkey ridden by Jesus reminds us of the humble beast of burden, which carried his Mother to Bethlehem for His birth, and then carried the Holy Family into exile in Egypt. This is an act of humble leadership which realizes what the prophets foresaw. It shows us that Jesus Christ is truly the one who fulfils the hopes of Israel. The Hebrew Scriptures look forward to the deliverance of Israel. This deliverance is enacted in front of the eyes of those watching the Carpenter’s son enter the Holy City.

Scripture is fulfilled and there is a burst of popular enthusiasm, people wave palm branches and cry out. However, having someone claim to be a relative of King David is a direct challenge to Herod, the puppet ruler installed to comply with the Romans. The events we heard described, before our procession this morning, look something like a political coup — a bid to replace a leader lacking legitimacy. Such an attempt is bound to have political repercussions. It represents a direct challenge to the ruling house and to Rome, and therefore it has to be countered. The masses in Jerusalem are expecting a king of the Davidic line. One who would be seen as a challenge to the ruling élite, the status quo. But in Christ, God gives Israel something else. Yes, he is a King of the line of David. But Jesus is one who rules with love, and who has no desire for power, or honour. Naturally, the leaders and those in authority are threatened by Him: Jesus turns their world on its head. He is an awkward inconvenience. Jesus, however, does not want their power. He has come to be and accomplish something completely different. What is seen as a potential political coup is in fact a renewal of religion, the fulfilment of prophecy, and a new hope for Israel. Political and religious leaders can only see the threat, rather than the opportunity which Christ offers.

At its heart Christianity is an offer of new life in Jesus Christ. This starts with repentance, and acceptance of our need for God. As we grow in faith, we come to believe and trust in a God who loves us, and gives Himself for us. Then we can experience healing, wholeness, and fullness of life in and through Him. Such gifts come at a cost, which the week ahead will make clear to us in the most stark and direct way. 

Over the next few days we will see the joy and celebration of today turned into anger and resentment. Crowds which cried ‘Hosanna’ will soon shout ‘Crucify him!’. This should come as no surprise to us. We know how people can be fickle and manipulated. And yet, on the same night He will be betrayed, Jesus takes bread and wine, blesses them and says, ‘This is my Body … This is my Blood’. ‘hwn yw fy nghorff … hwn yw fy ngwaed’ These words are repeated when the Eucharist is celebrated because Our Lord told us to ‘Do this’ ‘gwnewch hyn’ and so we do. We come together so that God can feed us with His very self, so that we can have life in Him. This is not an optional extra, it is fundamental to who and what we are as Christians. In the Eucharist we experience God’s love, His body broken for us, His blood poured out, to heal us. This is the banquet of the Kingdom, the Wedding Feast of the Lamb, and we are all invited!

Today, and in the coming week, we see what God’s Love and God’s Glory are really like. They are not what people expect. God’s power is shown in humility, strength in weakness. As we continue our Lenten journey in the triumph of this day, we look towards the Holy and Life-giving Cross and beyond to the new life of Easter. Let us trust in the Lord, and go with Him to Calvary, and beyond. Let us raise our palms and 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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Lent V: Sir, we want to see Jesus!

THERE are some texts in the Bible which just stick in your head. The Gospel today contains one of them: ‘Sir, we wish to see Jesus’ ‘Syr, fe hoffem weld Iesu’ (Jn 12:21). It is a text often placed on pulpits to remind preachers of their primary task. This sounds simple enough, but, at one level, when I hear these words they remind me of my own shortcomings. Have other people seen Jesus in what I say and do? We are our own harshest critics in this regard — it is far easier to see our own faults and failings, than what God might be doing through us. 

In today’s Gospel we are in Jerusalem. It is just before the Passover, the most important religious festival, commemorating the journey from slavery in Egypt to the Promised Land. There are some Greeks, who may or may not be Jewish converts, that approach Philip, who has a Greek name. He, along with Simon Peter and Andrew, was first a disciple of John the Baptist, before following Jesus. These Greeks ask Philip a simple question:

“Sir, we wish to see Jesus.”

‘Syr, fe hoffem weld Iesu’ (Jn 12:21)

These Greeks are well-disposed and interested, and they desire an encounter with Our Lord. At a fundamental level human beings long for communion with the Divine. It is what we are made for. So the disciples tell Jesus, who makes the following reply:

“The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honour him.”

‘Daeth yr awr y gogonedder Mab y dyn. Yn wir, yn wir, meddaf i chwi, Oni syrth y gronyn gwenith i’r ddaear, a marw, hwnnw a erys yn unig: eithr os bydd efe marw, efe a ddwg ffrwyth lawer. Yr hwn sydd yn caru ei einioes, a’i cyll hi; a’r hwn sydd yn casáu ei einioes yn y byd hwn, a’i ceidw hi i fywyd tragwyddol. Os gwasanaetha neb fi, dilyned fi: a lle yr wyf fi, yno y bydd fy ngweinidog hefyd: ac os gwasanaetha neb fi, y Tad a’i hanrhydedda ef’ (Jn 12:23-26)

This is a strange response: Our Lord doesn’t say, ‘Of course, bring them here’, or ‘I’d be delighted to meet them’. Instead He starts talking about His forthcoming Death. Jesus does so by using an image from the Parable of the Sower to make the point that life comes through death, freedom through service. These are paradoxes, the exact opposite of what one might expect Him to say, and yet they are true. Christ then experiences something of a moment of doubt, at which point God the Fathers speaks of future glory, and then Our Lord goes back to talking about His death:

“Now is the judgement of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”

‘Yn awr y mae barn y byd hwn: yn awr y bwrir allan dywysog y byd hwn. A minnau, os dyrchefir fi oddi ar y ddaear, a dynnaf bawb ataf fy hun.’ (Jn 12:31-32)

Because of Jesus’ Death and Resurrection, the Church, Christ’s Body exists to save people and to offer eternal life through Him. God shows the world the fullness of glory, the most profound expression of self-giving love in the events of His Passion. This is why we celebrate it: week by week and year by year. We prepare ourselves during Lent to walk with Christ to Calvary and beyond. We see how much God loves us, how much God gives himself for us. This message of salvation comes to us from the prophets. God makes His intentions clear:

“Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah,”

‘Wele y dyddiau yn dyfod, medd yr Arglwydd, y gwnaf gyfamod newydd â thŷ Israel, ac â thŷ Jwda’ (Jer 31:31)

God renews the covenant with humanity, writing it on our hearts, forgiving us our iniquities. The Law of Love, which God makes real in Jesus Christ has genuine transformative power, because it is rooted in forgiveness and healing, something which only God can provide. Our loving Father does this on the Cross, where He gives His Son to die for us, to heal our wounds, and to offer eternal salvation to all who believe in Him. This is God’s glory, the glorification of His Son, dying the death of a slave, to save humanity and free us. If we want to share in Christ’s glory, then we need to follow the same path of suffering love which takes Him to His Cross, and will take us to ours.

To follow Christ means embracing the Cross as the mystery of God’s love. If we let God’s love transform us, then wonderful things can happen. There will be pain and suffering along the way, but this is far outweighed by the promise of future glory. So then, as we continue our journey through Lent our journey to the Cross and beyond to the empty tomb of Easter, let us lose our lives in love and service of him who died for us, who bore our sins, who shows us how to live most fully, to be close to God, and filled with his love. Let us encourage one another, strengthen one another, and help each other to live lives which proclaim the truth of God’s saving love. To offer the world the hope of Heaven, where we 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.

James Tissot : The Gentiles Ask to See Jesus  (Brooklyn Museum)
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Lent IV

IF you have ever been unwell while on holiday you probably sought out a Pharmacy. They are quite straightforward to locate as they tend to either have a cross on their sign, or a snake or two around a pole. This was the symbol of the Greek God of healing Aesculapius whose major shrine was at Epidaurus. Christians tend to associate the snake with the tempting of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, but it is not this creature’s only occurrence in the Bible. 

This morning’s Gospel begins with Jesus explaining His forthcoming Crucifixion with a reference to Israel’s wanderings after the Exodus:

‘And the Lord said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent and set it on a pole, and everyone who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live.” So Moses made a bronze serpent and set it on a pole. And if a serpent bit anyone, he would look at the bronze serpent and live.’ 

‘A dywedodd yr Arglwydd wrth Moses, Gwna i ti sarff danllyd, a gosod ar drostan: a phawb a frather, ac a edrycho ar honno, fydd byw. A gwnaeth Moses sarff bres, ac a’i gosododd ar drostan: yna os brathai sarff ŵr, ac edrych ohono ef ar y sarff bres, byw fyddai.’ (Numbers 21:8-9)

The people of Israel had been complaining about the journey, the lack of food and water, and that God has led them out into the desert to die, so God sent fiery serpents which killed them. The people then relented, and asked Moses to pray to God to take the serpents away. God listened to Moses, and provided a means for Israel to be saved. Jesus uses this example to explain why the Son of Man must be lifted up. Just as the bronze serpent saved people long ago, Jesus’ being lifted up on the Cross will save those who believe in Him. Our Lord’s death will occur at Passover, the festival which celebrates the people of Israel’s journey from slavery in Egypt, to the Promised Land. So Christ will deliver humanity from the slavery of sin and offer us eternal life in Him. He bears our burden, and reconciles us to the Father, and each other.

There then follows one of the most well-known verses in the Bible:

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.”

‘Canys felly y carodd Duw y byd fel y rhoddodd efe ei unig‐anedig Fab, fel na choller pwy bynnag a gredo ynddo ef, ond caffael ohono fywyd tragwyddol. Oblegid ni ddanfonodd Duw ei Fab i’r byd i ddamnio’r byd, ond fel yr achubid y byd trwyddo ef.’ (Jn 3:16-17) 

This is the heart of our faith as Christians. Christ was born for us, lived and died for us, and was raised to new life, so that we might have the promise of eternal life in Him. This is why we follow Christ into the desert of Lent for forty days, so that through prayer, fasting and charity we may be prepared in body and soul to celebrate the mystery of Christ’s Passion, Death, and Resurrection. Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter are the ultimate embodiment of God’s generous Love towards humanity. God loves us, you and me, each one of us, so much that He gave His only Son to die for us, on the Cross.

God does not condemn humanity for falling short, instead He saves us. God is a God of love and generosity, who offers Himself to reconcile us to Him, and to each other. This generosity is at the heart of our faith as Christians. We worship a generous, loving God, and invite others to receive the free gift of God’s grace, and enter a relationship with the God who made us and who loves us. 

This relationship explains the joyful hope which St Paul has when he writes to the Church in Ephesus in our second reading this morning. Paul’s central message is that:

‘For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,’ 

‘Canys trwy ras yr ydych yn gadwedig, trwy ffydd; a hynny nid ohonoch eich hunain: rhodd Duw ydyw’ (Eph 2:8)

Grace is unmerited kindness, something which we do not deserve, or earn. It is by the grace of God that we are saved, through faith, believing and trusting in Jesus Christ, who was born for us, died and rose again for us. We can put our trust in the God who loves us, and who shows us that love in His Son. It is not about what we can do, but about what God can do for us. Our relationship with God is the result of a gift, which we can accept and which can change our lives, if we only let go, and let God transform us, more and more into the likeness of His Son. 

Through prayer, the reading and study of scripture, living out our faith, and the sacraments of the Church, God brings about the work of transformation in us. As He gave Himself on the Cross for us, He gives us Himself in the Eucharist. During Communion we are fed with the Body and Blood of Christ, God’s very self, so that we can become what He is. Prepared by Lenten penitence we may look forward to sharing the new life of Easter, and singing 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.

Diego Velázquez – Christ Crucified (Museo del Prado, Madrid)
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Lent III – Cleansing the Temple

One of the truths about humanity is that we are amazingly good at doing the wrong thing. Corruption and greed beset us, and religious organisations are no exception. We need to be vigilant, constantly on our guard, lest we fall into the scandalous behaviour typified by the traders and money-changers in this morning’s Gospel. 

The Temple in Jerusalem remains to this day the most important place in the world for Jews. At its centre was the Holy of Holies which contained the Ark of the Covenant. Inside the Ark were the two tablets containing the Ten Commandments, some of the manna from the desert, and Aaron’s staff. That is why, to this day, Jews continue to pray at the Western Wall in Jerusalem. This is all that remains of the Temple after its destruction by the Romans in ad 70. At the time of Jesus, Passover was the busiest time of year in Jerusalem. As the central festival of Judaism, Passover marks the journey from slavery in Egypt to the freedom of the Promised Land, Israel. 

In our first reading this morning from the Book of Exodus, God gives the law to Moses on Mount Sinai in the desert. It describes both how to honour God, and how humanity should live. Our duty towards God and our neighbour is clearly shown. When Moses receives the Ten Commandments from God, the first is:

‘I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery; you shall have no other gods before me.’

‘Myfi yw yr Arglwydd dy Dduw, yr hwn a’th ddug di allan o wlad yr Aifft, o dŷ y caethiwed. Na fydded i ti dduwiau eraill ger fy mron i’ (Exod 20:2-3)

The temple traders, in their desire to profit from people’s religious observance, have broken this first and most important commandment. Their desire for making money and profit has got in the way of what the Temple is supposed to be about: namely, worshipping God. It has become a racket, a money-making scheme to fleece pilgrims who have come from far away and who do not have the right money or the correct sacrificial animals with them. This is no way to worship God, a God who loves us, and who showed that love by delivering Israel from slavery in Egypt, and who will deliver humanity by His Son.

Our Lord is doing the right thing, cleansing the Temple from those who use religion as an opportunity to grow rich through the piety of others. What started as something good has become corrupt, and needs to be reformed. God is not honoured when He is used as an opportunity for people to get rich. The Temple is supposed to be a house of prayer for all the nations (Isaiah 56:7 & Mark 11:7), but the Court of the Gentiles has been filled with stalls for money-changers and animal-sellers. By clearing them out Jesus has made room for the pilgrims, and upset the religious establishment, something which will eventually lead to His Death, at Passover, which we celebrate on Good Friday. He will be crucified and die at the time when the Passover lambs are being slaughtered in the Temple. This is a sacrifice which will not need to be repeated, as Jesus will die once, for the sins of the whole world.

The Jews ask Jesus, 

“What sign do you show us for doing these things?”

‘Pa arwydd yr wyt ti yn ei ddangos i ni, gan dy fod yn gwneuthur y pethau hyn?’ (Jn 2:18)

Our Lord makes a cryptic reply:

“Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” 

‘Dinistriwch y deml hon, ac mewn tridiau y cyfodaf hi.’ (Jn 2:19)

His audience cannot understand what Jesus means. It took almost fifty years to build the Temple after the return from Babylon. The idea of destroying it and rebuilding it in three days is crazy. However, Christ is talking about His own Death and Resurrection. Once this has happened, the disciples can understand what Our Lord meant, but currently they do not. They are confused by this inspiring, miracle-working rabbi, who keeps talking about His own Death and Resurrection. 

For those of us who have the benefit of two thousand years of tradition behind us, Jesus makes perfect sense. Christ mentions His Death and Resurrection so often because it is the most important moment in human history. Nothing else really matters compared to these few days around Passover. They are the core of our faith, the reason for our hope, and the greatest demonstration of love the world has ever seen.

Our Lord is the True Temple, the place where God dwells, His presence among the people of Israel. He is the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world (Jn 1:28). As both Priest and Victim He will offer the sacrifice which restores humanity’s relationship with God and each other. The Jews demand a sign, and Christ prophesies that if they destroy this temple then he will raise it up in three days. He looks to His death and resurrection to show them where true worship lies — in the person of Jesus Christ. Jesus said, ‘I have come not to abolish the law and the prophets but to fulfil them’ ‘Peidiwch â thybio i mi ddod i ddileu’r Gyfraith na’r proffwydi; ni ddeuthum i ddileu ond i gyflawni’ (Matthew 5:17). The Ten Commandments are not abolished by Christ, or set aside, but rather His proclamation of the Kingdom and Repentance show us that we still need to live the Law of Moses out in our lives: to show that we honour God and live our lives accordingly. In His cleansing of the Temple, Christ looks to the Cross and to the Resurrection, as the way that God will restore our relationship with Him. The Cross is a stumbling-block to Jews, who are obsessed with the worship of the Temple, and it is foolishness to Gentiles who cannot believe that God could display such weakness, such powerlessness. Instead the Cross, the supreme demonstration of God’s love for us, shocking and scandalous though it is, is a demonstration of the utter, complete, self-giving love of God. Here, love and mercy are offered to heal each and every one of us. Here we are restored. 

It is a shock to learn that God loves us enough to do this, to suffer dreadfully and die for us, to save us from our sins. We do not deserve this generosity, and that is the point. Through Christ we are offered the opportunity to become something other and greater than we are. By putting away the ways of the world, of power and money, selfishness and sin, we can have new life in and through Him.

As we continue our Lenten pilgrimage, may we cleanse the temples of our hearts, and ask God for forgiveness. Let us prepare to celebrate with joy the Paschal feast, freed from sin. Let us rejoice in Our Lord’s victory on the Cross and in His Resurrection, which has opened to us the gates of everlasting life. Where we hope to 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.

El Greco – Christ driving the traders from the Temple [National Gallery, London]
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Lent II – The Transfiguration

One of the perils of driving in autumn or winter is the low Sun. Because of its angle and closeness to the Earth, we find ourselves dazzled by its brilliance. You have to avert your gaze or use a sun visor or sunglasses in order to drive. This can be inconvenient, but the brightness of our closet star is as nothing compared with the presence of God. Last week we heard the voice of God the Father at Jesus’ Baptism and we will hear Him again this week. 

Our first reading from Genesis, the story of Abraham and the Sacrifice of Isaac, is both well-known, and deeply shocking. The concept of human sacrifice was widespread in the Ancient World. It was not a common occurrence, but it did take place. It seems abhorrent to us, and so it should. In the passage God speaks to Abraham and says,

“Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.”

‘Cymer yr awr hon dy fab, sef dy unig fab Isaac, yr hwn a hoffaist, a dos rhagot i dir Moreia, ac offryma ef yno yn boethoffrwm ar un o’r mynyddoedd yr hwn a ddywedwyf wrthyt.’ (Genesis 22:2)

Thankfully, just as Abraham is about to offer Isaac, God tells him to stop, as Abraham has demonstrated his complete devotion to God:

“Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.” 

‘Na ddod dy law ar y llanc, ac na wna ddim iddo: oherwydd gwn weithian i ti ofni Duw, gan nad ateliaist dy fab, dy unig fab, oddi wrthyf fi.’ (Genesis 22: 12)

Abraham sees a ram with its horns caught in a thicket, and offers it to God instead. The ram symbolises Christ. It looks forward to Jesus, recognised by John the Baptist as the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world. The ram also points to the Passover Lamb in Exodus, which again prefigures Jesus, the fulfilment of the Paschal Sacrifice. Because Abraham has not withheld his son, he is blessed by God, and through his offspring, all people will be blessed. For Christians the Easter story is important because in it God, like Abraham, does not withhold His Only Son, but gives Him, to die for us. This narrative demands contemplation because it is the demonstration of the mystery of God’s love for humanity. The fact that God loves us that much is totally awesome, especially when we do not deserve it. The mystery of God’s love is that we are not loved because we are loveable. We are often quite the opposite! But God loves us anyway and His steadfast love transforms us. 

St Paul pondered such questions as he wrote to the Church in Rome:

‘He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all’

‘Yr hwn nid arbedodd ei briod Fab, ond a’i traddododd ef trosom ni ol’ (Rom 8:32)

Christ’s death on the Cross is a demonstration of divine generosity, and the reason for our hope as Christians. God’s love for humanity is truly amazing. We should pause for a moment as we read or hear this. God loves me enough to die for me. If God can do this for us, what can we, in return, do for Him? During the Lenten Season we focus on the Cross and the Empty Tomb as the centre of our faith, three days which explain who we are, what we are, and why we are Christians. 

The Transfiguration, described in today’s Gospel, is strange because in it we see something of who Jesus really is: God. We have a brief glimpse of Divine glory as a prelude to Our Lord’s Passion and Death. The two are linked, as they both allow us to understand both who God is, and what He is doing. When God speaks from the cloud He tells us three things about Jesus. Firstly that Jesus is the Son of God, secondly that He is loved, and thirdly that we should listen to Him. What Jesus says and does should affect us and our lives. Like the disciples, we have to be open to the possibility of being radically changed by God. The opportunity of divine transformation is offered to us, so that we might come and share the Divine life of love.

Jesus tells the disciples not to tell anyone about their experience on the mountain until after He has risen from the dead. Jesus has another mountain He must climb: the hill of Calvary, where He will suffer and die upon the Cross. There He takes our sins upon Himself, restoring our relationship with God and each other. This then is real glory, not worldly glory, but the glory of God’s sacrificial love poured out on the world to heal and restore all humanity. The theologian Fulton Sheen spoke about the importance of mountains in Jesus’ life. He said:

“Three important scenes of Our Lord’s life took place on mountains. On one, He preached the Beatitudes, the practice of which would bring a Cross from the world; on the second, He showed the glory that lay beyond the Cross; and on the third, He offered Himself in death as a prelude to His glory and that of all who would believe in His name”

(Fulton Sheen, The Life of Christ, 1970 p.158)

The Transfiguration shows us the glory of heaven, the glory of the Resurrection at Easter, the glory that lies beyond the Cross. God’s love and God’s glory are intertwined, and cannot be separated because they given freely. God’s very nature is generous, beyond our understanding, and characterised by total self-gift. Our Heavenly Father does not hold anything back, and whereas Isaac is replaced at the last minute by a ram, there is no substitution for Jesus. God gives His Son, Jesus Christ, to die for us, and to rise again, so that we might enjoy eternity with Him in Heaven. The Transfiguration is a promise of our future heavenly glory. Through signs and glimpses, God shows us what future awaits us. He longs to heal and restore us, so that we might enjoy eternity with Him. 

The Transfiguration, therefore, looks to the Cross to help us to prepare ourselves to live the life of faith. It helps us to comprehend true majesty, true love and true glory. The wonderful glory that can change the world and which lasts forever, for eternity, unlike the fading glory of the world, which is here today but gone tomorrow.

So my brothers and sisters, as we celebrate God’s love and glory, let us prepare to  ascend the mountain ourselves and have an encounter with the living God in Holy Communion. Let us come to the source of healing and fount of love which is God’s very self. Let us touch and taste Our Lord and Saviour, given for us, so that we might live in Him. Let us be transformed by Him and enjoy the glories of Heaven singing 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)