Contents
The Guild Church of St Margaret Pattens
Sermons & Addresses
This page is used to record sermons and addresses, reminiscences by its members and officials and special events in the life of St Margaret Pattens.
• "1944 – Omaha Beach: D-Day +1" - An address given on Thursday, 4th June 2009 by Geoffrey Webber, Church Administrator.
• Patronal Service – A sermon given on Thursday, 23rd July 2009 by Revd Hugh Thomas, Assistant Priest.
• "On the Holy Eucharist" – A sermon given on Thursday, 30th July 2009 by Revd Hugh Thomas, Assistant Priest. Readings: Romans 6:19-23; Mark 8:1-10.
• Lesser Festival – Gregory the Great - A sermon given on Thursday, 3rd September 2009 by Revd Hugh Thomas, Assistant Priest. Readings: 1 Thessalonians 2: 3-8; Mark 10: 42-45.
• Festival of Christ the King (the last Sunday before Advent), “Stir up Sunday” - a sermon given on Thursday, 26th November 2009 by Revd Hugh Thomas. Readings: Revelation 1: 4-8; John 18: 33-37.
• The First Sunday of Epiphany - a sermon given on Thursday, 14th January 2010 by Revd Hugh Thomas. Readings: Acts 8: 14-17; Luke 3; 15-17, 21-22,
• Charles, King and Martyr (1649) - a sermon given on Thursday, 28th January 2010 by Revd Hugh Thomas. Readings: 1 Timothy 6: 12-16; Mark 4:35-end. See Charles, King and Martyr - Annual Service on Traditions Page.
• “Candlemas – The presentation of Christ in the Temple” - a sermon given on Thursday, 4th February 2010 by Revd Hugh Thomas. Readings: Hebrews 4:14-end; Luke 2:22-40.
• “Sexagesima” - Second Sunday before Lent - a sermon given on Thursday, 11th February 2010 by Revd Hugh Thomas. Readings: Genesis 2:4-9, 15-end; Luke 8:22-25.
• “Ash Wednesday” - a sermon given on Thursday, 18th February 2010 by Revd Hugh Thomas.
Readings: 2 Corinthians 5:20b – 6:10: John 8:1-11
"1944 – Omaha Beach: D-Day +1"
An address given on Thursday, 4th June 2009 by Geoffrey Webber, Church Administrator.
67 years ago in 1942, with the equivalent
of “A” levels in French and German, I joined the Army Intelligence Corps.
After initially training to specialise in security, I was transferred to what
was then a highly classified organisation – known as the “Y service”,
specialising in deciphering and decoding German military wireless traffic.
By 1944, I was concentrating on decoding messages emanating from German army divisions on manoeuvres, and coastal batteries on the continent. Similar American intelligence units, stationed in England prior to the invasion of France, had little experience of these German codes. So, in April 1944, I was seconded to one of their units – 3250 Signal Service Company, stationed in Sidmouth. There I learnt, somewhat to my surprise, that this unit was scheduled to land on Omaha beach on D-Day, 6th June 1944 at “H+16” (i.e. 4 p.m.). This unit, part of Corps headquarters, was hardly appropriate for commando-style assault. Indeed, my only weapon was a .38 revolver, which I had never fired. However, the Americans expected to storm the beaches and, in doing so, might capture enemy classified equipment and documents for our unit to evaluate at the earliest opportunity.
We duly boarded a troopship at Portland Bill – one of the so-called “Liberty Ships” built in the United States. Our trucks were lashed down to the metal deck, and off we sailed on “D-1”, first towards the southern tip of the Isle of Wight and then as part of a vast armada, across the Channel towards Normandy – escorted by Royal Navy destroyers and American P.38 Lightning fighter planes. Because of air supremacy and command of the sea, this part of the invasion seemed overwhelmingly, a confidence booster.
There were five Normandy landing beaches – Sword, Juno and Gold for the British and Canadians, and Omaha and Utah for the Americans. Anchors were dropped a few miles off the coast; the weather was lovely and four of us climbed on top of the truck and played cards. It was then that we were sharply reminded by a lone German fighter flying towards us firing tracers, that war was unpredictable.
I got off the top of the truck with youthful alacrity, and crouched against a rear wheel. The tracers, in a few seconds, pinged on the metal deck but my number fortunately was not on one of them! It was only afterwards, I realised that the rear wheel against which I had rested my head was next to the petrol tank!
D-Day aboard the troopship was the next big shock. The initial assault with landing craft had proved very costly. Underwater mines close to the shore had blown up virtually all the first wave of landing craft, and many of the beach officers, trained to guide craft into landing had been killed. This resulted in a mass of wreckage in the shallows close to beach and of many wounded being brought back on to the troopships which, having once discharged their invading troops and equipment, would return to England. This is the reason why our landing did not take place as planned at 4 p.m. on D-Day.
In the event, the invading forces made amazing progress in the 24 hours between 4 p.m on D-Day and 4 p.m. on “D-Day plus one” when we finally landed. I took advantage of the troopship’s excellent facilities, and had a last minute hot shower and an excellent meal and a good sleep.
On the early afternoon of “D-Day plus one”, our trucks were transferred from our transport ship to what was called a “Rhino-Barge” – basically a shallow raft made up of the equivalent of Jerry-cans, lashed together and mobilised by a suitable outboard engine. Thus we reached the beach through a gap in the wrecked assault craft. We drove off without getting our feet wet, and crossed a deep, wide, ditch which the Germans had dug parallel to the shoreline – which the Americans had spanned with a steel mesh bridge. Then, in our truck, we zigzagged up the gently rising cliff to the hilltop, where there was exhibited the reassuring sign “Vehicle Park”, into which we drove.
The next event summoned me to a tree, perhaps a quarter mile from our vehicle, where an American officer stood identifying his role as “G2” (i.e. “Intelligence”), a drawing pin holding a note of his identity stuck to a tree. He handed me a German document, and asked if it was a classified and, if so, should it be sent back immediately to invasion headquarters in London. I identified this document as a German basic code GBC=E, which had been used by their coastal batteries. It was exactly like getting a solution to a Times crossword puzzle and, gratifyingly, it confirmed that our decoding had been spot on. I disappointed the American officer by advising that this document was of no immediate importance.
I returned to the Vehicle Park to find my American colleagues had dug my foxhole, and the evening of D-Day+1 was not only comfortable, but also spectacular, as American battleships moored offshore fired salvos over our heads some miles into Normandy.
From then on we never looked back, but that is another story. My experience, which I have tried to summarise after 65 years as best I can, was indelible. It taught me to have an unshakeable faith in Christianity. Of course, we all knew we had a just cause; but what was so rewarding was the conviction, come whatever disaster, that faith, hope and love would prevail. There was, from my viewpoint, no doubt. In particular, we had confidence in the coalition government with the presence of Churchill, Attlee, Morrison, Beaverbrook, Woolton etc. – utterly dedicated to cope with a national emergency.
May I leave you with this thought? Is it not now opportune for our politicians to identify national economic emergencies, and agree a strategy to deal with them that spans the duration of several parliamentary terms?
Geoffrey Webber 4.6.2009
A sermon given on Thursday, 23rd July 2009 by Revd Hugh Thomas, Assistant Priest.
Readings (from 'Common of Martyrs'): Romans 8:35-end; Matthew 16: 24-26.
St Margaret of Antioch
was one of the most popular saints in medieval England. So, therefore, it
is perhaps not surprising that, when this church was established first on this
site in 1067, it took this dedication. It is also interesting to note
that that there are six other churches with the same dedication in the Diocese
of London, including one, St Margaret Lothbury, in the City of London. In
addition, as some of you know, it is also the dedication of my home parish near
Sevenoaks – although there is some dispute as to whether that refers to St
Margaret of Scotland! In England, in total, there are more than 250 churches
dedicated to St Margaret of Antioch.
I think that it is important to reminder ourselves of the lives, and deaths, of the saints and martyrs which have been remembered by the Church over the centuries, lest we forget the sacrifices that have enabled us to worship in freedom today and given us a glimpse into the lives of people whose dedication and love for Christ has exceeded most of what we can imagine; and in respect of Margaret, to remind ourselves of the important role of women in the life and ministry of the Church throughout the ages.
Margaret certainly fell into that category when she died a martyr’s death on 20th July 304 A.D. The background to her death was the dangerous period when the Roman Emperor Diocletian began persecuting Christians throughout the Roman Empire. The reason was probably to try to restore the (Roman) public morality and reinforce Imperial authority. This was to be done by attempting to rid the Roman Empire of the Christian religious creed which, in the context of 4th Century Roman society, was seen as morally and socially disruptive. So, today, we need to be mindful of the fact that Christianity has always been, to a greater or lesser extent, counter-cultural. When a ruling 'elite' tries to marginalise Christianity on the grounds of not being socially acceptable, remember that the Christian faith is NOT the easy or always 'politically acceptable' option. Christian faith comes at a price – but thankfully at the moment not the sort of price that Margaret paid in 304 A.D.
Margaret was a native of Antioch and the daughter of a pagan priest named Aedesius. She was scorned by her father for her Christian faith, and lived in the country with a foster-mother keeping sheep. Olybrius, the praeses orientis (Roman Governor), offered her marriage at the price of her renunciation of Christianity. Upon her refusal, she was cruelly tortured, during which various miraculous incidents occurred. One of these involved being swallowed by Satan in the shape of a dragon, from which she escaped alive, when the cross she carried irritated the dragon's innards.
And that is just about the total of what is known about St Margaret of Antioch: her life and death. The account of her being tortured to death is probably accurate, since this was the sad fate of many who declined to succumb to the Imperial decree of Diocletian. Whether she was actually swallowed by a dragon, and then escaped in the manner described, might be a different matter.
However, as a result of promises that she is reputed to have made just before her death to assist anyone - especially women in childbirth - she is also remembered as the patron saint of pregnant women and women in childbirth. In the Middle Ages, some women would fasten strips of parchment bearing the story and prayers of St Margaret around their abdomen when in labour.
The first reading chosen for today from Paul’s letter to the Romans is often used at funerals, since it reminds us that, come what may, absolutely nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus. Not death, life, nor even the most cruel persecutions by a Roman emperor, can stop the ongoing loving effects of God in Christ.
It is important to note that within twenty-five years of the persecutions inaugurated by Diocletian, the Christian emperor Constantine would rule the Roman Empire. He would reverse the consequences of the edicts, and return all confiscated property to Christians. Under Constantine's rule, Christianity would become the Roman Empire's preferred religion. So, if we sometimes think that we are having a tough time in the Christian Church, we should take heart that the greatest development came after one of the worst periods in early Christianity.
When the first church on this site was established in 1067, it was less than a year after William of Normandy landed in Pevensey Bay in Sussex, and much closer to the time when William and his army of French knights were beaten back at the old London Bridge – literally just down the road from where we are now!
This church and its predecessors have many a tale to tell about what has happened in the life of the Christian community in this part of London. But the main story about this church is its ability, and its requirement, to adapt and transform to the needs of the people who live and work here and hereabouts.
In 1067 this place was more likely to have been a place for rest and care for those involved nearby in the battles with William and the invading French forces. Some 600 years later it was at the centre of a thriving and bustling City of London with tradesmen (e.g. Pattenmakers) around the corner and a successful bakery just down the road. Unfortunately, owing to a lapse in Health and Safety procedures, there was a fire in the baker's shop which resulted in the church on this site being burnt to the ground. And then, Christopher Wren got the contract to build a new church here, so it would have been a hive of activity here, with skilled craftsmen from all over the country and from further afield. These people built this magnificent church, but also found and re-used one of the bells (cast in 1624) from the earlier church. This shows, perhaps, the continuity of the call to worship in this place. The bell still hangs in the tower, and we hope to get it ringing again soon!
At my ordination, I was commended by the Bishop to “proclaim the faith afresh in each generation”. That is what this church has done over the centuries and which is our ongoing task. With the example of the martyrdom of St Margaret before us we have a great symbol - a women of faith who found Christ in spite of her pagan upbringing and the displeasure of her father, and who refused to deny her faith in spite of the most awful torture. Margaret is a woman for whom truly in the words of St Paul “... death, nor life ... can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord ...” (Romans 8:26-end)
How then should we now, in 2009, proceed with the many ideas and plans that we have for this church? Well perhaps we should take as our guide our Patron Saint, Margaret of Antioch, and follow her to assist anyone in need – whether women in childbirth or not. Much of that will centre around the manner in which we develop the facilities in this wonderful church, but also, as a community, how we reach out and welcome everyone who comes here – whether for a church service, a concert, a Yoga session, or just to sit quietly.
That is the task for the Church of St Margaret in the second millennium of its establishment.
AMEN
A sermon given on 30th July 2009 by Revd Hugh Thomas, Assistant Priest.
Readings: Romans 6:19-23; Mark 8:1-10.
As I described at the start of this service, the advice of both the Archbishops and our own Bishops at the present time is that the “usual” sharing of the bread and wine at the Holy Eucharist be adapted as a result of the current declared Swine Flu Pandemic.
The action and advice from the Archbishops is based upon Section 8 of the Sacrament Act of 1547, which contemplates circumstances whereby the distribution of both elements in the usual way, or at all, is not advisable on grounds of public health.
Sometimes, when we need to do something a different way, it can be uncomfortable, but it can also enable us to reflect on exactly what we do and why. For example, when there is a strike on the trains or the tubes, I am forced to get to my work by a wider variety of options — by walking, cycling (further), going by bus, or perhaps sharing a lift with another. After all, we realise that it is more important to get to the office than the manner it which we travel! It would not benefit us, or our colleagues, if we just didn’t turn up, and it certainly would not help in the management of the business in which we were involved. The most important point is just to get there, even if it takes a bit longer and is less convenient for a while.
Well, perhaps the same might be said at the moment regarding the advice to alter our “normal” manner of receiving the Holy Elements at the Eucharist. It can also make us reflect in a different way perhaps on another aspect of the Eucharist Celebration.
Our reading from the Gospel of Mark concerns the “feeding of the 4000”. By the way. this is separate to, and additional to, the “feeding of the 5000” which you will find a few verses earlier! I have to admit that I had to read it more than once to realise the similarities and the differences between the two accounts. (The earlier one is found at Mark 6:30 ff). What then was happening in the Gospel account? Well, people were coming together in fellowship, and with some anticipation. Probably more anticipation than in the earlier account, because they would probably have heard of the accounts of Jesus feeding the 5000.
Is that how we come together for the Holy Eucharist - in anticipation and excitement? In the Prayer Book there are, actually, a number of additional exhortations which the priest can use to remind people of the importance of coming together appropriately for the Eucharist.
For example, there is a specific prayer whereby the Priest informs the congregation when he will next celebrate the Holy Communion, saying “… (it is) my duty to exhort you in the mean season to consider the dignity of (the) Holy mystery, and the great peril of the unworthy receiving thereof; and so to search and examine your own conscience …”and …“if there be any of you, who by this means cannot quiet his own conscience therein, let him come to me, or to some other discreet and learned Minister of God’s Word, and open his grief … that he may receive the benefit of absolution …”
The coming together in a reverential way and in true anticipation is what sometimes can be lost, whether we are celebrating according to the Book of Common Prayer or according to Common Worship. The Eucharist is something we “experience” through faith, and not just “do”.
When we gather together in true anticipation of the coming of the Holy Spirit amongst us, we should remember the awesome anticipation of those people on the hillside as they waited for Jesus to come to speak to them. For, by faith, we believe that Jesus himself is here alongside us as we participate in the manner that He directed.
At the Eucharist, as a priest, I cannot tell you what a privilege and awesome responsibility it is to speak the very words of Christ. Not even the best training from the most experienced priests can prepare oneself for it. I know that I am a mere novice as a priest, but I have to say that each and every time I celebrate the Eucharist - whether according to the Prayer Book, or Common Worship - it takes my breath away. Nothing, I can assure you, prepared me for the first time I celebrated the Eucharist after my ordination, and the same thing happens each time.
As we gather at the altar we share SPIRITUALLY in the one cup and the one bread with Christ himself – whether we are physically around a table or not. The role of the priest is nothing less than standing at the centre of the table and inviting everyone to come together in the power of the Holy Spirit.
As we are gathered together today, perhaps we could imagine ourselves in the crowd of excited people we heard about in the Gospel reading, jostling for a place to hear or possibly also to see Jesus. The atmosphere is electric. Where is he? Can you see him yet? Yes, there he is, just coming into sight surrounded by his disciples. Will he see us? Perhaps we will get close enough to hear him speak this time. We tried last week in the other place but failed. And then, we hear that there is some food coming round. Some have got bread and others fish, some a bit of both. Whatever we receive, we know that it comes from Jesus himself. That is enough for me - more than enough.
We receive the Holy Mysteries of the Eucharist “by faith and with thanksgiving”. We receive the Holy Sacrament by faith in God in Christ who died on the cross for the sins of each and every one of us - faith in Christ, who, through the power of the Holy Spirit, is hovering over us now and sits alongside each and every one of us. But let us ALSO receive the sacrament with true and excited thanksgiving, just like those thousands of people on the hillside with Jesus himself.
AMEN
Lesser Festival – Gregory the Great
A sermon given on Thursday, 3rd September 2009 by Revd Hugh Thomas, Assistant Priest.
Readings: 1 Thessalonians 2: 3-8; Mark 10: 42-45
Gregory the Great was a Pope who died on this day in 604 A.D. and whose influence and actions spread far and wide. However, in a rather neat co-incidence, he also brings together for me both of my dioceses AND my favourite cathedral!
As some of you may know, I am also a curate in the Diocese of Rochester in a village just north of Sevenoaks in Kent. I was ordained in 2005, initially at Rochester Cathedral, which, if you have never been there, is really worth a visit. It is — although I am a bit biased — a hidden gem of a cathedral which has a wonderfully intimate feel as well as its grandeur. Not that I am being disloyal to Bishop Richard, but Sir Christopher Wren was a larger and more “modern” architect. The link is that Rochester Cathedral was first established in 604 A.D., the year in which Gregory died. So in 2004 Rochester celebrated its 1400th anniversary!
As pope, it was Gregory who sent Augustine to try to convert the heathen hordes of England. Augustine landed in Kent and, in 596 A.D., first established a church on the site of Canterbury Cathedral (my favourite cathedral), and then, a few years later sent one of his priests called Justus up the coast to the area around Rochester and established a church there in 604 A.D.
Here at St Margaret Pattens, we have only had a church on this site since 1067 A.D., so it took over 400 years more for Christianity to become rooted on this spot! But, if it had not been for the foresight and influence of Gregory, then Augustine MAY not have been sent to England, and Christianity MAY not have become as established so soon in this part of the country. Also we might not be sitting today on the site of a church founded in 1067...
However, in spite of the considerable leadership and administrative skills of Gregory — which certainly facilitated the organisation of missionaries to England and elsewhere — Gregory is ALSO recorded as a man of humility and peace, and his preferred title as pope was “the servant of the servants of God”. He was unafraid to stand for Christian truth in a changing and challenging world, and he challenged those in his charge to do likewise. “A changing and challenging world” could, of course, be very easily used to describe the situation today.
Today, however, Gregory is remembered as a “teacher of faith”. But are we all not “teachers of faith”? As Peter said in his letter to the Christians in Asia Minor (1 Peter 2:9), ALL believers are a “royal priesthood”.
Passing on the experiences of our faith to others is too important to be left to the ordained clergy; in any event, there are not enough of us! Sharing the Christian faith is NOT all about being well equipped in pertinent Bible passages for every occasion, or being able to stand up and lead prayers or give sermons, both of which should NOT always be done by the clergy. Worship, as well as faith, is a communal business, where ALL people need to share and pool their resources and skills. Nobody can multi-task everything needed in a church!
Our guide for this is also the words of Paul to the Thessalonians that we heard earlier, namely that we should be determined to share “not only the Gospel of God, but also our own selves ...”. In other words, actions taken in Christian love will, and do, speak louder than any Bible passage.
So that got me thinking: if one of the best moves that Gregory did as a teacher of the faith was to send people out from the “comfort” of Rome, what should we be doing at St Margaret Pattens to “proclaim the faith afresh in THIS generation”?
Later this month is an annual event in the Church in England called “Back to Church Sunday”. On this day, which has been increasingly successful over the last few years, people in local congregations are encouraged to invite friends or neighbours back to church, or at least to try it out! WELL, why cannot we do something similar? Is there a friend or colleague who you think would like to come along? Not that I am asking you to organise your entire company or department to turn up, although that would be great! You see, a personal invitation is always the best. The other reason for this thought, of course, is that, although I am around here on Thursdays and Fridays, and am usually contactable by e-mail, and do meet many people, I cannot cover everybody. And, as I indicated, clergy cannot, and perhaps I could say should not, multi-task to such an extent that nothing is really achieved or co-ordinated.
If we all try and invite another person to a service, then every week could be a “back to church week”. Although our main service today is a communion, we do, of course, have other services and events, and I hope that we can develop that further. I am hoping to re-start a series of Bible readings/studies as I did last year. Details have yet to be decided. Also I hope to start a regular morning breakfast meeting for business people based upon work being done at St Paul’s Cathedral. I will provide more details shortly. Added to this, of course, we will have regular evensong services and other services where we can all have the opportunity to hear our wonderful choir led by Rupert Perkins singing praises with wonderful music. But how about some other styles of music and service? Well, that is also possible. I do believe that there are great evangelistic opportunities through music. Added to all this, of course, is the opening up of the church to other groups, to perform concerts, learn dancing and many other things, and of course there is the coffee bar outside. When you have a cup of coffee there, have you ever mentioned to others that you actually attend the church yourself?
BUT, I suppose that I must voice a word of caution for us all, especially for those of us who have worked, or still work, in commerce and know the importance of efficient management, targets, priorities, timelines and accountability. This is different! Our task is not just to fill the pews, but to make a difference in people’s lives by introducing them, or perhaps re-introducing them, to the amazing, awesome, wonderful, life-changing Gospel message of Jesus.
Although Gregory was clearly a good leader, an effective manager and motivator, that alone did not make him a shining example of a teacher of faith which enabled the Gospel message of Jesus to be spread far and wide, even to the northern heathen reaches of the Roman Empire! Gregory was also a man of humility, peace and prayer who viewed himself, even as pope, as merely a servant — a servant in the task of spreading the Gospel.
So what is the task and challenge for us? Can I invite you to think about a person whom you could invite to church, to a service, to a concert or just to visit? Ask them to stop by. The door is always open, as is the invitation to ALL people to receive the Gospel message.
When Gregory sent Augustine to England it was to spread the Good News to people who needed to hear it. Today, also, there are many people who need to hear the wonderful Good News of Jesus, which is there for ALL people, without judgement, reason or being deserved. Faith is not earned — it is received through the work of the Holy Spirit.
Gregory’s legacy is that we are now sitting in a church in England which might not have been, had all of this not happened, and I would not have had a cathedral at Rochester in which to get ordained back in 2005.
So what will be our legacy to future generations of City workers? I hope and pray that it will be that we have not only maintained, but also developed and expanded the Christian presence in this place. In doing that we not only share the Gospel message, but also, as Paul wrote to the Christians in Thessalonica, “our own selves”.
WE should be the “advert” for the church - so let’s get out and advertise!
AMEN
Festival of Christ the King (the last Sunday before Advent), “Stir up Sunday”
A sermon given on Thursday, 26th November 2009 by Revd Hugh Thomas
Readings: Revelation 1: 4-8; John 18: 33-37
Today I am using the readings and festival applicable for last Sunday, which is an important day in the church’s year for three reasons! All the best things come in threes, as my mother says, and the Holy Trinity, of course.
Firstly, it is remembered as the very last Sunday before the start of the Advent season — the most important season, when we look forward to the amazing and awesome reality that God came to live amongst humanity as a small, vulnerable child, and NOT as the warrior king which many Jews were expecting.
So perhaps I could pause just there for a moment. When Jesus was born in a stable (or a cave) where his parents had managed to persuade the local innkeeper to give them a space, it was not what they or most people were expecting. At this point in time, Mary would have been about seven months pregnant and she was like many women with their first child — trying to deal with the physical trauma and discomfort of her expanding body. Also, it was probably, if she was like many women, the time when she would have been told to “take it easy from now on, and not strain yourself...”. But, as we know, that was not what happened. Within a few weeks she would have to make an uncomfortable journey to their home town as a result of the directive by the governor of the occupying Roman authorities.
Was that what Mary and Joseph were expecting would happen at this point in time, a few weeks before they heard of the directive from the Romans? Almost certainly not! So, for both the Jews of the time, and even Mary and Joseph, from now on all their expectations were to change and their assumptions challenged. How could a “king”, the true “Messiah”, be born in a stable, the Jews would say. He cannot be the right person. The Jews were looking in another direction — as they still are — for the coming of the Messiah envisioned in the earlier Jewish Scriptures.
What are we expecting from the Advent and Christmas season this year? More of the same? Same old office parties, poor quality wine, and too much of it? Meeting up with relatives and friends and acquaintances we don’t miss not seeing for the rest of the year? Going along to a few carol services and singing some of the old favourites, because that is what we always do, and because Christmas, and the frantic season of Advent, is all about ensuring that things are just right, “because we always do it that way”? It is what we expect from Christmas, isn’t it? Well, is it?
What do we really expect from Christmas? Should we be expecting more of the same as in previous years? Well, for the Jewish people of the time, it was certainly not what they were expecting. What are we expecting now?
From now onwards, we are preparing, both practically and spiritually, in our worship for the birth of a child — a Child who was the Incarnate God, and who was not conceived in human terms.
The Advent season, which is just starting, is a challenging time when we need to look ahead and understand the full amazing reality of the fact that the God who created you and me and everything that we see and hear came and lived amongst humanity as a child.
It is a time to challenge our expectations of ourselves, of others, of the church and of our understanding of our faith.
Secondly, the Sunday is also know as “Stir up Sunday”. Well, for two reasons. Traditionally it was the time when the Christmas pudding needed to be started, since it does need some time to cook and “ferment”. It was the Sunday when the family would “stir” the Christmas pudding and make wishes for the forthcoming Christmas season. Although we may not have sorted the Christmas pudding yet, have we thought of our wishes for Christmas?
But actually, the “stirring-up” is more fundamental since the special prayer for today says “stir up, we beseech thee O Lord, the wills of thy faithful people”. Are we ready to have our wills stirred up? For that is what comes with faith. By stirring-up our wills, we are all called to question our assumptions and expectations. What do we expect from our faith? More of the same, or some fundamental changes? Is the church itself stirring itself up enough? Like individuals, the church also should not be complacent about matters of faith. How do some aspects of modern life and economics challenge our understanding of the Christian faith? What should be the Christian response to redundancy or “quantitative easing”? Is the dramatic increase in debt by the government to assist the banking sector money well spent, seeing that the cost will be borne for many years to come by those who were not part of the problem? How much will it cost our children and grandchildren? That might be something which we could explore during the series of Bible readings and discussions for Advent which I will be starting next week.
But why is it so vital to “stir up” the wills of people? Well, as the prayer ends ...“that the people may bring forth the fruit of good works”. That is, our faith and comfort should be stirred up for the purpose of showing forth fruit — the fruit of the Holy Spirit.
And finally, today is the feast day of Christ the King. The readings from the Book of Revelation and the Gospel reflect this. “I am the Alpha and the Omega (the beginning and the end) says the Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty ..” (Rev 1:8)
Jesus, when cross-examined by Pilate, said that “my kingdom is not of this world” (John 18:36). That is one of the great challenges which should stir us up throughout the year, not just on “Stir up Sunday”. The “kingship” of the all-powerful, all-loving, all-knowing and all-seeing God of our faith is not of this world. In fact, the awesome nature of God defies true understanding in human terms.
So, I would suggest that, as we approach the season of Advent, it is hugely important that at the start we keep in mind the kingship of Christ. A kingship which is NOT of this world; which is not able to be fully understood in human terms, but which is a kingship which “passes all understanding”, just like the love of God itself.
Christ the King becomes a real presence amongst us and within us in the Holy Eucharist which we celebrate today. As we receive the body and blood of Christ at the Eucharist by faith, we can reflect again on the awesome reality of Christmas (which is prepared for in Advent), namely that Almighty God loves each and every one of us so much that he came and lived amongst humanity and died. Ours is not a remote God, but an intimate God who seeks a relationship with each one of us all the time.
Are we ready to have our wills “stirred up” to challenge our faith and bring us closer to God?
So, what ARE we expecting this Advent and Christmas season? More of the same? I hope that we will NOT get what we expect, but that we will be challenged to consider afresh, or perhaps for the first time, the wonder of God — the God who is the “Alpha and the Omega, who is and was and is to come”. He is the King of the Universe and everything, but NOT a King as we would expect.
Why not come along to one of our Advent Bible studies and continue these thoughts further? Why not do the unexpected — come to a Bible study, but be ready to have your will “stirred up”!
AMEN
A sermon given on Thursday, 14th January 2010 by Revd Hugh Thomas
Readings: Acts 8:14-17; Luke 3:15-17, 21-22
Well, we have all battled through the snow, or at least some of us, and now we gather together at the start of the year once again. At least for me this is my first time back at the church since before Christmas!
In the meantime, we have had the wonder and joy of Christmas followed by the excitement (and parties) for the New Year and then, most recently, the feast of the Epiphany when we remember the wise people (perhaps men, perhaps three) who came from foreign lands to worship Jesus and bring him gifts. But the most important thing about those wise people was that they were NOT “locals” (i.e. the Jews of the time).
So, when I was preaching on Epiphany Sunday at my home church I challenged the local congregation to question whether the local, and the national church also, was sufficiently directing itself to those outside the community, or to those who are “seeking” out God in various ways. This is why in the Book of Common Prayer the feast of Epiphany is also called “the manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles”.
In this church we are, above all things, here to minister and help ALL people wherever they come from, and we have visitors and others from all over the world. As part of this, it is a very strong feature that the doors are kept open, subject to emergencies, for anybody to come in and rest, reflect and pray as they feel appropriate. Some stop by and light a candle, some stop by and read a book or a passage from the Bible and others just sit in the stillness — a stillness and peace which is enhanced so much by the plain beauty that Sir Christopher Wren created back in 1688.
In fact, on my days up at the church I have continued to be amazed and delighted at the widest possible cross-section of visitors who do stop by here, whether tourists or those who work nearby. In fact, the challenge is often that number of people who stop by and often would like a word. This means that I often get a bit behind on the admin, so I apologies if my e-mails are sometimes a bit delayed!
That is what I believe St Margaret Pattens is here for — for ALL people who are seeking, or even thinking about seeking God in their lives. As part of that, the nature and type of activities, and worship, here at the church need to be broad. We have tried some different services and events, but how about some more? Any suggestions? Perhaps a “Praise Service” with some glorious modern music, or just another quiet reflective service?
St Margaret Pattens has been a place of worship here since 1067, and in this church building since 1688 MANY different forms of worship have been undertaken over the years. But we, the church, need to continually re-assess what is relevant and appropriate to our current church and City community NOW. The start of a New Year is a good time to consider this…
I was particularly struck by a BBC news item on Tuesday this week from St Lawrence Jewry. It read
Laptops and Blackberry mobile phones have been blessed in a church ceremony in the City of London. Canon David Parrott blessed the gadgets at the St Lawrence Jewry Church in an updated version of a traditional "Plough Monday" back-to-work ceremony. A number of parishioners held their mobile phones up as Rev Parrott recited a prayer. He said: "It's the technology that is our daily working tool and it's a technology we should bless."
I suppose that, being a bit of a technology person myself, I wish that I had thought of this also! But David Parrott does demonstrate, as a new City priest, the need to re-consider “traditional” approaches to church worship. At “Harvest” for example, what are the “fruits of the field” in the City for which we should give thanks?
But, whatever we do develop here at the church (whether it is new forms of worship or more and exciting concerts and other events) if we are to move the wonderful message FORWARD in this place we CANNOT do it in our own strength alone.
Today, we are remembering in the Gospel passage the Baptism of Christ at the START of his public ministry, when the Holy Spirit descended upon him. In the passage from the Acts of the Apostles we remembered how Peter and John prayed that the Holy Spirit might descend upon the people of Samaria so that their faith might increase and develop.
Likewise, here in this church, I pray at the start of this new decade, that the Holy Spirit might descend afresh upon all of us, and on all those who visit, so that we ALL might grow in our faith and that the work of this church be enhanced.
The amazing God who has been worshipped on this site since 1067 has refreshed and encouraged generations of people through the toughest of possible situations — from devastating fires and civil wars to terror and destruction in more recent wars, from terrorist attacks and economic turmoil, such as the recent economic problems and those of earlier times, such as the “South Sea Bubble” incident of 1720 when the reports said
The stocks crashed and people all over the country lost all of their money. Porters and ladies maids who had bought their own carriages became destitute almost overnight. The Clergy, Bishops and the Gentry lost their life savings; the whole country suffered a catastrophic loss of money and property.
There are probably no crises that have not been experienced by people who have visited or worshipped in this place … and who have been supported and helped by God. So, it is up to US NOW to keep alert to what God is leading us to do in this place in the year ahead.
God brought previous generations through tough times, as he will this time also, in a way that we will probably not understand. For, he is, the “God of Surprises”.
AMEN
Charles, King and Martyr (1649)
A sermon given on Thursday, 28th January 2010 by Revd Hugh Thomas.
Readings:1 Timothy 6: 12-16; Mark 4:35-end.
Today, we remember the death of King Charles on 30th January, 1649 at Whitehall.
We do this partly because it is a commemoration mentioned in the Church’s lectionary, but also because this church has, since the mid-19th century, been associated with the remembrance of King Charles’s death. One of the previous priests here, Father James Fish, was one of the founders of the Society of King Charles the Martyr which used to have its services here, and which holds to the more ‘high’ Anglo-Catholic traditions in the Church of England.
You will see on the south wall of the church the memorial to King Charles I, with the words ‘Touch not mine anointed’. King Charles himself, along with Archbishop William Laud, were devotees of a very high sacramental form of church worship and the doctrine of the Divine Right of Kings. Whilst keen to restore the “catholicity” of the Church, Archbishop Laud was not a Romanist and placed special emphasis on correct use of the Book of Common Prayer. He also placed a restraint on preaching, believing it to be subordinate to prayer and the sacraments in public and that this would correct what he saw as an imbalance in favour of preaching at the time. In line with this theme, I will keep my thoughts in this sermon short — partly out of respect for the former Archbishop!
On the morning of 30th January, 1649 Charles awoke early and told his attendant Thomas Herbert, “This is my second marriage day... for before night I hope to be espoused to my blessed Jesus”. The winter weather was so severe that the Thames had frozen over. The King was concerned that the cold would make him shiver, giving the appearance of shaking with fear, so, as he was dressed, he asked to be provided with an extra shirt for warmth.
William Juxon, Bishop of London, arrived to read Morning Prayer with the King and to administer the Sacrament. The Bishop read the lesson for the day, which was the account of the Passion of Christ.
On the scaffold at about 1p.m. that day the King declared himself to be “an honest man, a good king and a good Christian” and said that he had not begun the Civil War, and that he considered his sentence illegal. He added though that he was receiving just punishment from God, a reference to his allowing the execution of Strafford earlier in his reign to placate the Puritans, which he bitterly regretted and repented of. The King said that his desire was for liberty, freedom and the rule of law and government, and not for arbitrary rule; for all this, “I am a martyr of the people.”
The Bishop said, “There is but one stage more which though turbulent and troublesome, yet is a very short one; you may consider that it will carry you a very great way; it will carry you from Earth to Heaven, and there you shall find to your great joy, the prize you hasten to - a Crown of Glory.”
Archbishop Juxon then helped the King to tuck his long hair into a cap so that it might not impede the axe. Charles replied, “I go from a corruptible to an incorruptible Crown, where no disturbance can be, no disturbance in the world.”
Much has been written about King Charles and the extent to which he was a good king, and whether his death really was that of a martyr. However, what he did was certainly to make a very strong and impassioned case for the place of sacramental worship within the Church of England, although he was NOT looking to return to Roman Catholicism. His actions perhaps partly made some of the more extreme post–Reformation Puritan practices in the church stop so that the Church of England, as it is today, can rejoice in the broad “church” which it is — both Protestant reformers AND those who hold a high regard for sacramental worship. The epitome, perhaps, of the ‘via media’ (the middle way) which I believe is the strength of the Church and not a weakness.
Remembering King Charles’s strong remembrance of some elements of pre-Reformation worship — although this Church lost most of its valuables during the Reformation (1520-1550) — we are left with a SILVER GILT COMMUNION CUP (1545), the oldest in the City, which is on long-term loan to the Victoria and Albert Museum. At this service, I am using a special copy that was made for the church many years ago.
Death is a difficult theme to preach upon. At a funeral one can reflect upon the good things that the person showed in their life and how some aspects of that provides glimpses of the love of God for ALL people. But for a life cut short by the deliberate action of another, it is very difficult — much more difficult than remembering the long life of a loved relative or friend.
Of course the first and principal martyr of the Christian faith was Christ himself who was unjustly accused by the Jewish leaders and then put to death by the Romans because he would not deny the truth of who he was and is. Christ’s death was a ‘full perfect and sufficient, sacrifice oblation, and satisfaction for the sins of the whole world …’ (Book of Common Prayer) There have been many martyrs in the church over the centuries – from St Paul (who was killed on the order of Emperor Nero in A.D. 62) to Archbishop Janini Luwum who was murdered in 1977 in Uganda by Idi Amin’s government.
For all of them, they believed that their faith in the risen Christ was more important than life itself, however painful a process that might be. They did, indeed, ‘fight the good fight’ in the words of Paul to Timothy that we heard. (1 Timothy 6:12). But mainly, I believe, they took their actions in the fundamental knowledge of the power of Jesus — a power which he showed to the disciples on the Sea of Galilee when he stilled the storm, which even those experienced fishermen thought was scary.
The lives of the martyrs of the Church generally all point us back to the life and death of Christ himself. All the martyrs over the centuries believed at the time that what they were doing , or not doing, was more important than anything else in this world — even life itself. Their faith in the risen Christ made them not fearful of death, for they believed it to be a vitally important part of their life. As King Charles said on the morning of his execution, “... this is my second marriage day ... for before night I hope to be espoused to my blessed Jesus.” To return, in faith, to Jesus, is the comfort of the martyr.
However, for the rest of us, who, God-willing, will not have to face such a stark choice of faith – how can we learn from the lives of the martyrs? Well, I would suggest that it might remind us how close we are often to the timid and scared disciples in the boat with Jesus in the storm on the Sea of Galilee. They knew Jesus and thought they had faith, but even they doubted. However, for them, and for us, when the storms of life rise up and we really cannot see how the recession or our job prospects can improve, we can remember the words of Jesus “Quiet, be still”. Then the winds died down. As Jesus said, to us as much as to those fishermen, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”
I pray that we can all remember those martyrs of the Church who believed fundamentally that, like Jesus, death was not the end, and that their faith was vastly more important that anything else.
When we doubt our faith, as we all do from time to time, let us remember the words of Jesus asking us directly, “… Why are you so afraid?” With Jesus and in Jesus there is NOTHING to be afraid of in this world, or in heaven. The martyrs point us to this with Jesus as our guide.
AMEN
“Candlemas – The presentation of Christ in the Temple”
A sermon given on Thursday, 4th February 2010 by Revd Hugh Thomas.
Readings: Hebrews 4:14-end; Luke 2:22-40
“To be a light to lighten the Gentiles and to be the glory of thy people Israel”. Those were the words which we heard Simeon declare when he met the baby Jesus.
In churches candles are often very visible, because they symbolise Christ being amongst the people in the church, since Christ is often called the ‘light of the world’.
Well, today we have lit even more candles than usual — on the votive candle stand where you all lit a candle at the start of the service — and also a specially large one in the font. It is at the font that many of us began our journey of faith, either as a child — with the help and guidance of our parents and God-parents — or later as adults.
At the end of a baptism service, it is common to give the newly baptised, or their parents, a lit candle. I usually like to do this at the door of the church, to declare that, when the person leaves the church, they leave with the light of Christ to guide and protect them for ever.
But what does it mean to ‘go forth in the light of Christ’ as the wording of the Baptism Service says?
Well, it may NOT mean, for everyone, an immediate, vision of faith and a clear and understood connection with Christ. But for some, particularly those who may have been baptised as adults, it often does.
You see, for many people, their journey of faith is slow and fast, direct and indirect, simple and complicated, all at the same time! Faith in the awesome power and presence of God is NOT simple or straightforward.
Think of Simeon and Anna. They had lived and worked in the Temple for many years and had been doing various activities in connection with their faith. But they still knew that there was more. But then they encountered Christ, NOT as the Jewish scriptures had envisaged, (as a mighty warrior messiah to rid Israel if its enemies), but as a small child, a small, vulnerable child being brought by his parents to the Temple for the traditional Jewish custom of ‘purification’, which takes place 40 days after birth.
Mary and Joseph, who brought, Jesus were also, according to the account, poor, since they provided an offering of two pigeons (rather than the two turtle dove offering of others) as a special ‘dispensation’ under the Torah for the poor. Now, before you think it, remember that the Magi (or the kings) had NOT yet brought their valuable gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh to Jesus. That did not happen for over another year, since the accounts indicate that Herod had all the young boys under two years old killed!
Anyhow, returning to the story, I do wonder whether Simeon and Anna ever expected that the true Messiah would really arrive in such a way, since, don’t forget, they were devout Jews who would have studied the Torah and heard from all the Rabbis.
Well, when we look around and listen to what God might be saying to us, do WE expect (or hope) that God will do one thing, when ACTUALLY something quite different happens which perhaps we did not expect at all or even understand?
Perhaps that is what Simeon and Anna were thinking beforehand for all those years in the Temple precincts? And then it happened, but NOT at the expected time, and NOT in the expected way. They realised that Christ was there WITH them; “For mine eyes have seen thy salvation”, said Simeon.
And when it DID happen, Simeon and Anna could not hold themselves back. They just truly and immediately believed. But, I wonder whether all the other people in the Temple that day also came to believe in the same way as Simeon and Anna, or perhaps not at the same time ? Well, logically, most people did NOT come to believe in Christ as a result of Simeon and Anna’s actions, since otherwise Jesus would not have had as much work to do (and as much trouble with the Jewish people) when he started his public ministry some 30 years later.
Your see, people come to faith at different times, in different ways and to different degrees. But for all of them and us, Christ is there waiting, and waiting, and waiting for them and us. Christ NEVER gives up waiting. People come to a realisation of faith in different ways because, thank God, we are all different people.
In my local church last Sunday my vicar spoke about the importance of “teams” and their strengths. Well, in the City, we know all about teams and how important they are in order to increase efficiency and manage and large group of people. We use various psychometric testing devices or schemes, like Myers-Briggs, Belbin, Strengthfinders and others. We learn that not all people are leaders, not all are visionaries, but ALSO that not all people have the detail and perseverance skills in order to work effectively in a team.
When we come to faith in Jesus, in baptism or later as an adult, we join the ‘Team’ of Christians, a team of ALL sorts, types, shapes and sizes.
In God’s team we ALL have a role to play, which is likely to be different to others. The challenge, and the skill, is to ‘leverage’, as we say in the City, the skills and attributes of ALL people. NOBODY can or should be excluded from God’s team.
Perhaps in some places, some people are great at working with young children, whilst others are better with older people. Others may be great at the details and the dependable sort who can be relied upon to look after the practical side of church life, perhaps looking after the fabric or sorting out the office and computer for the church.
So the question for all of US at the start of the year — a year when we hope to move ahead and really develop the work and mission of this church — is “What skills or experience might each of US be able and willing to leverage to progress the work of the Gospel in this wonderful church?
BUT, whatever role or skill we each might have in the life of the church, we ALWAYS go out from here with the Light of Christ in our hearts. And it is this light which we particularly remember this Candlemas — the light of Joy, the light of Faith and the light of Love for ALL people.
AMEN
“Sexagesima” - Second Sunday before Lent
A sermon given on Thursday, 11th February 2010 by Revd Hugh Thomas.
Readings Genesis 2:4-9, 15-end; Luke 8:22-25
This week is some 60 days after the birth of Jesus and, under the old lectionary, we are remembering today as “Sexagesima”, which means 60 days.
And then, if one looks ahead, it is only a week before Ash Wednesday and the start of Lent! So, I realise that before long we will be starting the preparations for Easter and perhaps Lent courses!
So this week is perhaps the opportunity to consider some matters from a different perspective? If we only have this short period before the readings for Lent, what is the best way to summarise some of the most important aspects of the Christian faith? Well, I think that the two readings that we have heard do try and do this.
Firstly, we heard from the Book of Genesis part of the second account of creation, the first being in Chapter 1. In the version that we heard, there is the wonderful poetical account of how God created the heavens and the earth and then created mankind from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and then the man became a living being. Before God there was also not a plant in a field or indeed anything else.
Now, much has been written recently about the Theory of Evolution described by Charles Darwin and whether that conflicts with a Christian view of the world. There are some Christians who truly believe that the earth and mankind were created precisely as described in the book of Genesis. How does that leave many of us who strive to learn and understand the Bible?
Well, for me, on the basis of what I have studied and my belief, I do not think that the accounts of creation in Genesis are literal. In fact, there are many parts of the Bible that are not ‘literally’ true, but they ARE the inspired word of God.
The accounts of creation in the Book of Genesis, both of which do differ in details, are, I believe, symbolic of the relationship between the ultimate Creator God and His creation, including us. Some of the symbolism has been traced to be very similar to some creation stories in earlier civilisations, including the pagan Babylonian empire. HOWEVER, for me, the main points are firstly: what is God telling us through these stories of his relationship with us; and secondly how are we, as stewards, to look after HIS world?
Whether humanity came about as a result of the process of natural selection described by Charles Darwin or not, does not take away from the fact that ultimately GOD has a relationship with his creation and each and every one of us.
So, for me, the symbolism, that God ‘breathed’ life in order to create life on earth is very important. God did not ‘plug in the electric generator’ or even ‘switch on the sun’. God has an intimate relationship with His creation. Creation is a special thing, not the mass production of robots! Each and every one of God’s creatures is different, both man and beast.
But what about the newer scientific theories of creation? Well, the main one is the ‘Big Bang’ theory which was so well described in Professor Stephen Hawking’s book A Brief History of Time. I am not going to even try and describe the details of this, which are far beyond my very basic science understanding, but do read it if you can. One thing that I would emphasise is that Hawking does refer to God quite a lot in his writings and did say that "the actual point of creation lies outside the scope of presently known laws of physics". So, perhaps the greatest living physicist also realises that there is something more, but what that is, is not clear to him.
Whenever the ‘Big Bang’ was, and whatever its true effects on how we live today were, does not, I believe, dilute the fact that ultimately, even when the best scientific minds in the world have studied the matter, there remains the question of “WHY?”
Why are we here at all, and why do we believe in a living God who has a personal relationship with each of us? Well, I believe that it goes back to the wonderful symbolism in the Book of Genesis that “god breathed life” into man and did not permit to be created (whether fully in accordance with Darwin’s Theory of Evolution or not) a race of robots who could not think for themselves and were always perfect, and we know how imperfect we can all be.
As those of us who are parents will know, the most difficult thing as a parent is to ‘let go’ and allow your child to make mistakes, get things dreadfully wrong and even sometimes to get into their own self-made trouble. It can hurt us dreadfully, but we know that they need to be their OWN person and not like us, for good or ill!
That, in a very small way, I believe can give us a glimpse of how I believe God approaches HIS creation. And because of that, we also, as I tried to describe, have the ability, however difficult it may be, to allow others to make mistakes, but still love them without question, just as God loves each and every one of us.
The Christian faith is, as I have said on more than one occasion previously, anything but easy to fully understand. The realisation of the awesome power of Almighty God is too much for our feeble human minds! But, the story from the Gospel of Luke always gives me hope and support. There were the disciples in a boat alongside Jesus who was God in Christ with all the power and authority of God. And what did they do? They panicked! They were out on the Sea of Galilee and a storm came up quickly, which is quite common for that area so I understand. Jesus was asleep on the boat, since he had had a tiring day preaching to the crowds earlier and they were on the way to another meeting on the other side of the Sea.
But the disciples called Jesus and said, “We are perishing”. And what did Jesus do? Did he treat the disciples like Private Pike in Dad’s Army and declare, “You stupid boys”, although they were certainly acting like that? NO!! God in Christ, in the form of Jesus, loves ALL people; so he merely stilled the storm in a pretty ‘matter-of-fact’ way, and then politely rebuked them with the words, “Where is your faith?” Where indeed? There they were with Jesus, and yet, as imperfect humans, they could not fully comprehend the enormity of their faith and its effect. But Jesus, in a loving way, helped them, and then quietly rebuked them, a bit like we might do to our child whom we love so much. We do not want them to come to any harm, but they do need to learn as they go along.
So, there we have in this short period before Lent one of the central aspects of our faith — that although God created the universe and everything in a manner which we cannot really comprehend, what is central is that God creates in Love — a love which is personal, and which gives us the opportunity of a personal relationship with God ourselves; also that our loving God will continue to help us and guide us and try and keep us out of trouble and will NOT call us “stupid”, because God loves us for what we are and not for what we are not.
AMEN
A sermon given on Thursday, 18th February 2010 by Revd Hugh Thomas.
Readings: 2 Corinthians 5:20b – 6:10: John 8:1-11
I attended my first Ash Wednesday service where there was the imposition of Ashes only a few years ago in the City at St Paul’s Cathedral. I remember receiving the cross of Ash on my forehead with the words, “Remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return”.
A few years after this, I realised that I was saying similar words at my first funeral, when I committed the dead person to his grave with the words “... earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust, in the sure and certain hope of the resurrection to eternal life ...”. When St Paul was writing to the Romans he said that one needed to ‘die to sin’ in order to ‘live’ the life of a true follower of Christ (Romans 6:2).
Today, we remember the start of the 40-day season of Lent, before the joyful pinnacle of Easter. This is the time of year when we are encouraged to reflect on the tough aspects of our faith and, as part of that, perhaps to give up some indulgence for the period.
BUT it is not just about giving up, say, chocolate or red wine. Giving up both of those might be good at any time of year for our general health. NO ... whatever we might decide to give up should be something that makes us think about the important matters in our lives. In fact, it could well be a time to START a new activity.
At Lent last year, for example, I subscribed to an on-line service to read the Bible in a year, and I had a couple of chapters delivered to my Blackberry every day. Without that discipline, I am sure that I would not have got through some of the more difficult, and long, parts of the Old Testament. So, whether we decide to give up something, or to start something this Lent, the challenge is to ... be challenging.
Challenging might also be a good description to the reading from the Gospel of John that we heard. So often in our daily lives, and certainly in ministry, one meets people whose lifestyle is different to our own. They might make us feel uncomfortable perhaps. If would be very easy to just ignore them. But that is not what Jesus did when confronted by the woman who had committed adultery. Instead, Jesus challenged the basis for the judgment by the Scribes of the Temple. Rather than arguing the details of the Law of Moses (which is what the Scribes were trained in), Jesus merely asked the simple, but challenging question “... are any of you so perfect”, or words to that effect. The woman involved may well have broken one of the Ten Commandments, but what of the other nine? Were the accusers fully compliant with all of those? Can any of us, in truth, attest to always being complying with ALL the Commandments – even regarding covetousness, which is a real danger in the bonus-driven culture of the world of finance?
Now, none of this is easy, nor ever has been. In fact, if you read again the words of Paul to the Christians in Corinth that we heard, you will see that trying to live a Christian life was very tough. Corinth was, at the time, probably as important a trading and business centre in the developed world as the City is today, so imagine what you would have felt receiving a letter along those lines.
So what about our task this Lenten season and the imposition of Ashes today? One of the other things that I remember from that first Ashing service at St Paul’s was walking back to my office along Cheapside, and wondering why people were staring at me, and I was not even wearing my clerical collar! Well, I finally realised that I still had the Ash mark on my forehead from the service at the Cathedral! I did not realise what I had done earlier, but it was certainly not intentional. At communion services I will often make the sign of the cross on the forehead of an adult or child who is not receiving the bread and wine, but this is invisible. The sign of the cross in Ash IS visible to all.
When we come to the Cross in penitence and faith, we realise that we cannot be perfect and that we ALL have made many, many mistakes in our lives, and will probably continue to make them. However, in Christ, we know that we have a loving saviour who will not condemn us if we follow him. To follow Jesus is to put all our previous errors and mistakes behind us, and make them ‘dead’, and to follow Jesus and his teachings, knowing that when we fall down from the high standards, which we probably will, we can still turn to him in faith for forgiveness.
Lent, and particularly Ash Wednesday, is the time to renew our resolve to follow Jesus, come what may. It will be confusing and difficult at times — “... as sorrowful yet always rejoicing ...”, as St Paul wrote to the Corinthians in 2 Corinthians 6:10.
Today is a great day to put behind us the things that we are sorry for, to make these past acts ‘dead’ to us, for in Jesus we are ‘born again’ in faith. The physical act of having the Ash placed on our forehead and to hear similar words to those from a funeral service (for we will never hear our own!), can give us greater resolve to make a real difference for Jesus in our lives this Lent.
I pray that we will all come to the Cross knowing that there are no sins in the world from which turning to Jesus cannot heal us. For we come to him, by faith and with thanksgiving.
AMEN