Homily- St. Peter and St. Paul, June 26, 2011
Have you ever made a serious mistake in your life, but someone has given you a second chance, a chance at redemption?
That is what God did in the lives of two men who played a central role in the birth of the Christian Church; He gave them a second chance.
Paul, an educated Jew and Pharisee, made a reputation for himself as a persecutor of followers of Christ.
Yet it was Paul, who after his dramatic conversion on the Road to Damascus became the one who preached the Gospel of Christ to the Gentiles, and through missionary efforts extended the church through Turkey and Greece into the very heart of Rome.
He left us his letters to Christian communities in that region, and they have become part of our sacred scripture.
Like Paul, Peter made mistakes. Always brash and headstrong, he was one of the twelve men who followed Jesus throughout his ministry. Yet he denied Jesus three times on the eve of his death.
This denial is echoed in our Gospel reading today with Jesus three times asking Peter if he loved him. Yet Peter still became one of the early leaders of the church, and is regarded as the first Bishop of Rome, the rock on which the Church was built.
Both Peter and Paul were martyred. They gave up their lives for what they believed in, for their faith in Christ.
As we honour their memory, we look for lessons in our own lives.
One lesson is the boundless grace of God, despite our failings. We can do, as the prayer says, “more than we asked or imagined.”
In the parable of the Prodigal Son from Luke’s Gospel, one of the most familiar and loved from scripture, the Father welcomes his youngest son back with a great celebration.
This, despite the young man’s ill considered request and receipt of his inheritance, his loss of his fortune in wasteful and extravagant living, and his return home penniless and in disgrace.
The father in the story doesn’t care about all that. All he knows is his son is back, and he wants to celebrate.
.
The character usually ignored in the story is the elder brother, the one who stayed with his father, didn’t claim his inheritance early, and hasn’t done anything wrong.
But he is resentful because his younger brother has been forgiven and restored to the household. The father even kills the fatted calf for the celebration, something he never did for the elder brother.
What links this parable with Peter and Paul is grace, God’s grace. A second chance. A chance for redemption.
In our life as the Anglican Church in the Diocese of Huron we are at a crossroads. It isn’t just in this parish we have memories of the 50’s and 60’s, when we were stronger and more vital communities. We are all in the same boat, although perhaps some boats are leaking more than others, to carry on that metaphor.
One of the things planned for the fall is a Diocesan wide study of a book called the “Prodigal God” by Timothy Keller, a Presbyterian minister from the United States.
In the book Keller takes a new look at the parable, shifting the emphasis from the younger son, with his wasteful or “prodigal” or extravagant spending of his portion of the inheritance.
Instead Keller sees God in the person of the Father in the story as the Prodigal, or extravagant one. God extends grace to us, no matter what mistakes we make. God yearns for our return to his fold, his household. He yearns for our repentance.
Keller also takes another look at the elder brother in the story, who he sees as being just as wrong as the younger brother—but in a different way---his resentful attitude towards both his Father and his younger brother; his refusal to take part in the feast of welcome back.
Lest we too easily agree Keller, he suggests many Christians have acted too often as elder brothers.
The point of studying a book like this is that we need to become a church with a mission and a ministry, which will address the needs of not only our members but our communities in this 21st century.
Just keeping the doors open and continuing with parish life as it has been won’t work anymore. It isn’t sustainable, either financially or spiritually.
We don’t know what the church will look like in the next 10 to 20 years, but we need to start finding out what the possibilities are.
As well as this book study, we will have Back to Church Sunday this fall. You’ll be hearing a lot more about this as we get closer to the date. The idea is simple. All of us have friends, neighbours, children, grand-children. On one particular Sunday—September 25th, we will be asked to invite them to worship with us.
Ideally, we should pick them up and bring them to worship.
In Dioceses which have already tried this, thousands of people have come out in addition to the regular parishioners, and more important about 20 percent have stayed.
Think of how it felt to be worshipping on the 85th anniversary with people of all ages and almost 150 in the church. That’s the goal for Back to Church Sunday.
Studies have shown that the best way for churches to attract new members is by personal invitation by existing members—not church ads, not signs, not brochures or posters.
As we go into this summer period of refreshment, and the blessings of nature, I would offer a prayer for the coming fall to be an important time for renewal in this parish.
I can also announce Bishop Terry Dance will be here on Sunday October 16 for his first Episcopal visit since I was appointed.
Thursday, 30 June 2011
Sunday, 19 June 2011
Experiencing God in three ways
Homily, Trinity Sunday, June 19, 2011
Today we celebrate Trinity Sunday, the only Sunday in the church year which celebrates what is generally described as a doctrine. It’s not a Sunday about a saint, or an event in the life of Jesus.
It’s not one of those many Sundays after Pentecost. I guess when I grew up my first awareness of Trinity was that we had so many Sundays after Trinity in the old one year Prayer Book lectionary.
Now we use the Feast of Pentecost, as the beginning of this long season, so the Trinity is limited to this Sunday observance which goes back to the ninth century, and the Monks who helped the church survive the period often called the dark ages.
Our readings are vastly different, from the first of two creation stories in Genesis, to the grace in Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians, to the great commission, in which Jesus sends his disciples out to preach the Gospel to all nations, baptizing in the name of the father son and holy spirit.
If someone asked you to explain the Trinity, what would you say.
Of course this has been a great matter of debate among Bishops and theologians ever since the fourth century councils of the church.
But perhaps it isn’t important that we have a carefully articulated answer.
Instead we can see the Trinity as the way we encounter the divine—through the grace of Christ, the love of God and communion with the Holy Spirit.
One group of monks who helped us understand the Trinity were called Cappadocians. They described God in terms of three persons, in relationship to each other, inseparable, but in relationship to each other.
So instead of one God, remote and inaccessible, we have God who is creator of all, but who sent his son to be among us, and the holy spirit to care for us.
Through Jesus, who is fully human and fully divine, we have a place in the Divine life, as creatures made in the image of God.
I like this description by one writer of our faith in the Trinitarian God: “I believe in God, the creator and sustainer of all life, in Jesus Christ, in whom we see God at work for the flourishing of life; and in the spirit, who works in us so that we might live from, toward and with God.”
Seen in this light, the Trinity doesn’t have to be viewed as a difficult theological concept.
It’s simply a way to under God, which is unique to Christians. Other faiths have one God, or many Gods, but we believe in God, in Jesus, in the Holy Spirit, three persons, but one God.
And the most important thing about that is that the three persons are in relationship not only with each other,within the Godhead, but with us.
Today we celebrate Trinity Sunday, the only Sunday in the church year which celebrates what is generally described as a doctrine. It’s not a Sunday about a saint, or an event in the life of Jesus.
It’s not one of those many Sundays after Pentecost. I guess when I grew up my first awareness of Trinity was that we had so many Sundays after Trinity in the old one year Prayer Book lectionary.
Now we use the Feast of Pentecost, as the beginning of this long season, so the Trinity is limited to this Sunday observance which goes back to the ninth century, and the Monks who helped the church survive the period often called the dark ages.
Our readings are vastly different, from the first of two creation stories in Genesis, to the grace in Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians, to the great commission, in which Jesus sends his disciples out to preach the Gospel to all nations, baptizing in the name of the father son and holy spirit.
If someone asked you to explain the Trinity, what would you say.
Of course this has been a great matter of debate among Bishops and theologians ever since the fourth century councils of the church.
But perhaps it isn’t important that we have a carefully articulated answer.
Instead we can see the Trinity as the way we encounter the divine—through the grace of Christ, the love of God and communion with the Holy Spirit.
One group of monks who helped us understand the Trinity were called Cappadocians. They described God in terms of three persons, in relationship to each other, inseparable, but in relationship to each other.
So instead of one God, remote and inaccessible, we have God who is creator of all, but who sent his son to be among us, and the holy spirit to care for us.
Through Jesus, who is fully human and fully divine, we have a place in the Divine life, as creatures made in the image of God.
I like this description by one writer of our faith in the Trinitarian God: “I believe in God, the creator and sustainer of all life, in Jesus Christ, in whom we see God at work for the flourishing of life; and in the spirit, who works in us so that we might live from, toward and with God.”
Seen in this light, the Trinity doesn’t have to be viewed as a difficult theological concept.
It’s simply a way to under God, which is unique to Christians. Other faiths have one God, or many Gods, but we believe in God, in Jesus, in the Holy Spirit, three persons, but one God.
And the most important thing about that is that the three persons are in relationship not only with each other,within the Godhead, but with us.
Friday, 3 June 2011
Canon Davis Turns 85
From an article submitted to the Sarnia Observer for publication June 4, 2011
Kay McPhail first attended Canon Davis Memorial Church when it was founded as a Sunday school mission effort of the Ladies Guild at St. George’s Anglican Church on Vidal in 1926.
Now Mrs. McPhail, who just celebrated her 90th birthday, is one of a number of parishioners with long ties to the parish who will see the church observe its 85th anniversary tomorrow.
The church, located at Russell and Maxwell Street, will hold a special anniversary service, with a guest preacher who grew up in the parish, the Rev’d Scott Forbes, who now works for International Justice Mission, an organization working to help children at risk in third world countries.
The 11am worship, which includes communion, will also include a light luncheon afterwards, cake, balloons and historical exhibits. The parish will welcome the new Anglican Archdeacon for Lambton-Kent, the Venerable Paul Millward, who will attend after his own parish worship at Christ Church, Chatham.
From its humble beginnings meeting as a Sunday school for children in what was then north Sarnia in homes and for a little while in London School, Canon Davis Memorial was set up as a parish, using the old Anglican Church from Oil Springs, moved to the current site.
It was named Canon Davis Memorial to honour the Reverend Canon Thomas Robert Davis, who was rector of St. George’s, Sarnia from 1882-1922. Canon Davis emigrated from Ireland as a boy, and spent most of his ministry in Sarnia.
While Anglican churches are usually named for saints, Canon Davis is one of two in Huron Diocese named after clergy. The other is Bishop Cronyn Memorial in London.
The growth of Canon Davis Memorial in the late 20’s meant the old church wasn’t sufficient for its needs, so plans were made to build a new church. The result is the current building, designed by Chester Woods, to be a Gothic structure in the English parish church style. It opened in 1931, with a mortgage of $17,500 a large sum for a church in the depression era.
The old Oil Springs church was moved a small distance to become a parish hall, until 1957 when a new parish hall was built.
The 30’s were a time of growth for the young parish. On one Sunday in 1932 attendance at Sunday school was reported at 236.
The mortgage for the church building was finally burned in 1949. The next year a new rectory was constructed next to the church, a brick two storey building with four bedrooms, for $17,000.
Families at the church have been very generous in donating memorials, most notably the lovely stained glass windows in the nave of the church.
The current rector at Canon Davis, the Rev’d Bob Bettson, arrived from the South Parkland Parish in the Diocese of Brandon, last September. He is the 11th cleric to serve the parish since 1931.
The last two rectors, the Rev’d Canon Bill Jones (1959-86) and the Venerable Gordon Simmons ((1986-2009) cover a remarkable 50 year span in the parish’s 85 year history.
The parish his issued an open invitation to all friends, former parishioners and members of Canon Davis Memorial to attend both the service tomorrow at 11am and the luncheon. Come and share your memories!
Kay McPhail first attended Canon Davis Memorial Church when it was founded as a Sunday school mission effort of the Ladies Guild at St. George’s Anglican Church on Vidal in 1926.
Now Mrs. McPhail, who just celebrated her 90th birthday, is one of a number of parishioners with long ties to the parish who will see the church observe its 85th anniversary tomorrow.
The church, located at Russell and Maxwell Street, will hold a special anniversary service, with a guest preacher who grew up in the parish, the Rev’d Scott Forbes, who now works for International Justice Mission, an organization working to help children at risk in third world countries.
The 11am worship, which includes communion, will also include a light luncheon afterwards, cake, balloons and historical exhibits. The parish will welcome the new Anglican Archdeacon for Lambton-Kent, the Venerable Paul Millward, who will attend after his own parish worship at Christ Church, Chatham.
From its humble beginnings meeting as a Sunday school for children in what was then north Sarnia in homes and for a little while in London School, Canon Davis Memorial was set up as a parish, using the old Anglican Church from Oil Springs, moved to the current site.
It was named Canon Davis Memorial to honour the Reverend Canon Thomas Robert Davis, who was rector of St. George’s, Sarnia from 1882-1922. Canon Davis emigrated from Ireland as a boy, and spent most of his ministry in Sarnia.
While Anglican churches are usually named for saints, Canon Davis is one of two in Huron Diocese named after clergy. The other is Bishop Cronyn Memorial in London.
The growth of Canon Davis Memorial in the late 20’s meant the old church wasn’t sufficient for its needs, so plans were made to build a new church. The result is the current building, designed by Chester Woods, to be a Gothic structure in the English parish church style. It opened in 1931, with a mortgage of $17,500 a large sum for a church in the depression era.
The old Oil Springs church was moved a small distance to become a parish hall, until 1957 when a new parish hall was built.
The 30’s were a time of growth for the young parish. On one Sunday in 1932 attendance at Sunday school was reported at 236.
The mortgage for the church building was finally burned in 1949. The next year a new rectory was constructed next to the church, a brick two storey building with four bedrooms, for $17,000.
Families at the church have been very generous in donating memorials, most notably the lovely stained glass windows in the nave of the church.
The current rector at Canon Davis, the Rev’d Bob Bettson, arrived from the South Parkland Parish in the Diocese of Brandon, last September. He is the 11th cleric to serve the parish since 1931.
The last two rectors, the Rev’d Canon Bill Jones (1959-86) and the Venerable Gordon Simmons ((1986-2009) cover a remarkable 50 year span in the parish’s 85 year history.
The parish his issued an open invitation to all friends, former parishioners and members of Canon Davis Memorial to attend both the service tomorrow at 11am and the luncheon. Come and share your memories!
What a lawyer we have in Jesus
Homily for The Sixth Sunday of Easter, May 29, 2011
How would like to have Jesus as your lawyer? That may sound slightly irreverent.
But there is truth in this statement, and today’s Gospel passage from John teaches us an aspect of Jesus which is sometimes overlooked.
Jesus tells his disciples that after He is no longer on earth, God will send them an advocate, the spirit of truth, which the world will not understand, only those who have faith.
The Greek word for advocate is paraclete, which literally means an attorney for the defense and a comforter in suffering.
Indeed the whole of the Gospel of John is an exercise in signs, wonders witnesses, testimony and confession. The story of Jesus being arrested, tried and condemned to death has all the elements of a courtroom drama.
If we think of Jesus as a lawyer, an advocate for us, it is surely an empowering thought. After all Jesus stares down all those who challenge him in the Gospel narratives with great wit, wisdom and intellect.
He is the consummate advocate, the one who turns the tables, the one who we would like to represent us if we were on trial.
And that’s the whole point. Other faiths have remote and unapproachable deities, while Jesus is present with us, standing alongside us.
Many Christians have testified to that experience of the Holy Spirit working among us. It isn’t something that ended when the period of the early church came to an end, and the Christian faith became institutionalized.
Jesus is with us, as a comforter, as an advocate, during good times and bad.
Those Athenians Paul was preaching to worshipped an unknown God. Jesus is a known God, and we believe he is part of the Trinity, the triune God, one in three and three in one.
It may seem to some to be a theological construct, which is difficult to understand.
Throughout the ages the idea of God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit has helped us to grasp the infinite power and wisdom of the almighty, who can be both the creator the universe, and yet stands alongside us in our journey of faith.
I’m happy with the thought that I have Jesus as an advocate, a lawyer. And while lawyer’s fees have gone beyond the ability of the average person to afford, Jesus asks only that we have faith and follow two great commandments—love God and love our neighbour. That’s a pretty good offer.
Now I’d like to shift gears and turn over the rest of this sermon time to Wendy Heasman to report on our Diocesan Synod held May 15-17. It has been the tradition of our parish to have synod delegates report back. I am always available for any questions about the life and work of the Diocese and our Deanery. I plan to write something about the synod for our newsletter as well as the Huron Church News.
How would like to have Jesus as your lawyer? That may sound slightly irreverent.
But there is truth in this statement, and today’s Gospel passage from John teaches us an aspect of Jesus which is sometimes overlooked.
Jesus tells his disciples that after He is no longer on earth, God will send them an advocate, the spirit of truth, which the world will not understand, only those who have faith.
The Greek word for advocate is paraclete, which literally means an attorney for the defense and a comforter in suffering.
Indeed the whole of the Gospel of John is an exercise in signs, wonders witnesses, testimony and confession. The story of Jesus being arrested, tried and condemned to death has all the elements of a courtroom drama.
If we think of Jesus as a lawyer, an advocate for us, it is surely an empowering thought. After all Jesus stares down all those who challenge him in the Gospel narratives with great wit, wisdom and intellect.
He is the consummate advocate, the one who turns the tables, the one who we would like to represent us if we were on trial.
And that’s the whole point. Other faiths have remote and unapproachable deities, while Jesus is present with us, standing alongside us.
Many Christians have testified to that experience of the Holy Spirit working among us. It isn’t something that ended when the period of the early church came to an end, and the Christian faith became institutionalized.
Jesus is with us, as a comforter, as an advocate, during good times and bad.
Those Athenians Paul was preaching to worshipped an unknown God. Jesus is a known God, and we believe he is part of the Trinity, the triune God, one in three and three in one.
It may seem to some to be a theological construct, which is difficult to understand.
Throughout the ages the idea of God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit has helped us to grasp the infinite power and wisdom of the almighty, who can be both the creator the universe, and yet stands alongside us in our journey of faith.
I’m happy with the thought that I have Jesus as an advocate, a lawyer. And while lawyer’s fees have gone beyond the ability of the average person to afford, Jesus asks only that we have faith and follow two great commandments—love God and love our neighbour. That’s a pretty good offer.
Now I’d like to shift gears and turn over the rest of this sermon time to Wendy Heasman to report on our Diocesan Synod held May 15-17. It has been the tradition of our parish to have synod delegates report back. I am always available for any questions about the life and work of the Diocese and our Deanery. I plan to write something about the synod for our newsletter as well as the Huron Church News.
Thursday, 26 May 2011
I Know that My Redeemer Lives-A Memorial Homily
Frances Skelton 1936-2011
I know that my Redeemer lives.
That memorable phrase from Job, in the Hebrew Bible, was immortalized by George Frederick Handel in his beloved Oratorio Messiah.
Fran Skelton was an exceptional singer, mother, wife, friend, and believer. I met Fran last fall when I moved to Sarnia. And her strong faith was evident from our first meeting.
It was a privilege to be with her a number of times during her last few months, as her health deteriorated. Her faith never wavered. She never complained. She displayed a courage and quiet confidence in the face of suffering which was amazing.
That’s why it is a privilege to offer a brief reflection this morning. In spite of all the suffering Job undergoes, in spite of all the pain, all the loss, Job refuses to deny God. His faith is rock solid.
Facing a terminal illness is a real challenge to our faith. It’s not easy to accept the pain, the suffering and the loss involved.
But our faith allows us to put our hopes and our dreams not only in the challenges of our life on earth, but in God’s promise, through his son Jesus, of eternal life, where there is no pain or suffering, where all tears are wiped away.
Christ offers to take our burdens, our cares. As St. Paul taught the people of the church in Rome so many years ago: nothing can separate us from the love of God, including death.
Those ringing words expressing confidence in Christ’s victory over death, God’s promise of salvation for all who believe, provide us with a way to face our culture’s fear of death.
And make no mistake there is an element of death denial, of science playing God, not only extending life, but creating life in our current secular society. The resurgence in militant atheism, displayed by authors such as Richard Dawkins, argues that once we gasp our last breath, it’s over. It is finished. There is nothing more.
As Christians, we have faith that they are wrong. We owe it to Fran and all those who have faithfully served this parish church through 85 years of its history to proclaim that as long as we are able---to speak truth to the faithless, to show by our loving and caring community and how we support each other that both our faith and the church do matter.
We know that our Redeemer lives. Fran certainly knew that. We give thanks for the privilege of having shared the journey of life with her.
I know that my Redeemer lives.
That memorable phrase from Job, in the Hebrew Bible, was immortalized by George Frederick Handel in his beloved Oratorio Messiah.
Fran Skelton was an exceptional singer, mother, wife, friend, and believer. I met Fran last fall when I moved to Sarnia. And her strong faith was evident from our first meeting.
It was a privilege to be with her a number of times during her last few months, as her health deteriorated. Her faith never wavered. She never complained. She displayed a courage and quiet confidence in the face of suffering which was amazing.
That’s why it is a privilege to offer a brief reflection this morning. In spite of all the suffering Job undergoes, in spite of all the pain, all the loss, Job refuses to deny God. His faith is rock solid.
Facing a terminal illness is a real challenge to our faith. It’s not easy to accept the pain, the suffering and the loss involved.
But our faith allows us to put our hopes and our dreams not only in the challenges of our life on earth, but in God’s promise, through his son Jesus, of eternal life, where there is no pain or suffering, where all tears are wiped away.
Christ offers to take our burdens, our cares. As St. Paul taught the people of the church in Rome so many years ago: nothing can separate us from the love of God, including death.
Those ringing words expressing confidence in Christ’s victory over death, God’s promise of salvation for all who believe, provide us with a way to face our culture’s fear of death.
And make no mistake there is an element of death denial, of science playing God, not only extending life, but creating life in our current secular society. The resurgence in militant atheism, displayed by authors such as Richard Dawkins, argues that once we gasp our last breath, it’s over. It is finished. There is nothing more.
As Christians, we have faith that they are wrong. We owe it to Fran and all those who have faithfully served this parish church through 85 years of its history to proclaim that as long as we are able---to speak truth to the faithless, to show by our loving and caring community and how we support each other that both our faith and the church do matter.
We know that our Redeemer lives. Fran certainly knew that. We give thanks for the privilege of having shared the journey of life with her.
Tuesday, 24 May 2011
The Folly of Predicting the End Times
Homily May 22, 2011 Easter 5 Yr. A
Well, we are still here. Or else I wouldn’t be speaking to you this morning. Most of us probably heard about the billboards in Windsor and other cities in North America which called yesterday—May 21, 2011, judgment day, the time of the end of the world predicted in Bible, according to 89 year old Christian radio talk show host Harold Camping.
Many of Camping’s tiny group of followers honestly believed his calculations of the end times, quit their jobs and sold their possessions.
Sadly this kind of speculation about the end times has been around for centuries, and always would-be predictors have set a date based on the visions of John of Patmos in the book of Revelation, and waited.
When the world has not come to an end, it has been an embarrassment not only for them, but for the Church—which has unfortunately become an object of ridicule because of a few misguided believers.
Taking the Bible literally—or in the plain sense of the words
And applying our own prejudices in seeking connections with current events is a fool’s game. Jesus teaches that we will know neither the day nor the hour, when the world as we know it will come to an end.
Therefore we are to live each day as if it were our last, loving God and loving our neighbour—and modelling our lives on Jesus.
Today’s Gospel includes a phrase which—like the visions of the end times in the book of Revelation—have been much misinterpreted.
Jesus says I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to my father, except through me.
Many have interpreted this to mean anyone who is not a Christian. Anyone who follows Islam, Judaism, Buddhism or any other faith is automatically doomed to hell—which we would see as separation from God our creator.
But there is a story I came across about Billy Graham, arguably one of the worlds greatest evangelists, who was asked about this text when he spoke to students at Harvard University.
An earnest Christian student asked a pointed question: “Since Jesus said I am the way, the truth and the life, and no-one comes to the father except through me, doesn’t that mean people from other religions are going to hell?”
Dr. Graham replied: “I’m sure glad that God is the judge of people’s hearts and not me. And I trust God to decide those questions justly and mercifully.”
The student was disappointed not to have a clearcut answer and pressed further: “Well, what do you think God will decide?”
Dr. Graham responded: “Well, God doesn’t really ask my advice on these matters.”
Another questioner asked: “Well what about those who aren’t even monotheists—like the Buddhists?”
But Dr. Graham replied: “You know I have been to some Buddhist countries and so many of the people I’ve met seem to live more like Jesus than many Christians I’ve met.”
What Dr. Graham is saying is that the invitation to follow Jesus as the way, the truth and the life is not an exclusive one—it isn’t meant to limit the followers of Jesus to an elite. Instead it is meant as an open invitation to follow Jesus.
To follow Jesus means not to divide, but to include, to welcome, to care for our fellow human beings.
The theme of the Diocesan Synod which concluded on Tuesday was Astonished by Grace. Next week as part of the time, both Wendy Heasman, our delegate, and I will report on our experience of Synod.
It was inspiring to hear stories of God’s grace in the work of Anglicans throughout southwestern Ontario. It’s important for us to realize we are part of something larger.
We face the common challenge of living out our Christian faith in a secular world where the gospel and the church are often marginalized.
The way forward to us is renewal, recovering the excitement of learning our story, the story of scripture in a society where many Bibles sit on shelves, unread.
If anything the success of the church in the first two decades on my life—the 50’s and 60’s—was an aberration. It was the high water mark for Canon Davis, for most other congregations.
Yet now we have to realize that unique set of circumstances in which our congregations flourished in those two decades will never happen again and we have to seek out new patterns for our lives together.
We are not alone in facing these challenges. And there are no easy answers. But we have the assurance from Jesus, that we must not let our hearts be troubled—because indeed there are many mansions in God’s house. There is room for all.
So we can know the way, through Jesus, following his teachings. That way is the way of service, of caring, of sharing the bread and wine together, of hearing the word, of discerning how we can live out our faith.
No-one has seen God. The current fad which has seen the growth of best selling books by atheists denying God’s existence and debunking Christianity and other faiths, is a symptom of our sceptical age.
No-one has seen God. But Jesus was a real person, sent by God, whose life was mentioned by non-Christian historians, and who was crucified, died and rose again.
In Jesus, we have a doorway to God, a doorway which is the way, the truth and the life. That is something we must share with others as we live out our faith.
Well, we are still here. Or else I wouldn’t be speaking to you this morning. Most of us probably heard about the billboards in Windsor and other cities in North America which called yesterday—May 21, 2011, judgment day, the time of the end of the world predicted in Bible, according to 89 year old Christian radio talk show host Harold Camping.
Many of Camping’s tiny group of followers honestly believed his calculations of the end times, quit their jobs and sold their possessions.
Sadly this kind of speculation about the end times has been around for centuries, and always would-be predictors have set a date based on the visions of John of Patmos in the book of Revelation, and waited.
When the world has not come to an end, it has been an embarrassment not only for them, but for the Church—which has unfortunately become an object of ridicule because of a few misguided believers.
Taking the Bible literally—or in the plain sense of the words
And applying our own prejudices in seeking connections with current events is a fool’s game. Jesus teaches that we will know neither the day nor the hour, when the world as we know it will come to an end.
Therefore we are to live each day as if it were our last, loving God and loving our neighbour—and modelling our lives on Jesus.
Today’s Gospel includes a phrase which—like the visions of the end times in the book of Revelation—have been much misinterpreted.
Jesus says I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to my father, except through me.
Many have interpreted this to mean anyone who is not a Christian. Anyone who follows Islam, Judaism, Buddhism or any other faith is automatically doomed to hell—which we would see as separation from God our creator.
But there is a story I came across about Billy Graham, arguably one of the worlds greatest evangelists, who was asked about this text when he spoke to students at Harvard University.
An earnest Christian student asked a pointed question: “Since Jesus said I am the way, the truth and the life, and no-one comes to the father except through me, doesn’t that mean people from other religions are going to hell?”
Dr. Graham replied: “I’m sure glad that God is the judge of people’s hearts and not me. And I trust God to decide those questions justly and mercifully.”
The student was disappointed not to have a clearcut answer and pressed further: “Well, what do you think God will decide?”
Dr. Graham responded: “Well, God doesn’t really ask my advice on these matters.”
Another questioner asked: “Well what about those who aren’t even monotheists—like the Buddhists?”
But Dr. Graham replied: “You know I have been to some Buddhist countries and so many of the people I’ve met seem to live more like Jesus than many Christians I’ve met.”
What Dr. Graham is saying is that the invitation to follow Jesus as the way, the truth and the life is not an exclusive one—it isn’t meant to limit the followers of Jesus to an elite. Instead it is meant as an open invitation to follow Jesus.
To follow Jesus means not to divide, but to include, to welcome, to care for our fellow human beings.
The theme of the Diocesan Synod which concluded on Tuesday was Astonished by Grace. Next week as part of the time, both Wendy Heasman, our delegate, and I will report on our experience of Synod.
It was inspiring to hear stories of God’s grace in the work of Anglicans throughout southwestern Ontario. It’s important for us to realize we are part of something larger.
We face the common challenge of living out our Christian faith in a secular world where the gospel and the church are often marginalized.
The way forward to us is renewal, recovering the excitement of learning our story, the story of scripture in a society where many Bibles sit on shelves, unread.
If anything the success of the church in the first two decades on my life—the 50’s and 60’s—was an aberration. It was the high water mark for Canon Davis, for most other congregations.
Yet now we have to realize that unique set of circumstances in which our congregations flourished in those two decades will never happen again and we have to seek out new patterns for our lives together.
We are not alone in facing these challenges. And there are no easy answers. But we have the assurance from Jesus, that we must not let our hearts be troubled—because indeed there are many mansions in God’s house. There is room for all.
So we can know the way, through Jesus, following his teachings. That way is the way of service, of caring, of sharing the bread and wine together, of hearing the word, of discerning how we can live out our faith.
No-one has seen God. The current fad which has seen the growth of best selling books by atheists denying God’s existence and debunking Christianity and other faiths, is a symptom of our sceptical age.
No-one has seen God. But Jesus was a real person, sent by God, whose life was mentioned by non-Christian historians, and who was crucified, died and rose again.
In Jesus, we have a doorway to God, a doorway which is the way, the truth and the life. That is something we must share with others as we live out our faith.
From a different planet?
Homily Easter 4 Year A May 15, 2011
They devoted themselves to the apostles teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. All who believed were together and held all things in common; they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need.
This description of the early followers of Jesus at the time of the apostolic mission sounds like something from a different planet to 21st century ears.
Here we have a group of people who share their faith and their life in community, in a way which was totally contrary to the agrarian economy of the first centuries communities clustered around the Mediterranean.
Not only were those communities governed by the stern hand of Rome, they had a rigid class system with Romans, landowners, and local authorities at the top, merchants and small farmers in the middle and peasants and slaves at the bottom.
So when the early Christian communities described in Acts were forming, they faced formidable obstacles.
And that’s where the teaching of Jesus from John’s Gospel, of the psalms, and of Peter, come in.
Jesus describes himself as the good shepherd, and the gate for salvation for all. He comes that we may have life, and live it abundantly.
But that doesn’t mean things will be easy. As Peter reminds us, being faithful to Jesus, to God, can sometimes mean suffering unjustly. Christ himself suffered unjustly. And so Christians throughout the ages have often suffered unjustly.
But as an Easter people we believe Christ conquered sin and death, and gives us new life through his Resurrection.
One of the greatest images of consolation in our scriptures is provided by the 23rd psalm. We are both humbled in awe of these words:
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures and leads me beside still waters.
He revives my soul and guides me along right pathways for his names sake. Though I walk through the valley of death, I shall fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff they comfort me. You spread a table before me in the presence of those who trouble me; you have anointed my head with oil, and my cup is running over. Surely your goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
What strikes me about these words is how much they comfort us at many times in our lives, not just when approaching death.
Our souls long for peace, in our relationships, in our jobs, in our homes and communities. God desires that we find that peace, which passes understanding.
As Christians we believe we can find that peace in Jesus, and in community with other followers of Christ.
When we gather to worship each week in this parish church, as we have for the past 85 years we are doing the same thing those early Christians did—devoting ourselves to the apostles teaching and fellowship, and to the breaking of bread and prayers.
They devoted themselves to the apostles teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. All who believed were together and held all things in common; they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need.
This description of the early followers of Jesus at the time of the apostolic mission sounds like something from a different planet to 21st century ears.
Here we have a group of people who share their faith and their life in community, in a way which was totally contrary to the agrarian economy of the first centuries communities clustered around the Mediterranean.
Not only were those communities governed by the stern hand of Rome, they had a rigid class system with Romans, landowners, and local authorities at the top, merchants and small farmers in the middle and peasants and slaves at the bottom.
So when the early Christian communities described in Acts were forming, they faced formidable obstacles.
And that’s where the teaching of Jesus from John’s Gospel, of the psalms, and of Peter, come in.
Jesus describes himself as the good shepherd, and the gate for salvation for all. He comes that we may have life, and live it abundantly.
But that doesn’t mean things will be easy. As Peter reminds us, being faithful to Jesus, to God, can sometimes mean suffering unjustly. Christ himself suffered unjustly. And so Christians throughout the ages have often suffered unjustly.
But as an Easter people we believe Christ conquered sin and death, and gives us new life through his Resurrection.
One of the greatest images of consolation in our scriptures is provided by the 23rd psalm. We are both humbled in awe of these words:
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures and leads me beside still waters.
He revives my soul and guides me along right pathways for his names sake. Though I walk through the valley of death, I shall fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff they comfort me. You spread a table before me in the presence of those who trouble me; you have anointed my head with oil, and my cup is running over. Surely your goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
What strikes me about these words is how much they comfort us at many times in our lives, not just when approaching death.
Our souls long for peace, in our relationships, in our jobs, in our homes and communities. God desires that we find that peace, which passes understanding.
As Christians we believe we can find that peace in Jesus, and in community with other followers of Christ.
When we gather to worship each week in this parish church, as we have for the past 85 years we are doing the same thing those early Christians did—devoting ourselves to the apostles teaching and fellowship, and to the breaking of bread and prayers.
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