Broadcast 29 August 2010 : 22nd Sunday Year C. (Luke 14, 1. 7-14) (music : John Taverner 1490-, Missa Mater Christi sanctissima)

Giving or taking, which is the easier ? When we’re very young, taking presents us with no problems at all. To the child it seems natural that others give and we take. But as adults we develop all sorts of hang ups and many of us find it easier to give than to receive. My dear old Mum finds it very difficult to ask for help, or to accept it when it’s offered. She says she ‘doesn’t want to be a nuisance’. This fear of receiving, whether a gift or some kind of service can lead us to isolation and it comes from a lack of self confidence. We feel we aren’t worth such kindness. Worse still, we feel incapable of returning the favour. For some people, it’s actually it’s a humiliation to accept help from another, a sign we’re not capable ourselves. I suppose that counts as pride. But the danger is that by not accepting help from others, we can become isolated. Self confidence and humility are required to be on the receiving end. It’s perhaps an odd combination, and yet the two DO go together, and when they come together it’s a sign that we’re growing up. Society is based on give and take. We all depend on others all the time. We trust them to get on with their jobs and we get on with ours. We all have different talents, something different to offer. So we need to feel confident in what we can give, and humble in face of what the other person can give to us. In fact to refuse a favour from someone is to deny them their worth. We all need to give, and we all need to receive.

But not necessarily directly. The quid pro quo mentality has its problems. Most of us will be familiar with the thinking behind the habit of taking it in turns to invite people to dinner. We had them last time, so now it’s their turn. Easy to fall into that way of thinking. But Jesus tells us we should give without expecting any return. We shouldn’t give in order to get. His illustration, offering dinner to the poor who can’t possibly return our generosity, speaks volumes. No it isn’t the quid pro quo mentality we should be following, we should give freely to whoever needs it, and instead of getting anything back ourselves, the person who received the favour may well pass it on to another needy person, not to us. But we, when we’re in need will also find ourselves receiving from someone who owes us nothing at all. So, we do get back, but in the sense rather of throwing our bread on the waters, than in the sense of the quid pro quo. We give freely, and as we give so shall we also receive when we in turn are in need, and the help will come from a totally unexpected source. Confidence, trust and humility all come together when we start thinking like that, and the wheels of our common society are oiled. Quid pro quo closes us in, giving freely opens us out. We can be closed in on ourselves in our little world, or we can open out to the larger society and be all the richer for it.

As for not pushing ourselves forward, well it’s just not good manners is it ? Good manners are the unwritten laws of social conduct and help things to run smoothly. The ‘me, me !’ of the child gives way as we grow up to the ‘how about you ?’ We recognise the right of the other to be, to exist, and to live well. It’s not really a case of who’s more important, it’s a case of who is needed, who fits the bill, and a recognition of the fact that we are not the only pebbles on the beach.

Good manners is putting the other person first. It’s accepting to be one of a crowd, with one’s own worth yes, but no better than the other. Good manners makes us and everyone else more comfortable in our relations with the rest of the world. It seems Jesus is in favour of good manners, when they come from the heart, from an attitude of loving our neighbour.

Broadcast 22 August 2010 : 21st Sunday, Year C (Luke 13, 22-30) (music : ’Blessed Lord, in thee is refuge’)

One of the main messages throughout the New Testament is ‘believe and be saved’. In the last few verses of today’s reading, Jesus again emphasises man’s need to be saved and the consequences of not being. So, just what is ‘being saved’ ? Whilst we all understand what it means to be saved from drowning for instance, we perhaps have a less clear picture of the Biblical meaning.

The word ‘save’ in this context is similar in meaning to the word ‘redeem’ ; a good example of which is that of a slave being bought out of bondage – the word ‘redeem’ was actually used for this process and - as those in bondage to sin ourselves and in common with most other slaves - we do not have the resources to redeem ourselves : we need someone else to pay the price : a redeemer in fact.

Amazingly, Jesus, the son of God, paid the price of our redemption by his own sacrifice on the cross at Calvary. By this means, we are redeemed or saved from sin and its consequences – In being saved, we are freed from the bondage that sin has hitherto held over us and in doing so, released us into the relationship with God which he originally intended with mankind before Adam and Eve first succumbed to temptation. By and through this relationship we are empowered to resist temptation and to live lives which clearly show the love of God to those around us. This has the wonderful spin-off in that we should become nicer, kinder and more thoughtful people who show more concern for our fellows than we do for ourselves. One of Jesus’ audience, whilst considering the possibility that not everyone will automatically be saved asks, in verse 23 - “are there few that will be saved ?” Jesus says in verse 24 : “I tell you, many will try to enter and will not succeed.” Jesus goes on to exhort his listeners to try their hardest to enter by the narrow door of salvation.

I believe the term ‘trying’ here means earnestly desiring to know Jesus, and diligently striving to follow him, whatever the cost ; and we all face a number of obstacles which stand in the way of our passing through this so called ‘narrow door’. The first and by far the most significant is that most either do not know or do not acknowledge that they need to be saved, and therefore make little or no attempt to search for the door and as a consequence, never find it. Then, the door itself, by definition is very narrow - Whilst others may guide us toward it, or encourage us to keep to the path which leads to it, it is so narrow that ultimately we must pass through it alone – there is space for only one at a time ! It is a personal matter !

It has very strict access conditions – somewhat like entering into a high-security facility. Jesus says in John 3 that unless a man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God. The qualification for passing through is being born again. No other formula, no matter how noble, no matter how pious, will do. The narrowness of the door makes it difficult if not impossible for us to carry any sort of baggage through it. Indeed, it seems appropriate to visualise ourselves leaving this earthly realm in a condition similar to that in which we entered it i.e. naked and devoid of any possessions. Not only is our earthly wealth of no help here, it could actually be serious obstacle. We note that Jesus speaks not of a hole in a wall but of a door – and doors are made to be opened and closed.

Now we are very fortunate that we live in a time when the door to salvation is open to those who believe. It was opened two thousand years ago when Jesus died and was resurrected – but one day it will close ! It will close for each of us the day we die or when Jesus returns, whichever comes first, and when it does, we shall be either ‘inside’ or ‘outside’. Jesus tells us in verse 25 that : ’Once the master of the house has locked the door, you may find yourself standing outside knocking and saying, "Lord, open to us," but he will answer, "I do not know where you come from’. On the ‘inside’ will be those who have accepted Jesus as Lord and Saviour and on the ‘outside’, those who have not.

And finally- Exactly what is the door ? The answer is Jesus. He said : “I am the way, the truth and the light – no man comes to the father but through me”. There is no other way. Many will argue the virtues of other religions – and virtues there are to be sure but the Bible says there is no other way ; no other door but Jesus and no other path to that door. As we have seen, the door is difficult to find but Jesus promised that if we ask we will receive, if we seek we will find and if we knock the door will be opened to us. If you have not yet found Jesus, the door - Ask, seek and knock. Nothing would please Jesus more than to open the door and welcome you in.

Broadcast 15 August 2010 : 20th Sunday, Yr C : (reading : Luke 12, 49-53) (music : Bach, Goldberg Variations 1. 21 – Glenn Gould)

Jesus’ words still have the power today to disconcert us and upset all our preconceptions. That is the measure of their life-giving capacity. But a literal reading of this text is no help whatever for understanding its message. Jesus is not promising violence, only purification ; not a baptism so much as a transfiguration – a change in the disciples’ understanding of Him which will be as difficult an endurance test as we or they can imagine, one which by an inexorable logic will lead to deep divisions of opinion - even within close families - because it calls in question some fundamental assumptions which we all have about ourselves and our place in the world. We think we know who we are, who are our father and mother and daughter : but this text is a call to every one who hears it, to break their attachment to their own identity and to whatever supports this attachment, and instead to become identified with Jesus himself and attached only to Him. What a challenge ! And, what a minefield to try to explain his words !

We know, at least we think we know, what Jesus means when he talks of the baptism which he has yet to undergo. That must be his death on the Cross ; and what he is longing for is his own Resurrection which will justify the agony of the sacrifice he has to make, and give inspiration and hope to all who are called to follow him, all those who are prepared to give up their lives in the service of others - because love is stronger than any attachment, a gift given freely and received without obligation, an immolation of all selfish feeling, justified only by itself and by its power to give release from every kind of bondage.

And the fire he is talking about reminds us of the burning bush in which the Father (his Father, ours as well) appeared to Moses on Mt Sinai. The bush burned in flames which did not destroy, but served to hide the presence of the divine being from our sight, because human eyes cannot yet bear the direct vision of the Godhead.

When we hear these words today we are once again in the presence of that mystery. Many of the great mystics talk about the flames of love, they ask God to consume them in his cleansing fire which purifies without harm and allows them to come closer to the reality they have glimpsed in meditation.

And that same fire reminds us also of the tongues of flame which appeared over the heads of the disciples on the day of Pentecost. Then it was a sign of the presence of the Holy Spirit, bringing gifts of words which can communicate and transform ; which can bless and nourish faith in the One who gives them.

So why then, are we disconcerted by this heavenly vision of a purifying experience which will transport us into another reality ? Why does Jesus say he is going to bring division, not peace on earth ? There can be only one reason. We are too much identified with our earthly existence. We cling to the familiar, the rational, to all the things which give us our security. To follow Jesus we have to renounce – not the world, but our attachment to the world ; not our families, but our reliance on family as our first source of security ; not our religion, but our dependence on church and priesthood as symbols of what has to be a personal reality.

Jesus wants us to be like Him, dependent only on his Father, receiving all our strength and character from that heavenly source, living out in our daily and utterly worldly lives the wishes and plans of our Father, passing on the Good News of the saving grace and power of his Son, receiving and distributing the life-enhancing gifts which are only to be obtained from the Holy Spirit. Jesus wants us to be more like Him. How I wish I could be. How I wish we all could be. Don’t you ?

Broadcast 8 August 2010 : 19th Sunday, Yr C (Luke 12, 32-48) (music : hymn, "Oh for a closer walk with God")

Do you know that the Jews are awaiting the Messiah and that Christians and Muslims are awaiting the return of Jesus ? Which means that traditionally at least, most of the world is awaiting Jesus’ return ? Sadly, as the years, centuries and millennia roll by, we all become increasingly indifferent to this possibility.

Some years ago, at a Christian homegroup meeting in which we were discussing the view the early church had of the second-coming, one of our members said, “Ah yes, but in those days, they were expecting Jesus to return at any moment”. Of course they were - as were the Thessalonians Christians when they wrote to Paul to ask him what was going on, as several of their members had died, whereas they were expecting Jesus to return at any minute and take each and every member into heaven with him.

Although such a view may, in the light of history, seem to us rather naïve, it is actually the view that we Christians should hold – as exhorted by Jesus as he relates such parables as the wedding feast and the wise and foolish virgins. Although Jesus has promised to return, he has made it very clear that no-one knows when ; that is God’s secret. Jesus warns, and not only in today’s passage, that we need always to be ready. That does not necessarily mean that we need be on our knees in prayer, or involved in some pious act at the very moment Jesus appears, but that upon his return, we should be found spiritually in the right place.

Just a few weeks ago, our daughter’s house was broken into and burgled. Like so many these days, they have an alarm system but had not bothered to set it. Had she and her husband known there were burglars about, they would, no doubt have set the alarm and had they known they were to be burgled that day, no doubt they would have either waited there themselves or had another keep a lookout.

It is said that St. Francis, whilst hoeing his garden was asked, “What would you do if you knew you only had one day to live ?” “I would keep on hoeing my garden,” was the reply. He was obviously satisfied with his standing before God and believed he did not have to make any special effort in order to qualify for acceptance by his Lord. Jesus says this is the sort of vigil we need to keep – believing each night as we retire that Jesus may come tonight and as we start each day to live in such a manner that we will not be found wanting whenever Jesus returns. And as we prepare ourselves day by day to live in a manner worthy of our calling, let us pray for our loved ones that they too may come to faith that they too may be ready when the call comes.

In the meantime, we live on earth ; most of us blessed with a number of material blessings : home, food, clothes car family etc. Some might even consider they possess treasures of one sort or another. But we, as Christian believers have a treasure store laid up in heaven – as promised by Jesus and because of this, we should strive to take our eyes off our earthly somewhat sub-standard belongings (substandard that is, compared to our heavenly treasures) and look forward to our heavenly inheritance.

Whilst it is not a sin to have earthly belongings it is a sin to hold them in high esteem ; to be possessive ; to be stingy and tight-fisted. As Christians, we need to understand that whatever God has entrusted to our earthly care, we are not the actual owners ; we are simply stewards – and that for a brief time. We need therefore to invest in the Kingdom of God rather than in earthly things. Earthly belongings are entrusted to us, not as blessings exclusive to us and our loved ones but also to others ; particularly the poor and needy. Therefore, we should hold our earthly possessions lightly, being always prepared to share them with the less fortunate as and when the need arises and to do so expeditiously, unconditionally and without thoughts of repayment. For most of us, this is a real challenge as day by day new needs arise as we hear of famine, drought, Tsunami, earthquake, flood, tempest, volcanic eruption and massive oil-spills etc.

Although we may struggle to hold loosely our earthly goodies, we will inevitably lose them when we reach the end of our earthly tenure or Jesus returns. Let us spend a moment and imagine standing, before God, alongside the poor and needy with our pockets and stomachs satisfyingly full.

Jesus is coming back ! The question is not “When ?” But “Am I ready ?”

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