Father George’s Weekly for 24 July 2022

Dear People of God

Grace and peace to you.

We get into some “interesting” conversations in all the most unlikely places sometimes, which makes it all the more important that we should be prepared to share our faith insights in language readily understood by the people to whom we are talking. Last Thursday I was getting a haircut (OK, there’s not a lot to cut, but….) and I was wearing my clericals, The conversation went (her) “Do you enjoy what you are doing?” (me) “Yes, I do” and it developed from there. Without asking too deeply I understood that she attends one of the mainstream churches around the district. It moved on to discuss congregation profiles and the “mega-churches” of the Pentecostal tradition, and maybe the reasons why we are missing a whole generation of people.

The hairdresser reflected on “entertainment”, “prosperity preaching” and the general trend in society to easy answers and centrality of the dollar above all else (aka “idolatry”). I was suggesting that for the last couple of generations we have seriously failed to educate people beyond relatively straightforward Bible answers and simple theology so that when rapid cultural change happens, as has been the case for the last couple of generations, our people are completely unprepared to understand and deal with it. I may be wrong, but that’s where our conversation went. It also covered new discoveries such as those unveiled by the Webb Deep Space telescope and how all that squares with our faith (an answer? It deepens our experience of God who created and loves all that is: and Creation exists within God, not God existing within Creation.)

I asked the other week for some feedback concerning study courses and conversation groups across the parish. I am aware that some people prefer small group worship, such as the Eucharist celebrated in a home with a gathering of five or six people, or informal prayer meetings, and I am quite happy to develop (or redevelop) some of this work. Already there has been some expression of interest in continuing the series “Talking about Faith: Words have meaning”, and a change to a different Bible study program. One request came for more information/discussion on the Anglican faith. More ideas, please.

I note that the Mothers’ Union is promoting a six unit study series looking at a Theology of Disaster Resilience with particular relevance to Pacific Island communities but nonetheless appropriate for a land frequently beset by drought, fire and flood. It would be a useful Lenten study for 2023.(see https://anglicanoverseasaid.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/11Theology-of-Disaster-Resilience-Bible-Studies.pdf) Perhaps a series looking separately at John, the Synoptic Gospels, Romans, the Pastoral Epistles, Hebrews, Revelation… There’s at least a year’s worth there. The other part of faith development is maybe a new series in the “Talking about Faith” Meanings have words” where we look at the central meaning of our belief and how we put that into words understood by a wider community.

More feedback please as we strive to reshape and develop faith within the community of Beresfield-Thornton.

The Lord be with you

Fr George 0410 586 119 gmainprize@bigpond.com

PROPERS

Sentence

The Love of Christ urges us on, because we are convinced that one has died for all, so that those who live might live not for themselves, but for him who died and was raised for them.(1Cor5:14-15)

Collects

St Mary Magdalene

Almighty God, whose Son called Mary Magdalene to be witness of his resurrection: grant that by your grace we may be forgiven and healed, and may know the power of your Son’s risen life; who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns one Gpd, now and for ever. Amen

St James, Apostle and Martyr

O gracious God, whose apostle James left his father and all that he had, and without delay obeyed the call of your Son Jesus Christ: pour out upon the leaders of your Church the same spirit of self-denying service by which alone they may have true authority among your people; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Hoy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen

Readings

Song of Songs 3:1-4a Song of a yearning lover

Psalm 63 Song of trust in God alone

2 Corinthians 5:14-21 The ministry of reconciliation

John 20: 1-18 Jesus appears to Mary Magdalene

Sermon (Fr George)

In the name of God, Amen

We’ve taken a bit of liberty with the Liturgical Calendar by combining these two feast days: St Mary Magdalene is observed on 22 July, which was last Friday, and St James’ Day is tomorrow, 25 July. We don’t have a tradition of weekday eucharists in this parish: that may change in time, but for the time being, in order that don’t overlook an important part of our communal life, we have taken the option of transferring the observation(s) to the nearest Sunday.

Why observe saints in the first place?

There are several reasons. We are a community of faith, not a collection of isolated individuals, and as we believe in a God who transcends space and time, so we also believe that we belong to a community IN God, therefore also extending beyond the bounds of place and time.

There are two levels of meaning with the word “saint”. They both mean “holy” and in one sense we are the “plebs sancta dei”, which is a Latin phrase in which the word “plebs” refers to common people, and we are the ordinary, common, holy community of God. The second meaning refers to people in whom we see an extraordinary level of holiness: not that they are any different in essence to us but that they have exhibited in their lives a shining example of transforming grace which we do well to emulate. You’ve heard me talk about saints in stained glass windows, as figures through whom the light of God shines as the sun shines through the glass, pointing us to the vision of reality in God. That’s what we come to observe in a special was today as we celebrate our community with Mary of Magdala and James the fisherman, one of the “sons of thunder”.

What do we know about them?

Mary Magdalene was sometimes confused with the woman taken in adultery and brought before Jesus for condemnation. But the only trustworthy reference is to her having been “cleansed from demons”, that is, probably healed of some mental illness. She followed Jesus and helped to support the ministry through financial means but, most importantly, she becomes the first witness to the resurrection and the apostle to the terrified band in hiding.

James is one of the several people by that name on the band following Jesus: the brother of John, son of Zebedee and Salome, probably the elder brother hence the tag “the Great”. He’s one of the inner group of three apostles, along with John and Peter, who witness the Transfiguration; either he and John or their mother Salome, depending on which of the gospels you are reading, asks for a pre-eminent spot in the Jesus’ kingdom, so maybe as close kin of Jesus they thought that some sort of enhanced status was deserved and in return Jesus promises them a share in his suffering. He certainly wasn’t tactful: when the Samaritan village rejected Jesus when he was bound for Jerusalem the brothers wanted to call down fire from heaven to destroy the village! (and to think that I have sometimes been accused of a lack of tact! I’m not in the same league!)

Apart from a number of pious legends, some of which may have a basis in fact, we know very little other than what appears directly in the gospels. Because the church was emerging in a very patriarchal society the whole ministry of women was relegated to a footnote, but there are enough hints to indicate that women in fact played a key role in the spread of the Gospel: there is even evidence of them taking the priestly or episcopal roles. Mary of Magdala would have been prominent in the band of the first believers and her closeness to Jesus attests to this.

James is also the centre of various legends. He was undoubtedly amongst the first martyrs of the faith, being executed on the order of Herod Agrippa. His relics may or may not be in the Cathedral of Santiago (Saint James) in Spain, the focus of one of the great pilgrimages.

They were flesh and blood people, with many shortcomings witnessing to a very real humanity, but the legacy they leave is one of transformational holiness. We do well to believe that they join their prayers with ours at the Throne of Grace. I don’t know about intercessions by the saints or indeed any of the departed: I’ll keep an open mind and, like a true Anglican, have a bet each way: after all, we can all do with friends in high places! That’s behind our tradition of Patron Saints for our holy places: we acknowledge our fellowship with the them in the whole community of the Church and pray that they will intercede for us, keep a “watchful eye” on the communities of dedication. Yes, I know that we have One Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous, but families also stick up for one another don’t they? Mary Magdalene and James the Great are two of the most popular dedications for Anglican churches, so I guess they must get pretty busy in heaven where the glory of God is the principal business!

Mary found the risen Lord, and, wanted to resume where she had left off but Jesus said “Don’t touch me”, in essence saying “It’s not like it was before: the new reality is here. Now go about spreading the good news!”

James found a share in the suffering of Jesus, shedding his blood for the faith when a tyrant sought to find favour with a people who hated him. He’s no meek and mild character but a real example of total devotion to the One he came to recognise as the unique presence of God.

James and Mary Magdalene, remember our earthly faith communities as you live in ceaseless adoration the Divine One, the God of all of us.

Amen

Intercessions (Fr George)

We pray for the world, its leaders, movers and shakers

For this nation, Anthony our Prime Minister, Dominic our Premier; for our local Members of Parliament and Local Councillors. Remember for good all those in whose domain it lies for promotion of equity, justice and integrity in our national life. Remember the nations of the world and breathe your peace over Ukraine and the leaders of conflict there, and over all regions of warfare and oppression.

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer

We pray for the Church throughout the world

For the Bishops of our Communion assembling at Lambeth, and especially for those bishops who have chosen to boycott the conference, that unity and respect may be keynotes of our life together. Breathe your Spirit over all who confess the faith of Jesus Christ that our common witness may be heard throughout the world. Remember the Province of Myanmar especially at a time of oppression in that land; our sister Diocese of Guadalcanal and the Australian Diocese of Tasmania; in our ecumenical cycle we remember before you the Salvation Army; in the life of this Diocese we pray for Bishop Peter, and for Bishops Assisting, Sonia and Charlie; for our Cathedral and the parishes of Gloucester, Harrington, and Taree; in this parish we pray for our clergy, George and Gail, and for the ministry of the Thornton Markets

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer

We pray for the life of your local community

Holy God, your Incarnate Word shared the life of the community of Nazareth; bless our local communities of Beresfield, Tarro, Thornton and Woodberry; those amongst whom we live and the communities of our workplaces, schools and social groups. Remember for good Francis Greenway High School, Beresfield Automotive Services, and Violet Moon

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer

We bring before you, Lord God, people in all their needs.

We pray for Daphne Lawrence as she mourns the death of her brother; for those who suffer after-effects of Covid infection; and for those on our regular Intercessors’ prayer list, especially Betty B, Val F, Barbara D, Didi; for Dianne L as she recovers from surgery; and all who are known to us, and those whose need is known to you alone.

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer

Remember, Lord God, those faithful men and women of every time and place whose hope was in the Word made Flesh and who, with Mary the Blessed Mother, Mary Magdalene, and the Apostle James, stand in your nearer presence. Remember Thomas William Howe, who has recently died, and those whom we have loved and see no more, as we remember at the time of their anniversary Betty Gibbs, Gwenneth Downey, Jack Binderman, Lloyd Appleby, and Colin Foster.

King of saints and angels, bring us all into the joys of your eternity: may they, with all the departed, dwell for ever in joy and light.

Holy God, you have promised to hear us: grant that what we have asked in faith we may, by your grace, receive, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen