Weekly for 21 May 2023 (Ascension)

Fr George Mainprize
May 20, 2023
7 min read

Dear People of God

Grace and Peace to you all

A REMINDER

The Parish Luncheon is on 31 May, which is only 10 days away. Noon for 12:30, $20. “Fudge” from Miracle Assistance Dogs will be the guest speaker, although I daresay that she will have a “barksperson” to present on his behalf. Please get your names onto the sheets near the door of our churches, so that we can cater properly. The role of Assistance Dogs is of increasing need in our communities and we might all learn something more about them.

MOTHERS’ DAY RAFFLE

The lucky winners were

1 Bob Hinton

2 Chloe McLennan

3 Judy Bush

There were any number of Mothers’ Day cartoons on the social media sites. One which I particularly liked was of a woman lying in bed with a worried look on her face as she heard the voices from the kitchen “You’ve dropped it jam side down”, “Put more butter on: I can still see the black bits”, “Do you think six sugars is enough for her tea, or should I put more in?”. That was closely followed by a sketch of several women in the Emergency Dept of a hospital, all suffering from a meal prepared by the children. Seems that motherhood is about forbearance and suffering!

SHIFTING THE CALENDAR

Many parishes have daily or midweek services, which means that the various Red Letter Days can be observed as they occur. (“Red Letter” because they were indicated in red in the liturgical calendar as being days of particular importance). Ascension and Transfiguration are two of these, which generally fall on a weekday – Ascension is always on a Thursday, 40 days after Easter, and Transfiguration is on 6 August). Since we don’t have the opportunity for services on the date, we transfer the observation to a close Sunday, hence our observation of Ascension this week.

ABSENT CLERGY

I will be away next week from Monday afternoon to Friday morning, at the Silent Retreat at Kincumber. The Diocesan Clergy Retreats are a time for us to recharge the batteries. Normally Deacon Gail would be available for urgent matters but she needs to be away for all of next week as well. Fr Scott Dulley (East Maitland) has agreed to take any urgent calls for matters which cannot wait until I return. His number is 0402 049 059. You can leave a text or voice message on my mobile phone ( the number is at the foot of this letter) and I will pick it up as I can.

BAPTISM

We welcome Nevaeh Martin, daughter of Leilani and Anthony Martin and sister of Louis, and Grand-daughter of Michelle Langman, into the family of God by Baptism on Sunday at St Paul’s at 9:30.

Fr George

gmainprize@bigpond.com 0410 586 19

PROPERS for ASCENSION DAY

Sentence

“Go and make disciples of all nations” Jesus commands; “I am with you always, to the close of the age” (Matt 28:19-20)

COLLECTS

God of majesty, you led the Messiah through suffering into risen life, and took him up into the glory of heaven: clothe us with the power promised form on high, and send us forth to the ends of the earth as heralds of repentance and witnesses of Jesus Christ, the firstborn from the dead, who lives with you now and always, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever. Amen

Grant, we pray, almighty God, that as we believe your only Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, to have ascended into the heavens, so we may with heart and mind thither ascend, and with him continually dwell; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen

READINGS

Acts 1:6-14 The Ascension of Jesus

Psalm 68: 1-10, 32-35 The God of Israel is God of all the earth

1 Peter 5 A living hope

John 17:1-11 Jesus prays for his disciples

SERMON (Fr George)

In the Name of God, Amen

Let’s get a few things straight right now.

Critics of Christianity are often quick to point out that there are inconsistencies between the various gospel narratives. Did Jesus preach the Sermon on the Mount or the Sermon on the Plain. Or both? What was the path that Jesus took on his itinerant ministry? Just what were the names of the Twelve Apostles? Did the Ascension take place just outside Jerusalem of did he return to Galilee? Why do Matthew and Luke have different genealogies for Jesus and why are there two different accounts of the birth of Jesus and the timing of the arrival of the Magi, who appear in Matthew’s gospel only. And, for that matter, why are there so many apparent inconsistencies in the Old Testament, especially between the books of Chronicles and Kings?

History is written from a very different perspective in “modern” times to the perspective of earlier times. We arrange history around dates, places and people. Earlier historians were more concerned with themes and social perspectives. In addition society was VERY differently structured, especially with regard to the status of women, property, slavery and medical knowledge. The four Evangelists, Matthew, Mark, Luke/Acts and John, are writing to present Jesus as God Incarnate. You don’t need me here to give a lecture on their undergirding perspectives: that’s for another time and place.

Essentially it is not important whether Jesus’ final dealings with the Apostles and the rest of the band took place in Galilee or Jerusalem. The important part is that Jesus’ immediate ministry face to face with his followers came to a close and he disappeared from their sight. Did he go “up” into the clouds; did he “step into another dimension” and does it matter. What he certainly did not do was the say, in effect, “OK, I’m outta here. Do the best you can!”

There’s another dimension to the Ascension that we should consider here, although time and space does not allow for a proper exploration of it. Suffice it to say that in the Incarnation God in Christ takes our human nature upon Godself. Having completed the work of reconciliation, our human nature, created in the image of God, is restored to union with God and demonstrated in the Ascension, where the Incarnate Word promised to ever intercede for us at the very Godhead.

The only constant in our changing world, and indeed in the whole of Creation, is God. God does not change. God never changes. God is the same yesterday, today, tomorrow and for all eternity. We are the ones who change and our whole spiritual journey is looking at God from different perspectives. And so many of those perspectives are from mountain top experiences, which is what keeps us going when we go back to the plain to continue on the mundane, often boring, sometimes frightening, everyday of life, but always in the assurance that God continues with us, just as God led the migrating Hebrews through the desert. In the same way, at the end of his earthly appearances after the Resurrection, Jesus promise us “I am with you always, even to the end of time” and “I will send you another Comforter who will guide you in all things”.

The journey continues, from the mountain tops of Sinai, the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, the Mount of Transfiguration, the hill or mountain top of the Mount of Ascension and we journey from here as we turn to contemplate God present in the Holy Spirit. The Spirit of God is always present with us. In our journeyings we have seen Him as Father/Creator, we look at Him from a different perspective when we see Him as Jesus the Incarnate Word/Reconciler, and we continue on our way the experience Him as Sanctifier/Enabler. Same God, different aspects.

If we want simply to look only at the one aspect of God, as Father, as Redeemer, or as Sanctifier, we deprive ourselves of the richness of a full life in God, to whom be glory for ever. Amen

INTERCESSIONS (Church of England, and local biddings)

In peace, let us pray the Risen, Ascended and Glorified Christ t bring our prayers before the Throne of Grace as we pray for God’s world, the Church and for all people:

Saviour of the world, be present in all places of suffering, violence and pain, and bring us hope, even in the darkest night in Ukraine, Syria, the Land of the Holy One, all refugees

Inspire us to continue your work of reconciliation today.