Dear People of God
Grace and Peace to you all
Well, I managed to get the correct year first time! Remember the days of cheque books when, for the first few days of the New Year you were automatically putting in the number of the year just passed? I spent a few years (not many) working in a bank and we were constantly referring cheques to the drawer to make sure that that had made a mistake and that the cheque was not “stale” (ie 12 months old)! Does anyone remember cheques? Will anyone remember “cash” in a few years’ time? They call it “progress”, although you can be sure that the banks will manage to extract more profit from a cashless society! Will your grandchildren accept credit cards for their pocket money? Or perhaps they’ll prefer direct debit?
I hope that I don’t need to remind you (but I will anyway), that there are no services at St Michael’s Thornton during January. I am unaware of the intentions of whoever will be taking over in the parish after I leave, as regards the first Saturday evening of the month service, so that’s something to be explored in February. (This following sentence is written on Saturday) Bishop Sonia advises me that Mthr Narelle Riley, the Honorary Priest at Morpeth, has agreed to “see how it works” in February. You have met her when I did a “Sunday swap” a few months ago. She works full-time in the education system, so she may be rather stretched.
We celebrate Epiphany this Sunday: Phase One of Christmas draws to a close but, as I remind you yearly, Christmas can really extend until 2 February, the Presentation of Christ in the Temple/The Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Your neighbours may think that you are “strange” if you still have decorations in place and have not started to stock up on Easter Eggs and Hot Cross Buns, but that’s their problem! There’s an old tradition of house blessing for a new year when, over a doorway, may be chalked “20+C+M+B+24”
Where “CMB” are the “names” of the Magi, Caspar, Melchior and Balthazar, the “20” and “24” at the beginning and the end for the year, and the “+” signs of blessing. CMB also represents “Christus Mansionem Benedicat” for “Christ Bless this House”. Why do this at Epiphany? It’s when the “strangers” come. We have all sorts of symbols which come from antiquity: wreaths of evergreen at Christmas, gifts representing God’s gift to the world, the eucharistic elements…… Humans communicate not only in word and action but also very much in symbolic language,
The Lord be with you
Fr George
PROPERS for Epiphany
Sentence
Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you (Isaiah 60:1)
Collect
Lord God of the nations, we have seen the star of your glory rising in splendour: may the brightness of your incarnate Word pierce the night that covers the earth, signal the dawn of justice and peace, and beckon all nations to walk as one in your light. We ask this through Jesus Christ, your Word made flesh, who lives and reigns with you and the Hoy Spirit, in the splendour of eternal light, God for ever and ever. Amen
Readings
Isaiah 60:1-6 The ingathering of the dispersed
Psalm 72. 1-7, 1-14 A blessing for the king
Ephesians 3:1-12 Paul’s ministry to the Gentiles
Matthew 2:1-12 The Magi are led to the Infant Jesus
SERMON (Fr George)
In the Name of God. Amen
The Prophets are nothing if not hopeful: the section of Isaiah which begins at chapter 60, today’s reading, sees repentant Zion is being restored. Cyrus has defeated the Assyrians of Babylon and is allowing the exiles to return and rebuild Jerusalem. We know that God is a “promise keeper”, which is “righteousness” in spite of Israel’s regular turning away from the Covenant which defines their unique relationship with God. We have here an idealised vision of how the glory of God will be manifest through restored Jerusalem and the Temple. Longing for past glory is certainly not unique to ancient Israel: every society longs for the restoration of a “glorious past”, which probably wasn’t so glorious for those who were actually living it in the middle of it! Think of “Rule Brittania” and the “Greatest Empire the world has known”, of the USSR, of “Make America Great Again”, of the dreams of Napoleon and a French Empire, of Greater China (The Middle Kingdom) …….Indigenous Australians, the ones who were here before colonisation, reminisce about their own “glory days”. It’s embedded in our human nature, no matter how much we chafed at the restrictions of the past!
Turning to the gospel reading and the Three Wise Men. Why would these ancient Persians be bothered about something happened in an insignificant little blot on the landscape several weeks journey away?
Let’s get some perspective on the “Three Wise Men”. They have been credited in legend with being kings, assigned names “Balthazar, Melchior and Caspar”, and why would they be following a star anyway? Astronomers tell us that stars don’t move, although our perception of them changes with the seasonal and diurnal rotations of the earth. To “follow the star” might well mean that they were going around in circles!
It is seriously suggested that they were Zoroastrians, a religion that flourished in Persia and has a good claim to be the earliest established monotheistic religion and had a substantial influence on developing Judaism. The name of God is “Ahura Mazda” (Light) and the centre of worship is the Fire Temple, where Ahura Mazda’s presence is symbolised by an eternal fire. God appearing in the Burning Bush? The overlap with Judaism and Christianity becomes clear. The life of a Zoroastrian should be typified by “good thoughts, good words, good actions”.
Their reputation as “astrologers” was developed from their undoubted standing as astronomers who had defined the seasons and pattern of weather, identified the Earth’s place on the solar system and its rotation around the sun, hundreds of centuries before western science began to grasp the notion. The “Wise Men”, Magi, were honoured scholars in the society.
What’s the point of introducing these Magi into the Nativity story? Whether or not they actually existed they underline the point that was made when Luke tells us of the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple and is recognised as the “consolation of Israel” by Simeon, who calls him “a light to lighten the gentiles and to be the glory of the people of Israel” and was foreshadowed by Zechariah at the naming of John the Baptist “for you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare his way”. God revealed in Jesus the Christ, the Incarnate Word, is not the exclusive property of people who thought themselves to be the “Chosen People” whose exclusive deity Yahweh was: they were called indeed to make God known to all people. Mission theology exhorts evangelists to seek what is good in the cultures they encounter and to “baptise it”, to bring it into the understanding of the Faith, because God is always present in every place at every time. With the Magi, we need to pray that God will open our eyes to see Him where He is, not just where we WANT him to be.
If you happened to watch Professor Brian Cox, the Astrophysicist (and former rock band member) on ABC television on Tuesday evening, you might have heard him mention the French Roman Catholic priest and astrophysicist/mathematician who was asked if he didn’t see a conflict between theology and science: his answer was “there are two paths to Truth, and I have chosen both of them”.
And so we pray “Holy God, tell us what you want us to hear; show us what you want us to see; teach us what you want us to learn; take us and make us your own. Amen”
The Lord be with you.
INTERCESSIONS (Dawn Holland)
Loving God, at the start of a new year we thank you for your care and guidance during the year just past and pray that through this coming year that we may follow your leading to Jesus as the Wise Men followed to star to the infant Jesus. May we daily offer our lives as a gift to you as you lead us.
God of our times and seasons, in your mercy hear our prayer.
We pray for our world and its people, that we may realise that you are the only way to peace on earth. We ask for forgiveness when we fail to follow you either by sins of commission or those of omission. Open our eyes and give us wisdom to discern what you need us to do to care for those we come in contact with. We pray especially for the people of Ukraine and for the powers that be in Russia who seek to gain power over Ukraine. We pray for all who suffer in this war, especially those who have lost family, friends and homes/ We pray too for your people in the and of the Holy One especially those who are innocent victims of violence : for an end to this war and for its peaceful solution.
We pray for our own nation: for our Prime Minister Anthony and our Premier Chris. Give them wisdom in their leadership. We pray too for all leaders in Local Government that they too may make fair and just decisions in their areas of authority.
We pray that we may all care for our environment and take responsibility for our caring for our pace in your Creation.
God of our times and seasons, in your mercy hear our prayer.
We pray for your Church throughout the world: for Justin, Archbishop of Canterbury; for our sister Diocese of Guadalcanal; for the Anglican Church of Aotearoa New Zealand and Polynesia; and for the Church of the Province of South-East Asia; and for the Australian Diocese of Ballarat.
In this Diocese we pray for our Bishops Peter, Charlie and Sonia; for the ministries of Manning Valley Anglican College and the Mission to Seafarers; and for the parish of Newcastle St Johns.
In our own parish we pray for our Priest-in-Charge, Fr George, for Deacon Gail, and their families; for Stuart, preparing for Baptism; for our Parish Councillors; and for our fellow-Christians in the Roman Catholic Parish of Our Lady of Lourdes.
God of our times and seasons, in your mercy hear our prayer.
We pray for ourselves, our families and the community in which we live; for its local businesses and those who work in them; for Woodberry Family Practice, Maitland Family Support, Baiada Steggles Processing Plant, and the Beresfield Fish and Chippery.
God of our times and seasons, in your mercy hear our prayer.
As you have taught us, so we pray for people in all their needs. Help us to be aware of the poor, the lonely, frail or grieving in our parish. We pray especially for those who have sought our prayers or for whom prayer has been sought Jenny, Indi, Barbara D, Val Frazer, Lynn, Betty, Les, Ann, Daphne, Bruce, Debbie M, Samuel, John J, Ryan, Nicole M, Jenny H, Didi, Peter McC, Susan, Elizabeth, Heidi, Wendy F, Peter, Vicki L, Jenny M, Val D, Ben, Keith, Sammy Jo and Noah, Stuart McInnes, Sue T, Derek, Zoe, Paul and Katrin, Levi, Arlo, Grace, Lisa, Sandy, Margaret and Holly, Luke S, Kathy, Sandy and those who care for them. We pray also for those whose need is known to you alone.
God of our times and seasons, in your mercy hear our prayer.
We remember and give thanks for your saints and martyrs in their various times, William Laud, , Hilary of Poitiers; all those who have gone before us into your nearer presence, especially those whose anniversary of death is at this time: Ted Buckman, Lloyd Appleby Snr, Luke Newborn, Elsie Gray and those whom we have loved and see no more.
Eternal rest grant to them, good Lord, and may perpetual light shine upon them
Almighty 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
SAINTS and COMMEMORATIONS of January
2 Basil of Caesarea (379) & Gregory of Nazianzus (389) bishops and teachers
Eliza Hassall, pioneer of missionary training and CMS (Australia) (1917)
Vedanayagam Samuel Azariah, bishop in South India, evangelist (1945) (CofE)
10 William Laud, Archbishop of Canterbury, martyr (1645)
13 Hilary of Poitiers, bishop and teacher (367)
Kentigern (Mungo) missionary bishop in Strathclyde and Cumbria (6030 (CofE)
17 Anthony of Egypt, abbot (366)
18 Confession of Peter
22 Vincent of Saragossa, deacon and first martyr in Spain (304)
24 Companions of Paul, incl Timothy, Titus and Silas
25 Conversion of Paul the Apostle
26 Australia Day
27 John Chrysostom, bishop of Constantinople, teacher (407)
28 Thomas Aquinas, priest, philosopher, teacher of the faith (1274) (CofE)
30 Charles, king of England (1649)
Why do I list saints and commemorations, including those commemorates in some other Anglican provinces? Good question. It’s sometimes easy to forget that we belong to a community of faith that reaches well beyond our local time and place: throughout the world we are heirs of that great multitude who have gone before us, teaching, preaching, praying, evangelising, establishing faith communities and centres of teaching. Some of the ones I list may be well-known to us, some little or completely unknown. Who will remember us in 100 years? But perhaps the faith that we have shared might still bear glimmers of hope in succeeding generations: sometimes the saints and heroes of the faith are right next to us and we don’t recognise it! One of my sisters was doing some family history research and rang me to say that “you’re not the first priest in our family: one of our ancestors was the priest in a parish in Lancashire in 17xx” We are all heirs through faith.
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