Homily for Ash Wednesday (John 8:1-11)

Homily for Ash Wednesday (John 8:1-11)
Originally given 22 February 2023 at St. Alban’s Church, Coventry

I recently read about a common Christian confusion between optimism and hope. Optimism is saying everything will be okay despite all your struggles, that your struggles will make you stronger. Hope is recognising that regardless of your struggles or triumphs, you will one day return to dust. Ashes to ashes, dust to dust. It’s not a very cheerful concept, recognising our mortality, but it’s important that we do so. We are not immortal. We are not God. We are but dust.

In a few moments, when you come up to receive the ashes on your forehead I will say to you, ‘Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return. Turn away from sin and be faithful to Christ.’ On this day, we remember our fleeting presence on this earth, and we are reminded how we should use that time – ‘turn away from sin and be faithful to Christ.’

Some things are easier said than done. All of us struggle at times to turn away from sin. And even if we try to avoid personal sin, we are surrounded by corporate, systemic sin in the form of unjust structures enabling sexism, racism, homophobia, ableism, and all other forms of prejudice. It can feel overwhelming when we consider we are part of an entire system that is broken. 

But although it can feel overwhelming to look at the whole picture, we can still make a difference by looking at one piece at a time. One small act of justice. One embrace with a grieving friend. One piece of rubbish picked up off the street. One kind word to the person checking our groceries. In the Gospel, one by one, each individual person reflected on their own sins and walked away. They were individuals, but with their single action, the woman was saved from being stoned.

Everyday we are given the opportunity to take a single action that causes a ripple of difference. The other day Reverend Zoe reminded me of the starfish story. For those not familiar with the story, it’s about a young girl walking along a beach upon which thousands of starfish had been washed up. When she came to each starfish, she would pick it up, and throw it back into the ocean. Then a man approached her and said, “Little girl, why are you doing this? Look at this beach! You can’t save all these starfish. You can’t begin to make a difference!” So the little girl bent down, picked up another starfish, and hurled it as far as she could into the ocean. Then she looked up at the man and replied, ‘I made a difference for that one.’

Everyday we are surrounded by starfish waiting for us to make a difference for them in our small actions. Everyday we have the chance to turn away from sin and be faithful to Christ in our actions. Because there will come a day when we will no longer be able to act, when we will once again turn to dust. We are but mere mortals. But our actions of mercy, justice, and Christian love are immortal and will change the world. 

So look with hope to the future in which we are all again dust, but the legacy of the Gospel lives on.

Sermon on Matthew 17:1-9 (Transfiguration)

Sermon on Matthew 17:1-9 (Transfiguration)
Originally given 19 February 2023 at St. Alban’s Church, Coventry

Becoming
Beloved
Believing

As I read through today’s Gospel, retelling the Transfiguration of Christ, it was these three words that kept repeating in my heart: Becoming, beloved, believing.

A few Christmas’s ago, I received Michelle Obama’s autobiography, which is called Becoming. While the book itself is remarkable, it was first the title that I found to be incredibly moving and gave me pause for thought. This one word seems to perfectly summarise all our journeys in life. God knits us together in our mother’s womb, but we are not born as a final product. We begin life waiting to be shaped and moulded into the people we are meant to become. Our lives are not static, but constantly changing and growing. The very essence of who we are is not something we are born into, but rather who we become over time. When I started theological college, someone told me, ‘don’t fake it ‘til you make it, fake it ‘til you become it.’ I think that can be incredibly difficult and even terrifying. Because we never, in fact, fully become who we are until the day we die. 

In the Transfiguration, a few of the disciples got a tiny glimpse of who Jesus was to become. A figure clothed in blinding light, not meant for this world. Do you ever think about who you are becoming? Do you see yourself becoming a more perfect model of Christ’s love in the world? Do you see yourself becoming disillusioned with the lack of love in the world? We are called to love God and love each other in our life, so are we becoming a reflection of that calling? Are we fully embracing who it is we are meant to become?

Thinking of loving God and loving our neighbour, the Transfiguration also reminds us that God loves us. The Transfiguration is the second time we hear the voice of God saying, ‘this is my beloved son, with whom I am well pleased.’ The first time we hear this is at the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist in the river Jordan. Jesus is baptised, the Holy Spirit appears in the form of a dove, and the voice of God declares, ‘this is my beloved son, with whom I am well pleased.’ Whenever I do a baptism, I always try to read the Baptism of Jesus as the reading for three main reasons. Firstly, in reading about the baptism of Jesus, we are shown a model of what we should do as Christians, which is to get baptised. Second, this is one of the few times that the trinitarian God is clearly present and allows for an opportunity to talk about our faith in a single, yet triune God. Thirdly, and for me the most important reason I read this passage to the people and families who come for baptism, is that we hear the voice of God saying, ‘this is my beloved son, with whom I am well pleased.’ I make clear that those who go for baptism are the beloved children with whom God is well pleased. Being beloved is not reserved only for Jesus Christ. Every single one of us is a beloved child of God. 

And as we reflect on whether we are becoming the people God has called us to become, we also have to reflect on whether we are showing all of God’s people that they too are God’s beloved children. Do the people on the street know how much God loves them by the actions of those who walk by? Do people in the LGBTQ+ community know they are deeply loved by God? Do people from the Black and Asian Minority Ethnic community feel the full love of God reflected on them through the Church? Do people who are differently abled know that they too are a beloved child of God exactly as they are? How much are we doing as people who love God to show every single person that God also loves them? That God loves every single part of them? Whether or not we humans understand each other, whether or not we agree with each other, God made every single one of us and loves every single one of us and commands that we love every single one of us, not in our words but in our actions.

At the end of today’s Gospel reading, Jesus says, ‘Don’t tell anyone what you have seen, until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.’ I wonder what the disciples made of such a bold comment? Surely they didn’t even fully understand what they had seen, so how could they have possibly relayed what they had seen to anyone else? In a few months’ time, we’ll hear the Gospel reading from John 20 when Jesus says, ‘blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.’ Those of us who claim Christ as practising Christians can count ourselves among the blessed who have not seen, insofar as we have not seen the Transfiguration. We have not seen Christ Jesus crucified and resurrected. We have not seen the nail marks in Jesus’s hands, feet, and side. 

But we are gathered here today because we have seen something or someone in our lives that leads us to continue believing. We are here because we have reason to keep believing that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. We are here because we keep believing Jesus was God incarnate who showed us how to love each other. We are here because someone else, believing in the Gospel message, showed us Christ’s love. We are here for so many different reasons, but all these reasons can be summarised in the fact that we know it is right to keep believing regardless of what the world or logic may say. It makes no sense that God chose a weak human body to show us love. It makes no sense that God allowed a brutal death on the cross. It makes no sense that we are called to believe without seeing. 

But we are here. We are on a journey of becoming the people who reflect God in our actions. We are here as beloved children of God who will show all the world they too are beloved children with our Gospel of love. We are here believing that God will continue to guide us on our journeys ever closer to God’s loving embracing.

Becoming
Beloved
Believing

Sermon on John 6:35-59

Sermon on John 6:35-59
Given 13 February 2022 at St. Alban’s Church, Coventry

Flesh and blood and bread. Today’s Gospel reading is pretty meaty, both literally and metaphorically. So how can we go about sinking our teeth into it? Okay, I’m done with the puns. But this is a really difficult passage to grapple with. Not only is there the constant repetition of bread and flesh and blood, but it could also be interpreted as a fairly exclusivist reading, suggesting that only those who partake in a eucharistic celebration are worthy of eternal life. But I suggest a different interpretation. Since we know that Jesus was a devout Jew, it doesn’t make sense that he would ever encourage people to drink blood as drinking blood is against Levitical law. And Jesus came to fulfill the law, not destroy it. So instead, I think the scholar Tom Wright was correct in his explanation that we drink the blood of Christ in that we profit from his death, his blood which was shed because of us. In our eucharistic prayers, it is said ‘this is my blood, which is shed for you’, so it is the death of Christ we remember. Christ saying ‘drink my blood’ could also be understood as him telling us ‘benefit from my death’, which we have done. We have benefitted because we have eternal life.

The reading begins with the first ‘I am’ statement in John’s Gospel, with Jesus saying ‘I am the bread of life.’ Last week Reverend Zoe talked to us about life, explaining that God came to give us abundant life without any conditions or restrictions, regardless of our faith or belief. She explained that healing can lead to a longer life, but that is not the life that God has planned for us. God has more than a mortal, temporary life planned for us, but an eternal life. I found her words so moving, and I’m sure those of you who know me won’t be surprised that I cried while listening to them. I cried thinking of all the prayers of healing I’ve said, and all the prayers I thought had been left unanswered when healing didn’t come. I cried because it was the first time I heard someone stand at the front of a church and proclaim that faith does not dictate healing, and a lack of healing does not mean a lack of faith. Nor does it mean God is absent or apathetic. You may be familiar with God’s three answers to prayer: Yes, no, and not yet. But there is another aspect of how God answers prayers. Sometimes God answers prayers in ways we could never imagine or understand. Sometimes we think we have an answer, but hindsight eventually tells us things weren’t quite what we thought. Because even in moments of our greatest sorrows, God is with us. And this is why the Psalmist says we shall continually praise God. Even when we don’t feel especially praiseworthy, our Creator continues to be with us and guide us.

Jesus saying he is the bread of life is a reminder that God nourishes and sustains us. In our moments of feeling empty with what the world has to offer, Jesus is with us to fulfill our needs. When we feel drained of all energy, Jesus can help us survive another day. Of course, at this point, I’m talking about spiritual hunger, so once again, this gets a bit complicated. Archbishop Desmond Tutu once said, ‘the Good News to a hungry person is bread.’ In this case, he was referring to physical, consumable bread to sustain physical life. If you are spiritually hungry, then Jesus saying ‘I am the bread of life’ gives you the sustenance you need spiritually. But how is it Good News to tell a hungry person Jesus is the bread of life and only offer our hopes and prayers? How can a hungry person see that God provides abundantly for all of creation?

I think the answer should be obvious. When we drink the blood of Christ, we become one with him. And in so doing, we become the Good News. Jesus didn’t only say, ‘I am the bread of life’, he also said ‘feed the hungry.’ It is not enough that we pray for God’s blessing, we must also be God’s blessing. 

But, there are a lot of hungry mouths to feed. And we are only human. So maybe it is asking too much. The thing is, you don’t have to save everyone, Jesus already did that. So if you can only help one person, or pick up one piece of litter, or write one letter to your MP, or give one homeless person a meal, or stop using electricity for one hour, or do any one simple thing, then you have saved something. You don’t have to make big gestures to be the Good News. It’s not about massive changes, it’s about setting an example. Because when someone sees you feed that homeless person, or pick up that litter, then they get an idea. And the next day they might feed another homeless person or pick up more litter. And maybe the one letter you wrote to your MP was the one that tipped them over the edge to do the right thing and become a voice for the voiceless. The Gospel is a movement and each of us can be the ripples to create a world-changing wave. We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us, and all it takes is one small act of kindness. 

In the Lord’s Prayer, we pray for our daily bread. Jesus, the bread of life is our daily bread. We also pray for the will of God to be done, and who else can do the will of God but those of us who feed on the daily bread. And as we go out, having been spiritually nourished, we can realise our prayer to bring the kingdom of God to earth. We can be the Good News on earth, and by our small actions help to bring all of creation back to being very good.

Sermon on Acts 14 (and International Women’s Day)

Sermon on Acts 14 (and International Women’s Day)
Given 08 March 2020 at Studley Parish Centre 

1849 – Harriet Tubman escaped from slavery and formed the Underground Railroad, bringing hundreds of slaves to freedom.

1913 – Emily Davison was killed when she jumped in front of the King’s horse, a protest for women’s suffrage in England.

1955 – Rosa Parks was arrested and fined $10 for sitting in the white only section of a bus, sparking the American Civil Rights movement.

1969 – Marsha P. Johnson led protests at the Stonewall Inn Riots in New York City as a response to police brutality and raids on gay bars, the beginning of the Gay Liberation Movement in America.

1984 – Lois Jenson won the first sexual harassment class action suit in the United States, a precursor to today’s Me Too Movement.

On today, International Women’s Day, we recognise the many women who changed the face of history. They created a future of equality which was unimaginable even 26 years ago, remembering that this Thursday marks only 26 years since the first 32 women were ordained to the priesthood in the Church of England. Yet even today, women priests are controversial in the view of organisations such as Forward in Faith.

Throughout history, these women who stood up, fought back, and made their voices heard were unpopular in their time. Speaking truth to power has never been popular or easy. Some approaches failed numerous times and in different situations these women may not have been recognised for their impact. In this sense, these women highlight what we find in the reading from Acts 14.

Paul and Barnabas went to Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe speaking the truth of the Gospel. In Iconium, this truth caused anger among some Jews and Gentiles. In Lystra, Paul and Barnabas were perceived as gods to start with. Yet in Derbe, they made many new disciples.

There has always been opposition to truth. Historically, abolitionists, suffragettes, Civil Rights activists, and LGBTQ activists have been beaten, arrested, and even murdered. In our reading, Paul was so hated for preaching truth that he was stoned and left for dead.

But through it all, God is at work. From the healing of the man who had never walked, to the survival of Paul despite being stoned, to the spread of the Gospel in the face of great opposition. God is always present. When speaking truth, God has the power.

Something must also be said about perseverance. It was a hundred years between the Emancipation Proclamation and Martin Luther King, Jr.’s ‘I Have a Dream’ speech, calling out the injustices of racism in the sweltering summer of America, which even today has yet to cool off. Emmeline Pankhurst founded the Women’s Social and Political Union in 1903, although women didn’t get the full vote in England until 1928. And even  though Paul nearly died in Lystra, he returned in order to support and strengthen the disciples there.

Christian witness is not easy. So often in our lives we remain silent for fear of embarrassment or discrimination. In some parts of the world, confessing that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and Saviour to us all can result in physical abuse, or sometimes death. Different situations require different kinds of witness. We all have our individual strengths and abilities which we can use to the glory of God. Psalm 139:13-14 tells us about God, ‘For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.’

Every single one of us has been wonderfully made by our Creator. We are all God’s tools for witnessing to the world. And we can use Paul’s experience to inform how we witness in four steps.

First, start where you know. Paul and Barnabas began their ministry in the synagogues of Iconium. Where do you spend your time? What knowledge can you bring to different situations? Second, look for the immediate response. In three different cities, Paul had three different reactions. If the message isn’t getting through, perhaps try a different angle, or try again a different time.

Third, expect opposition. Chances are you won’t be stoned, but there will inevitably be people who are not interested in the truth. Fourth, and most importantly, always remember that God is at work through us and in every situation. If at first you don’t succeed, do try again, try a different angle, but don’t try to do God’s job.

In the end, our greatest witness is living out our faith by speaking truth to power, faithfully loving God with all our heart and all our mind and all our soul, and radically loving all our brothers and sisters who were fearfully and wonderfully made by our God, our Creator, our Redeemer.

Amen.