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A sermon preached in Salisbury Cathedral by Canon Mark Bonney, Treasurer on Sunday 4th July 2010
"THE FIRST EUCHARIST OF THE REVD MICHAEL DEEGAN"
“The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few; therefore ask the Lord of harvest to send out labourers into his harvest” (Luke 10:2)
To that verse from this morning’s gospel I want to add a rather different quotation.
“It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires and illuminations; from one end of the continent to another, from this time forth for evermore.”
In the Cathedral yesterday there was the ordination of 23 priests – many labourers sent out into the harvest; the highest number of priests here in one go I should think, since the ordination of women priests back in 1994. And within the cathedral community we’re delighted that Michael was ordained yesterday and is presiding this morning for the first time.
I couldn’t resist the second quotation – it could possibly be used to describe the joy that was evident at the ordinations yesterday – however it was actually said by John Adams on 2 July 1776 – two days before the Declaration of Independence in America– and of course today, 4 July is a great day of celebration on the other side of the Atlantic in that former British colony..– I hope that Michael and our special guests from the United States are not missing their 4 July celebrations too much – we’re really pleased that you are all with us.
As well as celebrating the beginning of 23 priestly ministries yesterday we also celebrated the end of 17 years of Episcopal ministry in the diocese by Bishop David – so the celebrations have been varied, evocative and special. We may not have had “sports, guns, bells, bonfires and illuminations” – but we have celebrated – and to some extent have done so with “pomp and parade”. And we thank God for all that that means.
Today’s gospel though pulls us up short amidst all that appropriate celebrating – what we celebrate is powerful stuff, - it’s good to party, and Jesus certainly didn’t shy away from such things; but there’s also an urgency about the business in which we are engaged – an urgency that with the passage of time we can be in danger of becoming complacent about.
Last week’s gospel ended with some would-be-followers of Jesus being told that if they wanted to follow him then they would have nowhere to rest their head, no time to bury their dead – and no –one who looks back is fit for the kingdom of God. And this is followed immediately by the call of this morning’s gospel - being sent out “like lambs in the midst of wolves”. It’s a hard world out there – the mission in which we’re all engaged as the baptised is tough and not everyone’s going to take any notice. There’s perhaps some consolation in being told “whoever listens to you listens to me, and whoever rejects you rejects me” – but not many of us really like a high degree of rejection. Those who are ordained as priests have considerable expectations placed upon them – not all of them realisable – and Michael will indeed find that the going, from time to time, will be tough – that his priestly ministry will not wanted.
St Paul knew this sense of rejection too as is clear from the end of his letter to the Galatians that we heard for our first reading. “So let us not grow weary in doing what is right” he said, “for we will reap at the harvest time, if we do not give up”. Paul has had a few battles and one can only wonder if at times he felt a little weary and was tempted to give up – not least with those who kept wanting to make gentile converts keep all the old Jewish laws. In his own hand he writes these liberating words “a new creation is everything”. That’s the good news he’s proclaiming – the new life that reveals itself in love, joy peace, patience kindness, goodness. These are the marks of the kingdom of God that the 70 proclaim – the marks of the kingdom that, in the Spirit we too are called to live and proclaim – and to do so with an element of urgency. They are signs that the kingdom of God is near – and we pray for that kingdom to come every time we pray that most urgent of prayers, the Lord’s Prayer.
Michael and those ordained as priests with him yesterday will be acutely aware that God’s mission in which they share is not something that they can undertake or ‘do’ in their own strength. All of us who are baptised should similarly be aware that when we’re told at the end of this celebration to “Go in the peace of Christ” we not being sent out unprepared or alone. We’re sent out having been fed from this altar with the bread and wine of the new creation – the body and blood of Christ.
Those who are ordained as priests have a very particular joy and privilege to preside over the community’s celebration of this Eucharist. At one level Michael and every priest spends very little time presiding at the Eucharist, and some will be tempted to see it as marginal to what they are and what they do – but kingdom values are not measured in terms of time spent – at a very deep level the most important thing a priest does is to preside at the Eucharist. This and every Eucharist is very much “the Kingdom come near” – and so much more as well. Ordination makes priests a particular channel for God’s coming amongst us – and it will be I’m sure, with appropriate fear that Michael in a few moments time will approach the altar.
I hope Michael will not think me rude if I say that we might no longer describe him as a youth – but I want to finish with a poem that uses the word:– it links the events of yesterday with those of today, with the depths of this Eucharist, with the joyful conclusion of our gospel reading that our names are written in heaven and with the knowledge that here the Kingdom has come near, as we join with angels and saints. I think the poem’s by John Keble,
A mortal youth I saw
Nigh to God’s altar draw
And lowly kneel, while o’er him pastoral hands
Were spread with many a prayer;
And when he rose up there
He could undo or bind the dread celestial bands.
When bread and wine he takes
And of Christ’s passion makes
Memorial high before the mercy throne
Faith speaks, and we are sure
That offering good and pure
Is more than angels’ bread to all whom Christ will own.
What is that silent might
Making our darkness light,
New wine our waters, heavenly blood our wine?
Christ with his mother dear
And all his saints is here.
Amen
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To that verse from this morning’s gospel I want to add a rather different quotation.
“It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires and illuminations; from one end of the continent to another, from this time forth for evermore.”
In the Cathedral yesterday there was the ordination of 23 priests – many labourers sent out into the harvest; the highest number of priests here in one go I should think, since the ordination of women priests back in 1994. And within the cathedral community we’re delighted that Michael was ordained yesterday and is presiding this morning for the first time.
I couldn’t resist the second quotation – it could possibly be used to describe the joy that was evident at the ordinations yesterday – however it was actually said by John Adams on 2 July 1776 – two days before the Declaration of Independence in America– and of course today, 4 July is a great day of celebration on the other side of the Atlantic in that former British colony..– I hope that Michael and our special guests from the United States are not missing their 4 July celebrations too much – we’re really pleased that you are all with us.
As well as celebrating the beginning of 23 priestly ministries yesterday we also celebrated the end of 17 years of Episcopal ministry in the diocese by Bishop David – so the celebrations have been varied, evocative and special. We may not have had “sports, guns, bells, bonfires and illuminations” – but we have celebrated – and to some extent have done so with “pomp and parade”. And we thank God for all that that means.
Today’s gospel though pulls us up short amidst all that appropriate celebrating – what we celebrate is powerful stuff, - it’s good to party, and Jesus certainly didn’t shy away from such things; but there’s also an urgency about the business in which we are engaged – an urgency that with the passage of time we can be in danger of becoming complacent about.
Last week’s gospel ended with some would-be-followers of Jesus being told that if they wanted to follow him then they would have nowhere to rest their head, no time to bury their dead – and no –one who looks back is fit for the kingdom of God. And this is followed immediately by the call of this morning’s gospel - being sent out “like lambs in the midst of wolves”. It’s a hard world out there – the mission in which we’re all engaged as the baptised is tough and not everyone’s going to take any notice. There’s perhaps some consolation in being told “whoever listens to you listens to me, and whoever rejects you rejects me” – but not many of us really like a high degree of rejection. Those who are ordained as priests have considerable expectations placed upon them – not all of them realisable – and Michael will indeed find that the going, from time to time, will be tough – that his priestly ministry will not wanted.
St Paul knew this sense of rejection too as is clear from the end of his letter to the Galatians that we heard for our first reading. “So let us not grow weary in doing what is right” he said, “for we will reap at the harvest time, if we do not give up”. Paul has had a few battles and one can only wonder if at times he felt a little weary and was tempted to give up – not least with those who kept wanting to make gentile converts keep all the old Jewish laws. In his own hand he writes these liberating words “a new creation is everything”. That’s the good news he’s proclaiming – the new life that reveals itself in love, joy peace, patience kindness, goodness. These are the marks of the kingdom of God that the 70 proclaim – the marks of the kingdom that, in the Spirit we too are called to live and proclaim – and to do so with an element of urgency. They are signs that the kingdom of God is near – and we pray for that kingdom to come every time we pray that most urgent of prayers, the Lord’s Prayer.
Michael and those ordained as priests with him yesterday will be acutely aware that God’s mission in which they share is not something that they can undertake or ‘do’ in their own strength. All of us who are baptised should similarly be aware that when we’re told at the end of this celebration to “Go in the peace of Christ” we not being sent out unprepared or alone. We’re sent out having been fed from this altar with the bread and wine of the new creation – the body and blood of Christ.
Those who are ordained as priests have a very particular joy and privilege to preside over the community’s celebration of this Eucharist. At one level Michael and every priest spends very little time presiding at the Eucharist, and some will be tempted to see it as marginal to what they are and what they do – but kingdom values are not measured in terms of time spent – at a very deep level the most important thing a priest does is to preside at the Eucharist. This and every Eucharist is very much “the Kingdom come near” – and so much more as well. Ordination makes priests a particular channel for God’s coming amongst us – and it will be I’m sure, with appropriate fear that Michael in a few moments time will approach the altar.
I hope Michael will not think me rude if I say that we might no longer describe him as a youth – but I want to finish with a poem that uses the word:– it links the events of yesterday with those of today, with the depths of this Eucharist, with the joyful conclusion of our gospel reading that our names are written in heaven and with the knowledge that here the Kingdom has come near, as we join with angels and saints. I think the poem’s by John Keble,
A mortal youth I saw
Nigh to God’s altar draw
And lowly kneel, while o’er him pastoral hands
Were spread with many a prayer;
And when he rose up there
He could undo or bind the dread celestial bands.
When bread and wine he takes
And of Christ’s passion makes
Memorial high before the mercy throne
Faith speaks, and we are sure
That offering good and pure
Is more than angels’ bread to all whom Christ will own.
What is that silent might
Making our darkness light,
New wine our waters, heavenly blood our wine?
Christ with his mother dear
And all his saints is here.
Amen