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Easter 5  Year B 2021

As all wine lovers know, the vines from which wine comes all belong to the same species – vitis vinifera – which began to be cultivated by human beings about 8,000 years ago. It is an extraordinarily hardy plant, which can cope with extremes of climate – there are even vineyards in Scotland. Nevertheless, in the 19^th century it fell prey to a tiny aphid from America called Phylloxera Vastatrix which feeds on vine roots. In 1862 a French wine merchant imported some American vines and, unwittingly, imported a small colony of Phylloxera Vastatrix with them. In less than thirty years, the little beasties multiplied and spread, destroying all the wine-growing regions of Europe.

The solution to the crisis, for which credit must go to a Monsieur Henri Bouschet, was grafting. Monsieur Bouschet noticed that the American vines were much more resistant to attacks by Phylloxera than the European varieties. He tried making wine from the grapes that grew on the American vines, but found that the results were very disappointing, so he grafted branches from European vines that had not yet become diseased onto American vine roots and discovered that he got the best of both worlds – a vine that was resistant to disease and that produced very good wine.

The grafting of grape vines dates back to well before the time of Jesus. It was a technique with which he and his disciples would have been familiar. In today’s Gospel Jesus likens himself to a vine rootstock, and reminds us that our spiritual well-being depends on our abiding in him:

“Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing.”

It’s a wonderful metaphor, because it reminds us not only of our complete dependence on Jesus, into whom we were grafted when we were baptised, but also of the need for pruning – runaway vines don’t produce much fruit, and radical and regular pruning is necessary to get a good crop. We too need to be pruned of selfishness, and reminded that we are not freestanding individuals, and that it is only by abiding in Jesus that we will come fully to fruition and have life and have it abundantly.

The fruit that we can bear because we are rooted in him is that love of each other and of all our fellow human beings of which we read in today’s Epistle. The writer of 1 John reminds us that

Those who say, “I love God,” and hate their brothers or sisters, are liars; for those who do not love a brother or sister whom they have seen, cannot love God whom they have not seen. The commandment we have from him is this: those who love God must love their brothers and sisters also.

Taken out of context, that sounds very demanding, especially that word “must”, but the context reminds us that Christian love is not something that we have or express by an act of will, by our own unaided efforts – not a matter of “I find that person really irritating but I’d better be nice to him or her because otherwise I won’t be a good Christian.”  William Temple makes this point well in his Readings in St John’s Gospel:

“Our discipline is not a bracing of our wills to conformity with a law; it is the maintenance of communion with the Lord to the point of immutable indwelling.”

Christian love is something made possible by, fuelled by God’s love of us. These words in the Epistle:

We love because he first loved us. 

remind us of what Jesus says in today’s Gospel

apart from me you can do nothing. 

If we are grafted into Jesus Christ, we are called to and, by grace, enabled to love in ways which respect the claims of other people to be acknowledged for who they are, persons made in the image and likeness of God.

That’s an important thought in a week which will see elections in Scotland and throughout the UK, important at a time when there is much cynicism about politicians and at a time when groups who suffer from discrimination are justifiably demanding justice. Their demands do not always make comfortable hearing for those whose privilege is being challenged.  We are also experiencing the tensions and the divisions that can arise when one group asserts its rights in ways which infringe on the rights of others. We need laws, but conformity to the law, however enlightened the law, cannot of itself build a harmonious and loving community.

Paul Tillich, a 20^th century German theologian who lost his teaching post in 1933 because he criticized the Nazis, wrote these words:

Distrust every claim for truth where you do not see truth united with love.

What he said about truth can and should also be said about justice.

Distrust every claim for justice where you do not see justice united with love.

For justice divorced from love all to easily becomes a quest for power to be transferred from one group to another or deteriorates into retribution and revenge.

It is in Jesus Christ, the true vine, that we see the perfect unity between truth and love, and the fruitfulness that makes possible, the fruitfulness that is the source of authentic justice.

Amen

Easter IV 2021 Year B Good Shepherd Sunday

“And I lay my life down for the sheep…”  John 10:15b

There is a lovely and moving film entitled; ‘No greater love’ which documents a year in the life of an enclosed order of  Carmelite nuns living at Notting Hill in the centre of London. There have been nuns living on that spot for centuries and even during times of persecution the community has remained faithful to their calling and to their locale. What is the most remarkable thing in the film, however, is an interview with the Mother Prioress.

She comes across as a women full of energy and hope, wisdom and great humour but it is more than her personality that impressed me or made my jaw drop. It was simply a comment she made that literally ‘knocked me for six’. At one point she says:

“ I have not felt the presence of God for over 30 years but my faith and vocation have remained as true now as it was when I first entered the order as a novice.”

For over 30 years, this woman in an enclosed order, has spent most of her life in prayer and contemplation of God that she does not feel present. Many others would have given up, I think, a long time ago but not her. She has remained faithful to her Lord, her God and her vocation. Her faithfulness goes beyond measure.

In today’s readings we are reminded first of Peter’s faithfulness to Jesus, despite his cock crow wobble on Good Friday. In the other two readings we are shown how faithful Jesus was and is to his followers and by assumption to us as well. It is Jesus’ comment:

“And I lay down my life for the sheep…”

that I think, is so very powerful. For in those eight words we are told that Jesus is prepared to give his life as the ultimate act of faithfulness to his Father and to us. Jesus further tells us that unlike the hired hand he will not leave his flock in times of danger or threat but that he will remain with them. Jesus is the ultimate example of faithfulness and as such he sets us a template to try and follow.

It is, however, not always an easy template to adhere to for remaining faithful to a cause or an individual or group of people in testing times is very difficult. All too often our first thought is to give up and up sticks, to move on to pastures new and hopefully less testing experiences and challenges. Yet, Christ’s faithfulness should teach us something. Something about trusting in God and hoping that we will be able to see things through and once again see good times rather than bad. As we come out of this time of pandemic we need to discern afresh what it is that God is calling us to be and to become in this bit of the Kingdom. How are we being called to minister to the people of God in they place? What will our ‘new normal’ look like?

The image of Christ as the Good Shepherd is a wonderful one and to have it as our dedication is unusual but exciting. Our congregation is not named for any saint or their example. We are named for our Lord himself and him alone in the example he sets us as the shepherd of his flock. Christ the Good Shepherd is a man true to his purpose and charges.  Like our Lord, we all need to remain true to God’s call and to continually seek to discern where it is that we are meant to be going and what we are meant to be doing. We do that by praying daily to God for the guidance of his Holy Spirit and by trying to remain true to the example of the Good Shepherd that Christ sets before us.

Easter III   Year B Sunday 18th April 2021

Todays three readings which all come from the post-resurrection New Testament writings explore what ‘seeing’ means. Not just seeing but perceiving as well.

Acts 3:12-19

“When Peter saw it …”

Although this is a powerful phrase to begin this reading with it is also a rather stupid place to begin. What was it that Peter saw? You get an idea it was a disabled man being told to walk by Peter in the name of Christ. But to really put this reading into context you need to read the sentences before this reading starts:

“One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, at three o’clock in the afternoon. ²And a man lame from birth was being carried in. People would lay him daily at the gate of the temple called the Beautiful Gate so that he could ask for alms from those entering the temple. ³When he saw Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked them for alms. ⁴Peter looked intently at him, as did John, and said, ‘Look at us.’ ⁵And he fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them. ⁶But Peter said, ‘I have no silver or gold, but what I have I give you; in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, stand up and walk.’ ⁷And he took him by the right hand and raised him up; and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong. ⁸Jumping up, he stood and began to walk, and he entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. ⁹All the people saw him walking and praising God, ¹⁰and they recognised him as the one who used to sit and ask for alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple; and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him. 11 While he clung to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them in the portico called Solomon’s Portico, utterly astonished.”

Acts 3:1-11

See says Peter to the gathered crowds, see what Jesus does for you? Peter is continuing Jesus’ ministry to the Israelites challenging them to hear the good news and to see both physically and metaphorically who and what Jesus was/is.

Peter later in this account goes on to have a good rant at the spiritual blindness of the Israelites. This is what Jesus can do for you, you saw it all but you did not believe and you crucified him. Can you see now? Peter asks or are you still blind to who he is?

In this reading it seems as though Peter is really getting a lot off his chest and he is releasing long pent up anger but once he has done o his tone comes conciliatory and affirming. He says to his listeners:

“17 ‘And now, friends, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers. ¹⁸In this way God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, that his Messiah would suffer. ¹⁹Repent therefore, and turn to God so that your sins may be wiped out …”

Acts 3:17-19

Peter’s tone may be conciliatory but it is still challenging, as the Good News should always be - you did this in ignorance but still you must repent.

I think Peter gives us an idea as to what God is actually like. God is always giving us another chance to get it right, God is always prepared to give us the benefit of the doubt and is always hoping that we will come to see and perceive who he is and what he offers to us.

1John 3:1-7

St.John, like St.Peter in the Acts reading begins with the word ‘see’:

“¹See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and that is what we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.”  1John 3:1

‘See what love’ writes John, but he goes on to say that it was love that the world did not at first recognise because the world failed to see God in Jesus. In this piece John continues to explore what knowing and not knowing God means and he proposes that even as we come to see or know God there is always more to discover, more to see and know. God, however, can never be fully known by his creation because he is the author of all being and we his creation are only part of his being and not the sum of him.

John also tells us that our sin obscures who God is and that the more we do discover about God the more we learn that we have more to discover. The more we know God the more we have to know about him. It is a paradox. Getting to know God is a life long journey not something we can do in this life alone.

For me this is why I am a theologian, a priest but firstly a Christian. I find it exciting beyond measure trying to discover who God is and what God is - to try and perceive or see him more clearly. I know that by my nature I will never fully know God but that does not put me off, in fact it spurs me on to try and follow his ways more closely in hope of a clearer vision of him.

“Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart,

be all else but naught to me, save that thou art;

be thou my best thought in the day and the night,

both waking and sleeping, thy presence my light.”

Luke 24:36-48

This is an account of one of Jesus’ post-resurrection appearances. A time when he showed himself to his followers and a time when they saw him, even if at first they were not prepared to believe their own eyes:

“They thought they were seeing a ghost…”

And, well they might! Who had ever heard of anyone surviving a crucifixion and three days in a tomb?

Jesus, obviously knows thy cannot believe their eyes and that they doubt their perception. Jesus challenges them to look closely at him and to see and touch him, so that they can individually recognise him. When they do recognise him he knows they will be ready to hear what he has to say about the redemption he has won for them and for us. Jesus ends by calling them witnesses and witnesses are those who see something but do not necessarily see the same thing because we all see things differently and because of that we will all proclaim or deny the Christ.  Our personal perceptions of who he is will always be different.

Seeing is not as straight forward as we might first think and seeing God in Jesus is perhaps one of the hardest things we can try to do. Yet, when we do perceive God in Christ the joy we gain can be immeasurable.

“God be in my head, and in my understanding;

God be in mine eyes, and in my looking;

God be in my mouth, and in my speaking;

God be in my heart, and in my thinking;

God be at mine end, and at my departing.”

Sunday 11th April 2021 – Low Sunday

Peace be with you

Scientists tell us that our nervous system must receive and process information about the world outside in order to react, communicate and keep our bodies healthy and safe. Much of this information comes through the sensory organs; the eyes; ears; nose; tongue and skin. It is only when we begin to lose them that we realise how important they are to our daily life and mental wellbeing.

Coming from a medical family where there is a recent history of glaucoma and macular degeneration, I am well aware of the need to visit the opticians annually to ensure that the necessary checks and tests are carried out.

This Sunday the church commemorates the apostle Thomas. He was not present when the risen Christ first appeared to the other disciples that evening. Today’s gospel tells of Thomas’ refusal to believe in the resurrection unless he can touch the wounds of the crucified Christ.  Only when the risen Christ appears again a week later and invites Thomas to touch his hands and his side does he confess “Jesus as his Lord and God”.

In the chapter entitled “Questioning” from his book “Seeing God in Art”, Richard Harries, the former Bishop of Oxford, refers to a mosaic at Hosios Loukas, Greece made @ 1120 depicting this encounter.  Jesus holds his hands open and shows his side so that the wounds can be clearly seen.

Unfortunately, the face of Thomas is sadly damaged so we cannot see it.  Most dramatically however Jesus appears against the backdrop of a closed door that is also the shape of a sarcophagus, as though to stress that he has risen from the dead.

The writer goes on to comment that “Thomas was surely right to question the claim of the other disciples ie that they had seen the risen Christ.  Questioning is not only a good thing to do, but is essential. The willingness to question is fundamental to religious understanding as well. How can we come to believe something, or believe something with deeper conviction, unless we are willing to probe and question what is claimed to be true?”

Thomas gives us permission to question, to probe, to be honest and to act with integrity. In this we seek to understand, wrestle and hold in tension what it means to follow the risen Christ. Unlike Thomas, we have not had the benefit of seeing the risen Christ or putting our fingers in his side.

Many of us who were present in person or on zoom last week (Easter Sunday) are here again today. Why? What has brought us back? It may partly be due to the five senses which I referred to earlier. In some ways we can still hear, see, touch and taste (though not necessarily smell) something of the risen Christ. Through the weekly Liturgy of the Word and the Sacrament our spiritual lives are nourished and our faith enriched.

What struck me in today’s Gospel were the words “Peace be with you” spoken by the risen Christ.  Did you notice how many times he spoke them? Three.  What did that say to the disciples, to Thomas and to us?     

As we enter into another week may we too know something of that peace.

May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you,

Wherever He may send you.

May He guide you through the wilderness,

Protect you through the storm.

May He bring you home rejoicing

At the wonders He has shown you.

May He bring you home rejoicing

Once again into our doors.

Gracious God, giver of all life,

in whom our earthly course finds its fulfilment:

we give you thanks for the life of Philip, Duke of Edinburgh,

for his service to this nation, the Commonwealth, and humanity,

in war and in peace,

in the pursuit of knowledge,

and in his example of reverence for your creation.

We give thanks for the encouragement he offered to the young,

and for his faithful support for Elizabeth our Queen.

We pray that, as you receive him into your presence,

his family and all who mourn may know your comfort

in the assurance that death is swallowed up in victory

through our Lord Jesus Christ,

who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God,

now and in eternity.

Amen.