Fifth Sunday of the Year

Salt and light

We have heard the expression someone is ‘worth their salt.’ In Roman times soldiers were paid in salt. Salt was a valuable and portable currency for barter. We might say of someone they are ‘the salt of the earth’ in relation to their moral character and integrity.

Salt as a flavouring is straightforward enough, but salt is a necessary biding agent as well as flavouring especially in pasta and bread. Without it pasta is just a mush. Salt simply must go into the food to change it from within.

Before modern technology salt was used in food to preserve it ever before refrigeration, and used to clean out wounds – rubbing salt into wounds was a painful remedy.

Therefore salt symbolises something that is of irreplaceable value, gives flavour, heals, binds and preserves what is good.

Salt and the other symbol Jesus uses, that of light, operate and have value in proportion to the level of association with the thing they want to change, therefore we must get up and get involved and not sit on the shelf.

Therefore I suggest that if we are somehow called to be like salt in Jesus words, ‘salt of the earth’ – we are called in five ways  that I can think of

1. To realise our irreplaceable value, and therefore we and others are called to reflect on our value to others and others potential to the good
2. To give flavour, to be a positive contribution to life
3. To heal – to heal people’s hurts and to bring comfort to those who are alone,
4. To bind – to combine and be engaged in life in a positive unifying manner – a source of unity and not division
5. To preserve what is good – to reflect on and be active on our role in passing on the Faith as well as preserving what is good in society, particularly the good of marriage, in a time of challenge and change

Like salt, we are not substantial, and humble enough, and sometimes taken for granted in substance but when called upon, like salt in the kitchen, we can make all the difference. No one eats salt on its own for its own sake. Salt only has value in combination with other food, and in small quantities.

We must engage in society if we want to change it. Christ wants us to be actively engaged in serving our neighbour and being an example of faith.

Presentation of the Lord

Most of the days we live are quite ordinary and routine. We go through the motions and it is not very exciting. When something ‘out of the ordinary’ happens we remember the day and date and time. The events described in the Gospel today took place on a day like any other. The sun rose and in the busy Temple where priests performed their sacred duties and people came and went to pray an ordinary looking young couple came to make their offering to God, asking God to bless their child. They were obedient to the Jewish Law which required ritual purification 40 days after birth of a male child.

But with the eyes of Faith, an old man named Simeon saw the baby and it was revealed to Him that this was the child of prophecy. This was the one he was waiting for, after countless weeks months and years, this was the one-off event, the event of his lifetime. The same applied to Anna.

These two elderly people probably did not stand out either. After all you would expect older people to be saying their prayers. We always associate churches with the elderly. We might call them ‘pillars of the Church’.

So in the eyes of others we see a simple young couple with the first born and an elderly man and woman marvelling at a beautiful child as people usually do  oohing and aahing over a new-born.

But there is so much more to the scene that meets the eye. This is no ordinary child, and this is no ordinary family. It has been 40 days since Christmas. Mosaic law required the ‘purification’ of the woman and the presentation of the first born, 40 days after birth, with the offering (for the poor) of two turtle doves, the temple, called the Tabernacle, the special place (sanctuary) of God’s presence among men. And now, Christ the Son of God comes at last, ‘the Light to enlighten the Gentiles and give glory to His people Israel’, in the words of Simeon.

 

Of what real relevance is this day?

 

‘THE PEOPLE THAT WALKED IN DARKNESS HAVE SEEN A GREAT LIGHT, ON THEM A LIGHT HAS SHONE ‘

 

• Darkness suggests INTERNAL evil, sin, confusion, ignorance, loss of direction, meaninglessness, DEPRESSION, DELIBERATELY LEADING A LIFE DISPLEASING TO GOD
   
• Light suggests brilliance, goodness, enlightenment, direction, TRUTH, clarity, REPENTANCE ON ‘SEEING THE LIGHT’

 

MEN HAVE SHOWN THAT THEY PREFERRED DARKNESS TO LIGHT              (JOHN’S Gospel)

For Mary and Joseph,  it is a critical stage of the journey. To the holiest place and most sacred to Jews, where God’s mysterious Presence was to be found, a place of pilgrimage at least once in one’s lifetime and if possible, annually, for every Jew in Israel for Passover.

But on a global scale, for everyone else on earth, it is the mystery of light and darkness, and of intertwined joy and foreboding, at rejoicing at the birth of a child, but a premonition of things to come, that there is sorrow in the future, that Jesus is no ordinary baby, that it is predicted to Mary and Joseph that Jesus will grow up and His life and work will have profound significance, and will be a cause of both joy, sorrow and glory. And that Mary’s heart will be broken. She too will have to suffer on his account.

Jesus would be a LIGHT to all nations. Jesus as HOPE of all people who walk in darkness

 

IS THERE personal DARKNESS IN MY LIFE? IS IT OUTSIDE OF MY CONTROL OR WORSE, IS IT OF MY CHOOSING? To choose to be blind to sin, to try to be oblivious and harden our hearts and consciences – is the worst darkness, and will lead to eternal darkness. To believe our behaviour or to behave according to our beliefs.

 

We can be a light to others by offering them hope and confidence, especially by the hope and confidence that our faith and personal relationship of prayer brings us. We are called to be people of hope, especially on seemingly ordinary days, to the God who surprises us on seemingly humdrum days and times, God ‘breaks in’ to the ordinariness of things.

Like Simeon and Anna, the people of faith, faithful to prayer, faithful to the Temple, to them (older people, widow and perhaps widower) were rewarded for their faith and perseverance in prayer and fidelity. Prayer we find joy hope light and peace. We cannot give what we do not possess

 

3rd Sunday of the Year

2nd Sunday of the Year

Baptism of the Lord

The New Year

 "In the beginning was the Word and the word was with God and the word was God
.....and the word was made flesh and dwelt among us."

Sometimes we judge people on terms of keeping their word:

We describe someone to be 'as good as their word' or we say that 'their word is their bond'. When they say something they mean it! So they are faithful, trustworthy and reliable. Their words are not empty words. We value family and friends who can always be trusted to live up to our expectations - they do not come up short, they deliver. They can always be depended upon to come up with the goods. YOU ONLY HAVE TO SAY SOMETHING AND IT’S AS GOOD AS DONE.

These are our friends and they are few in number. There are some we can confide in with phrases like 'between ourselves', between you me and the wall' or 'this is to go no further' or 'don't say I said this', or 'you didn't hear it from me'.

By way of contrast there are some people we can absolutely rely on to tell everybody.

Children tackle us in this if we seem to contradict ourselves. Children take us very literally, and challenge us with the line beginning 'but you said... ' or 'but you promised...!' Children do not understand or are disappointed when we say 'what I meant was...' They consider it unfair. In the classroom the teacher who gives an idle threat which he or she fails to follow through will soon lose all authority and respect in the eyes of the pupils.

Some words we utter are more important than others, such as marriage vows, an oath on taking office, an election pledge. There are other people depending on us. We invest our lives and our future into wedding vows or by what we say at a job interview. We sometimes lag behind what we have committed ourselves to and are constantly catching up. There are consequences if we break faith. We might say 'you have my word on this ', or 'on my word of honour'. If there is a conflict or trial between two people over an issue with a Witness we say 'well it's your word against theirs.' One or both can be wrong, but both can't be telling contradictory truths at the same time.

But what about God's word?

When we say the WORD OF GOD, there in fact two meanings! One is literally the words of GOD in the Bible, the second is the name JOHN gives to JESUS HIMSELF.
Jesus is God's word.

(1) The first meaning is the words of GOD:-

Already twice we have said at Mass THE WORD OF THE LORD, and we have all responded THANKS BE TO GOD.

So there is something different when we say it is God's word. We swear on it, on the Bible, because the Word of God has and is the ultimate authority. We have it in writing. God's word is his bond. God has spoken. It is the last word!
When GOD speaks, something is happening. This difficult reading is actually setting the scene for the whole of God’s action.

At the Gospel we stand and we say 'Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.' Jesus' own words are the most important of all.

Mary said at Cana 'Do whatever He tells you' At Thabor, the Father says 'listen to him'.

(2) The WORD OF GOD is a person waiting to be heard! it is Jesus Himself.

WE ARE CALLED TO GREATER FAITH AND TRUST IN THE WORD OF GOD IN BOTH SENSES...

The Word of God still has power, as before receiving Jesus, The Word of God made flesh, when we say LORD I am not worthy to receive you but ONLY SAY THE WORD and my soul shall be healed'.

Jesus praised the man (the centurion) who uttered these words as having the greatest faith.

Jesus also compared his word to a rock, and blesses those who not only hear the word of God but keep it as well. He also said 'heaven and earth shall passage at but my words shall never pass away.'

So do we believe Jesus? Do we take Him at His word, when for example He : ‘Anyone who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life?’ Do we trust Him to bring us to eternity? Do we trust him that He will never let us go?

May we people of our word and people of the Word in 2014

Holy Family

Sermon for Holy Family

It is indeed wonderful but also an insight I think of the Church tradition to have today as the first Sunday of Christmas as the feast of the Holy Family. Why?

Because as much as we love our families they also drive us crazy and we play our part in that!

The much anticipated family reunions of  Christmas can, if we are not careful, give rise to the raising of tensions and of old wounds. The close proximity of family members combined with a small kitchen that someone is used to being in control of, of shared bedrooms or bathrooms, of old habits, jealousies, gripes and forgotten annoyances that had been forgotten are being recalled, the things that get under our skin, the renewed required patience towards and tolerance of others and they of us, amidst much caffeine, lack of proper sleep, and increased sugar and alcohol intake can give rise towards rows with words said, that are later regretted but can't be unsaid.

It reminds me of the priest visiting a house in a parish and not this one, where he heard a row behind the door...

Time and moving out of house to our independent way of doing things makes us forget about the tensions that can arise when people live or are thrown again together in close proximity. We can be close to family members but sometimes too close for comfort! Brothers and sisters can, without being conscious of it, grow up and grow apart from one another. Contact can be less frequent.

Which brings us to the Holy Family

This does not mean we are called to be a perfect family. No such thing as a perfect family exists anywhere because of our fallen nature. A wise old priest once said to me 'we will never know what goes on behind closed curtains.’

On the plus side we have different but hopefully complementary strengths talents and gifts to offer.

The second Reading reminds us of some of the qualities or virtues that may have been very much put to the test  in the last few days -  compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, bearing with one another, and forgiveness.

The Holy Family of Jesus Mary and Joseph were perfect but not without problems, crises and crosses, toils and disappointments. Joseph wanted to spare Mary publicity, there was misunderstanding, there was no accommodation, they had to flee for their lives and live abroad away from a cruel dictatorship, they had to put bread on the table, Jesus was misunderstood .

But they put God first, and Mary and Joseph were open and obedient to what God wanted.

They had each a personal relationship with God as well as being faithful to their religious customs and observances.

I think it is also time for us to recognise and accept that we are part of a much larger family as well i.e. the Christian one, the Church, and all of us are baptised brothers and sisters on one another. May 2014 help us to a greater realisation of our responsibilities not only to our blood relations but our spiritual ones as well.

Christmas Day Sermon

What do you want for Christmas?

This is a question we might ask of someone teasingly or in desperation!

We all remember presents that were bought for us because of the thoughtfulness and care and time put into their purchase, expensive or not, but just well-thought out, and ‘just what we wanted’. We are flattered that someone, without my thinking too much about it, was spending their spare time in looking for a present that would suit me and their perception of me and my taste. So some presents stand out in our memory for the effort put in on our behalf. We treasure them because of who bought them as well as the present’s appeal to us. And we particularly put great stock in gifts of loved ones who have passed on.

As I look over the past year I think that the best gift we can ever give someone at Christmas and at every other time of the year too, is our presence. We can all think of people, maybe not a huge number, who were ‘there’ for us in our time of need. And we remember the sense of upset and disappointment at those we really expected and wanted to be there for us. We are also pleasantly surprised and immensely grateful to those who came up trumps in unexpected and unheralded ways.

We think of the latter when we were going through a rough patch in our domestic life, at school or beyond, or away from home homesick, and someone cheered us up no end, an unexpected but very welcome phone call or remembrance by letter when we were having an off-day. Someone visited us when we were lonely, sick or afraid. They may not even know to this day how much their presence even meant to us. We owe them for their consideration that they did not hurry away or look at their watch but stayed patiently and even silently with us. This is especially true of times of loss and bereavement.

Likewise this us a great opportunity for us to return the favour as it were, or carry forward people’ s generosity towards us, as well as being generous as the gospel reminds us to those who can never pay us back in kind.

We think ultimately that it was and is God’s presence among us as man that is His gift to us. No other religion can claim to have God-made-present in the Christ child at Christmas, or indeed Christ’s presence in the sacraments, above all the Holy Eucharist, and in His Word and also in on another.

To ‘be Christ’ to one another is the real challenge of our anointing at Baptism. As anointed ones we are ‘chrismated’, made ‘other Christs’. While Bishops and priests carry on their ministry of Christ by anointing with chrism, we too are anointed at baptism and confirmation, to be sent forth to bring Good News to others, and how can we do that unless we are ‘really present’ to them in a Christ-like manner of generosity with our time, our listening ear, our compassionate words and deeds of mercy and our constant reliable presence? In prayer before the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist we discover what it means to be really and truly present to one another as well. It says that ‘Christ went about doing good’ (Acts 10:38), and so must we.

This is the gift of PRESENCE at Christmas and all days, and therefore the greatest gift you can give is yourself not just in your presents but in your presence.

Happy Christmas

Fourth Sunday of Advent

to be published