The Feast of the Assumption- There be Dragons

 

 Readings: Revelation 11:19-12:6, 12,

Luke: 1:46-55 

Here be dragons is something that can sometimes be found printed on old maps, it can also be said of our reading from revelation today.What are we to make of this weird, fantastical passage?

Well, the first point I would like to make is that the book of revelation is a form of writing known as apocalyptic. It deals with the end of the world and therefore we should not be attempting to read it as a factual account. Apocalyptic writings by their very nature are a mix of prophecy, symbolism and imagery used to write about cataclysmic events. By their very nature these writings are not easy to understand, indeed they can have several layers of meanings.

Scholars have often interpreted the writings of revelation as being about Nero’s persecution of Christians and the impending collapse of the Roman empire. Indeed the author and original readers of the text may well have understood it that way. But what about us two thousand years later?

The text can still speak to us in our time and place and be reinterpreted to our times. There is a seven headed dragon that seeks to destroy heaven and earth and the mother and child that will bring God’s redemption to the world.Mary is the mother and Jesus her child. But what then does the dragon represent? The dragon is the power of evil, the force that works against the goodness of God, as he sweeps down the stars from the sky so he attempts to persuade us away from the path that God sets before us.

I remember as a child standing in the assembly hall at school singing the hymn when A Knight Won His Spurs, which includes a line about fighting against the dragons of anger, the ogres of greed. Whilst dragons as actual scary reptiles may not exist, the evil that they represent in Revelation most definitely does. Dragons can be found both in the world around and also inside us, tempting us to act in ways that are not of God.

It is in Mary’s speech to Elizabeth that we heard as our gospel this morning, that we can start to discover not only what the dragons we may face are, but also the power to defeat them.

Mary says he has scattered the proud, pride is known as one of the deadly sins, and it is one we can all be guilty of. A quiet pride in a job well done is not a sin, but the problem comes with the pride that says look at what I’ve done, look at how great I am, people should respect me now, I’m so great people should all do as I say! That pride can creep into people and communities very easily and ultimately lead to conflict.The dragon of anger as the hymn says, let loose.

There are other dragons too in our day and age, those that seek power for their own glory and reward, instead of wanting to use it to improve things for all people in society. The rich that hoard their wealth and use their talents only for their own gain.

It’s easy to think but those sins don’t apply to me. I’m not rich or powerful. However, a lot depends on where you’re looking from. For many people in the poorer parts of the world we living in the UK are rich, for those living without democracy we have the power of the vote. Are we using it to try and push society as a whole onto a better path or just to improve things for ourselves?

Mary’s Magnificat shows us how to defeat the dragons, it starts with praise and joy, if our souls are busy magnifying God’s goodness and rejoicing in the joy of our relationship with him, then there is nothing to feed the dragon. Mary remembers all of God’s goodness, not just to her but to her ancestors as well. Mary is rooted in God’s long relationship with the earth and us humans. Mary was a young woman, facing a difficult journey to do the task that God has called her to, to be the mother of Christ, the bringer of redemption to the world, at a time when a young unmarried pregnant girl had little power in society. Yet she remains strong, well rooted in her faith and her relationship with God. Whilst we may not have been given a task as great as Mary’s her example shows us how to walk the way of God and fight the dragons that seek to destroy God’s kingdom. We too need a faith that is well rooted in the faith of those who have gone before us.

Strong roots support a strong faith. A faith that can rejoice in God even when faced with the great challenges and dangers of the world today. I came across a post on X recently. It was from a Christian Lord of the Rings fan account. They were writing about Frodo in the lord of the rings. They made the point that everyone wants the peace of the shire but no one wants to walk to Mordor.Frodo’s willingness to give up his cosy life in the shire to safeguard it for others is at the heart of the Lord of the Rings.

In the same way Mary is willing to give up the safe normal life she could have had to walk to Mordor and fight dragons for all of us.It is through Mary fully human as she is that the world receives redemption. However, Mary understands that this is an ongoing task, from generation to generation until the apocalypse truly does come. We can talk to Mary in prayer asking for her help and protection as we fight our own dragons on our own road to Mordor as we work to bring about the peace of God’s kingdom for all.

Sermon for the Feast of Saint Mary Magdalen

Today we are celebrating the feast of our patron Mary Magdalen, but what do we really now about her and what can she teach us? She seems to have been a woman around whom myths and legends have gathered. These have included that she was descended from a noble family, that she was the sister of Martha and Lazarus,that she married Jesus and had his child, that she was a high priestess in a Roman temple at Magdala, after the crucifixion and resurrection she went to Franceor she went to Ephesus with Mary the mother of Christ. Both those last two statements can not be true, so what do we know of the real Mary Magdalene?

In the New testament she is introduced as Mary who is called Magdalen. The most likely explanation for this is that she was from Magdala, a town on the shores of lake Galilee near Tiberius. We don’t really know much about her family background, however she is listed as one of the women who travel with Jesus and support him financially, therefore she must have had some sort of independent source of income. According to both Mark and Luke, Mary had had seven demons driven out of her by Christ. She was present at the crucifixion, the burial and of course, as we heard in the gospel today the resurrection of Christ.

Now, there seem to be several key scenes missing from that little summary, wasn’t Mary the woman caught in adultery, and didn’t she pour ointment over Jesus’s feet and wipe it all up with her hair?

We don’t know who the woman caught in adultery was. The Mary who poured ointment over Jesus’s feet in John’s gospel was Mary the sister of Martha and Lazarus and from about 591 until 1969 the Roman catholic church did say they were the same person, although the Eastern Orthodox church has always claimed they are two separate people. However the story of the anointing of Jesus’s feet in Luke’s gospel doesn't name the woman. It may have been Mary Magdalene we just don’t know.

What we do know is Mary was a woman of great courage. It must have taken courage to walk away from her family and everything she knew to follow Jesus. It certainly took courage to remain at the foot of the cross, with the suffering Jesus and the jeering Romans, when most of the male disciples had fled into hiding.

Mary Magdalen was a woman who loved Jesus, not in a romantic way, but with a grateful love for what he had done for her. Whatever Mark and Luke were referring to when they said Jesus had healed her of seven demons, Mary had clearly been in a dark place. Like many people with mental health problems today she had probably felt at rock bottom that no one could care for her or love her. Then Jesus came along and showed her that she was loved and cared for. Mary responds by loving him back. It is this love that may have given her the courage to follow him and stay with him until the bitter end. It was this love that took her to the tomb to care for his body and allowed her to be the first to meet the risen Jesus.

Mary is also ready and willing to tell others about Jesus. In part of Chapter 20 of John’s gospel that we didn’t hear this morning, Mary has seen the empty tomb and fetched Peter and John. The gospel tells us that Peter and John saw the empty tomb,but not the risen Jesus, they saw and believed and went home. Peter and John believe but they don’t understand and they go home. Mary meanwhile stays at the tomb and has her encounter with the risen Christ. She receives the full revelation of the resurrection. She then rushes to tell others, in this case the disciples the wonderful news about the risen Christ. This is the action that earns her the title apostle to the apostles, she is the first evangelist, the first to spread the good news of the resurrection.

So, what does all this mean for us? In the coming months as we adjust to the interregnum we may need the courage of Mary Magdalen. As a community we need the courage to face an uncertain future, like the early church, we need to be sure of our identity and as a community face any problems that may come our way. Individually, now may be the time when we need courage to maybe volunteer to take on a new role or responsibility within the church community. After all as the saying goes many hands make light work. It can be tempting to think it’s easier to sit back and wait for a new priest first, but that may be a long wait. As a church community we need to pull together so that we can keep doing God’s work in this place. Have the courage of Mary Magdalen to do your part.

As Mary was grateful for what Jesus had done in her life, so we can be grateful to God for the ministry we shared with Fr Edward over the past five years, for how he helped us grow individually and as a community. We can give thanks for what he taught us and how he helped us to learn from each other. Marys gratitude led to her love for Jesus and her giving her life to his service. So for us, gratitude to God for what we have received in the past can help reaffirm our desire to follow him now.

Rather than feeling sad for what we have lost, we should be grateful for what we had and be able to look forward in hope for how we will continue to serve God in Chapelfields going forwards.

Mary was the apostle to the apostles, the first to spread the good news of the risen Christ. So, we too, need to be prepared to tell others of the life changing good news of the gospel. In a culture where many people do not even know the basics of the Christian story, where misinformation is rife, it is even more important that we are able and have the confidence to explain to others the faith and why it is so important to us and could be to them.

So, as we celebrate our patronal feast, let us try to be a little more like Mary Magdalen, have courage, be grateful for what we have had, love God and tell people about him.

Sermon on prayer

 

May I speak in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit

One of the phrases often used when talking about our prayer live outside of church is having a quiet time with God. A time set aside to concentrate on our relationship with him. In our gospel reading this morning we find Jesus going of on his own to pray.

Now, I know Jesus is supposed to be an example for us to follow, but I have some problems with this. Firstly he gets up early, when it is still dark, well at the moment that would mean having to be up by half four in the morning. I struggle with getting up at 7 to get to work on time so I would really struggle getting up that early and he doesn’t even mention coffee! I don’t know about you but I can’t function without a coffee in the morning!

He then leaves the house and goes of to a quiet place to pray. Our gospel story takes place in Capernaum. This was clearly a much nicer place than inner city Coventry.

I really don’t think heading out from my flat in the dark and early hours to find somewhere to sit and pray is the best plan.

However, I can see what Jesus is trying to achieve. In going out to find a quiet place he is removing himself from any distractions. Finding time without distraction in the modern world can be really hard. Most of us will have people we live with, who while we may love them dearly, can also be annoying and disrupt us when we are trying to find that quiet time.

We also have these things called mobile phones. They can be a great resource for prayer, I use the church of England daily prayer app, however that does also mean that I have my phone in my hand when praying and it can be so easy to get distracted, to check that email that’s just come in in case its something important,

it never is but the temptation is still there. The other problem I find is that I think I’ll just check the news to see what needs praying for and half an hour later I have spent half an hour looking at stuff on my phone and no time with God. The intention may be good, but without a good dose of self discipline the result is not always so good.

Yet, I know that if I can mange to find the time to pray, to have that quiet time with God, I will feel better and stronger, and cope better with the days challenges.

It’s like physical exercise will build a stronger body, spiritual exercise will build a stronger relationship with God and provide us with inner strength. It allows us to build an internal strength and resilience to avoid the temptations that come our way and instead to keep us following the path of God.

Whilst, in this instance, we may not follow exactly what Jesus did when he prayed, after-all we are are living in a very different time and place. His example can still give us some pointers about how to pray and grow our relationship with God.

Jesus went out to pray early in the morning, but not everyone is a morning person.I don’t think the point is at what time do you pray. The important thing is to make sure that we find time. For some of you, early morning when you get up might work best, for others it may be the evening before we go to bed,

or you might find you have time when you finish work, before you step back into the pressure of family life. The time you pray doesn’t have to be the same time each day,

it can be worked around work and other commitments. The important thing is to make sure that you have that time set aside. Put in your diary even, schedule your meeting with God into your day and commit to it like you would any other meeting.

Jesus went out to pray because he wanted peace and quiet. I suspect where ever they were staying in Capernaum was probably very full and busy with people all around and little private space available. The thing is it doesn’t matter where you pray, as long as you do pray. I live in a small flat, we have a very small spare room.

I keep a candle and a cross on the table next to the bed in that room, and that is my prayer space. It’s not a lot but I can shut the door, light my candle and sit on the bed, and that is my time to concentrate on God.

Prayer doesn’t have to involve a space where we sit still, for some people sitting still can be hard and they may find they pray better moving. Look for a quiet place to walk, maybe a local park or the towpath along the canal.Have a walk and a chat with God.

I have a bookshelf full of books on prayer, and I have spent a lot of time trying to find the perfect way to pray, the way that will instantly lead to a wonderful revelation of God’s purpose for my life. What I have learnt over the years is that no such thing exists. There is no one absolute best way to pray. God created us all as wonderfully different people, and because we so wonderfully different, what helps one person pray, may not work for someone else. At different times in life we may find we respond better to different ways of praying. The really important bit isn’t how we pray, it’s to make sure that we do pray. In prayer we can find that quiet centre within ourselves that allows us to be fully open to God. We can build that relationship with God, knowing his love for us, sensing his guidance for us. The more we pray, the stronger our relationship with God becomes and from that relationship we can draw on his strength to help us deal with the problems and troubles of our lives day by day.

When the disciples come to find Jesus, he has been strengthened by his prayer time and is ready then to go and continue his work, carrying the good news to more villages, preaching and driving out demons.

So, we too, through a regular and committed prayer life can be strengthened to go out and do the work that God is calling each of us to do.

 

Audio link: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/hag606dm9plmzzyupms0w/Foleshill-Road-5.mp3?rlkey=03evom28n40wijdxgg15thg0q&st=vaj23fhf&dl=0 

Preached at the parish of St Paul, Foleshill, Coventry 

Easter 4: Good Shepherd Sunday

 Acts 2 42-end

1 Peter 2 19-end

John 10 1-10

The description of the early church we had in our reading from acts, sounds wonderful at first, but maybe I am getting cynical in my old age I just don't see it working. I mean it sounds nice sharing everything and giving to everyone what they need, but how do you define need? I mean I would argue that I need books and teddy bears but others in the community may disagree and argue that say, having a train set is more important. 

There are and always have been some people who are called to live in community to a much greater extent than most people and these people became monks and nuns. However, I think for most people, being the varied and individual people that we are this type of close community living is too hard.

However, as the church of St Mary Magdalen, Chapel Fields, we are a community. We are not a community that has chosen each other, one where people are checked out when they walk through the door to see if they will fit in. Instead we are an odd assortment of all types of people, with all types of views, all with different things going on in our lives. Yet Sunday by Sunday we choose to come and spend time with each other. Whilst the main reason we come, I hope, is to worship together. We also share in drinks and biscuits after the service, choosing to continue spending time with each other. Talking, possibly arguing, but also sharing our lives and supporting each other. In a world which seems to be becoming ever more polarised, where some people seem to think they can't like or have anything to do with someone they disagree with, the church can be a radical community showing that a different way is possible.

The early church in Acts, was in a very different time and place to us, but some of how they lived out their faith can still provide an example for us today. The early church spent time together in the temple. So we should spend time together, in worship, but also in learning about the bible and about our faith with and from each other. 

They also had glad and generous hearts, now I know we are in England and English people love to moan and grumble about things. However, maybe we should try finding things to be happy about instead. Finding things that bring us happiness, and that can be anything from enjoying the sunshine on a warm day, spotting a rainbow on a wet day or spending time with people we like, or achieving something that we have been working for. We can be grateful for these things and that can lead on to us being thankful. Thankful both to people who have helped us and to God who is the source of all help. 

The early church is also recorded as being generous. Being generous doesn't just mean in terms of giving to charity, or giving money to the church, although that is very helpful, as am sure our treasurer will agree. We can be generous in our time, many of us are generous in giving of our time and skills to the church or other charitable organisations. However, we also be generous to each other, giving our time to help or even just to listen. We may have skills that can be used to help each other and we should be happy to offer and receive help. That is how we can grow as a community, in our relationships with each other and with God. 

In our gospel today Jesus tells us that he comes that we may have life and have it abundantly. A life that is abundant does not only mean a life rich in material wealth and physical things. An abundant life is one that is filled with relationship, with each other here, with friends and family and with God. An abundant life is also one that will bear fruit. By living a generous and thankful life, even in the midst of life’s storms, we can show others the hope of abundant life that can be found in Christ.

To gain and keep this abundant life isn’t always easy. Building relationships and a grateful mindset requires work and effort. In our gospel the sheep are at risk of bandits and thieves, but what are the bandits and thieves that may impact our abundant life? 

What takes our time and attention from the important things, how many hours are spent scrolling on social media, playing addictive mobile phone games, watching repeats of old TV shows or whatever our particular vice may be. 

Now, I am not saying that any of these things can be bad in themselves. Relationships can develop on social media as much as in the “real world”, games and TV show can be ways to relax. The problem comes when these things take over time that could be better spent. When we ignore relationships in the here and now for the internet or fictional worlds. I must admit I am very guilty of replying to Andrew asking me something with, just let me finish this chapter, I am putting the fictional world of whatever I am reading before the real relationships that I need to nurture. I am going astray like many sheep do. So who is the shepherd that can stop me going astray? Well, of course, the obvious and one of the correct answers is Jesus. Reminding myself that I am trying to follow him can help, but there are others. 

A priest is called to shepherd his flock, but soon, sadly, we will be a flock without a shepherd of our own for a while. In that gap we all may need to be shepherds as well as sheep. To support each other, in the task we have of being God’s visible presence in Chapelfields, to show his love and care to those around us, to provide opportunities for worshipping and learning about God and his relationship with us.

We need to keep following the example of the early church to live generously, thankfully and as a radical community that can attract others to come and join us and find relationship with God and with us.

Palm Sunday

 

 

 Imagine Jerusalem that first palm Sunday. The city is busy, full of people there for the festival.
People who may not be so keen on the occupying Romans. From the west a cloud indicates a
great procession approaching the city. Horses, carriages, soldiers, pomp and splendour. It is the
governor coming to the city from his summer home, ready to impose his law and order, with
force if necessary. After all he can't let a Jewish uprising take place. That could destroy his
political ambitions.

From the east another group approaches. A rag taggle band led by a wandering messianic
preacher. No horses or smart carriages here, no guards for protection. Someone has found a
donkey for the leader to ride. People are cheering, there is something in the air, an expectation
that change is coming. The people have had enough of their imperial Roman overlord, maybe
this is the chance to stand up and fight back, to take back control of their lives and land.

Two leaders riding from opposite directions into Jerusalem and in the next few days they will
meet and the world will be changed, but not in the way anyone on the streets of Jerusalem that
day is expecting.

Two leaders with different views on leadership, for Pilate it is about control and power. He wants
to keep the people obedient to him, through force if necessary. He sees this as the only way to
keep his position, his status and his wealth, and possibly even his life, in the turbulent world of
Roman politics, and to Pilate it is Pilate that is important.

Jesus of Nazareth, seeks to love people, he wants people to follow him through choice not
force. He wants to bring people closer to God, through showing them God’s love and care. He
doesn’t seek wealth and status, in fact the opposite, he acts as a servant to his friends. He looks
to ensure their needs are met, providing food when needed.

Pilate, as he rides into Jerusalem, has the possibility that he might die if he loses control at the
back of his mind. He fears death, he thinks, maybe rightly, that an uprising in Jerusalem will lead
either to his death at the hands of the Jews or to his death as punishment from the emperor.

Jesus rides into Jerusalem knowing that he is riding to his death. Knowing that the next few
days are going to be unimaginably hard for him, betrayal, pain and suffering. Yet he comes
willingly, willingly to pay the ultimate price for the fate of the world.

Two leaders, two very different ways of thinking. We are called to follow Jesus, but how often do
we think more like Pilate? How often do we allow what we think other people will think of us to
impact our actions, putting our social status first. When we are out shopping how often do we
buy something as an extra little treat for ourselves, but don’t buy something to donate to the
food bank? We are loving ourselves, putting our selfish wants before the needs of others. We
are being more Pilate than Jesus.

The world around us these days seems to be moving ever closer to world war three, yet here in
the UK we are, so far, relatively safe. How easy is it to say it’s not our problem, we shouldn’t get
involved, even as our Christian brothers and sisters are being killed for their faith, or for standing
up against an oppressive regime.

I admit, it can be very difficult at times, to judge what is the right thing to do, what actions will
lead ultimately to more peace and less war. Yet if we fail to engage with these issues, we as
Christians, risk be seen as washing our hands of the worlds evils and doing nothing about it. It
may take time and hard work, double checking with other sources rather than just blindly
re-posting something, but if we don’t engage, if we don’t stand up for those being persecuted,
then we are being more Pilate than Jesus.

Even as he heard the cheering crowds, Jesus knew the cost of what was to come for him.
Although they didn’t know it yet, the disciples and other followers of Jesus would also face a
high cost for their belief in him in the years to come. This Holy week through our services we will
follow that journey, to the cross and beyond. This journey may in some ways reflect our life
journeys. There may be times when life seems hard, to choose the way of Jesus rather than the
way of Pilate seems hard, but to quote Sam in Lord of the rings

“But in the end it’s only a passing thing, this shadow; even darkness must pass.”

Because of the events of Holy Week, we know there is hope for a better future and that can give
us the strength, to do our part, in helping create a better world, by being more Jesus than Pilate.

Sunday before lent

 

Readings: Exodus 24. 12- end

       2 Peter 1. 16-end

                 Matt. 17 1-9

The last remains of Christmas are gone, the decorations down, the last mince pie eaten and this week on Wednesday in our ash Wednesday services we will enter into the barrenness and darkness of lent. But today we are given one last blast of brightness to carry us through the darkness to come.

The liturgical year can be like the patterns of human life, periods of joy and light and periods of darkness and despair and everything in between. In the dark times of life we can often reach for things that we think will help or give us temporary comfort, a bar of chocolate, a bottle of wine, a cuddle with a teddy bear. Some of these things are better for us than others, but they all only provide temporary comfort. 

In the story of the transfiguration that we heard today, Jesus is for a few moments transfigured into the glory that will become his for eternity at Easter. It is a glory that points to a better future for all mankind. Yet right now that better future feels almost like a lost hope. The days feel dark and damp and cold. Somebody said to me the other day, I would rather it snowed, there might be a bit more light then, but all we seem to have is dark, damp, greyness. Looking beyond our own immediate concerns, the news from the world around us just seems to be an unending stream of conflict and hatred of one group to another. Sometimes, the thought of grabbing alcohol, chocolate , a teddy bear and hiding under my duvet seems very tempting.  

The transfiguration however, means that that is not an option for us. The light of Jesus’ transfiguration shines on us as it did on Peter, James and John and tells us that there is hope, there is a brighter future. The transfiguration appears a very strange event to 21st century western minds. It would be easy and to some people tempting perhaps to dismiss it as a vision or a hallucination, these things don’t really happen. Yet Peter is quite clear in his letter, written to some of the early churches when he became concerned about the spreading of false teaching. He says “for we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.” 

The transfiguration is no cunningly devised fable or vision or hallucination. It was a real event, but then what are we to make of it? The story of the transfiguration in Matthews gospel is preceded by a conversation where Jesus asks the disciples who they think that he is. Peter says that Jesus is the messiah and the son of God but then the conversation moves on and Jesus tries to explain about what must happen to him and Peter denies it. At the transfiguration Jesus’s identity is confirmed as it was at his baptism with a voice from heaven, this is my son. The disciples are, not surprisingly, somewhat afraid, but then Jesus comes and touches them and tells them “get up, do not be afraid.”

 There is a contrast here, you have the dazzling, holy, figure, the son of God the almighty, surely someone to be worshipped and in awe of. Then you have the simple, human touch, the acknowledgment of what the disciples must be feeling and the gentle encouragement, do not be afraid. Words that am sure would help the disciples in the weeks to come. Words that can give us strength today when we face the problems of the world.

When Moses came down from the mountain the people saw that he had been changed, transfigured, by his encounter with God. Taking time during lent to deepen our encounter with God and our understanding of our reliance on God in times of struggle and temptation can change us. It can lead to our own transfiguration, to us growing more like the people God wants us to be.

Fr Edward, in some of his sermons, has introduced us to the concept of theosis. How we can grow to become like God and share in his divine nature. The first stage of this process is to learn to trust God when we feel despairing or tested. The spiritual disciplines associated with lent such as fasting and self examination or confession can help us with this. Fasting helps strengthen our resisting temptation muscles, and give us strength to make more God focused, rather than me focused choices. Self examination and confession can help us face up to the truth about ourselves, not always an easy thing to do, but only when we do this can we change for the better. People often look at taking up a new prayer practice in lent and this can lead us into a deeper relationship with God. A relationship that can sustain us not just through lent but through whatever else may be to come.

This process can lead to our own transfiguration. Whilst I don’t expect us all to be shining like Jesus and Moses were, maybe this lent our spiritual discipline can lead to changes in how we are, in how we act. Changes that others may notice and start to question. Like Jesus we can say to people do not be afraid but come and know God, come and let the light reach you. Others may then be transfigured and light spread against the darkness. In one of our post communion prayers we pray that we whom the spirit lights will give light to the world. This lent do not be afraid, allow yourself to be transfigured and to be light to the world.