The Feast of the Presentation (Purification, Candelmas) : Homily / Sermon

"Now, Master, you can let your servant go in peace, just as you promised." (Luke 2:29)

 

In today's Gospel we are presented with a contrast between the youth of the Christ-child, just 40 days old, and the seniority of those who greet him in the Temple - Simeon and Anna. 

It is no coincidence that Pope Francis has chosen to make his prayer intention for this month for those advanced in years - "that the Church and society may respect the wisdom and experience of older people.”

Age is of course a relative matter ... 

But wisdom and experience are not words our society most naturally associates with the elderly. We are far more likely to describe those over a certain age as "grumpy" and "cantankerous". 

We live in a society which adores a cult of youth, of novelty, of glamour and celebrity. Certainly there is beauty in old age, but people don't expect to find it there. Beauty is with the young - at least that is what people think. 

So what is the difference between an experienced and wise old person and a grumpy and cantankerous one? Well, perhaps it is little more than that the words of wisdom and experience are listenned to, given attention, whereas the words of the grumpy and cantankerous are ignored. 

But there is another thing. What is it that makes Simeon and Anna wise and experienced? Is it just the accumulation of their years? No - there is something else. 

These two old people, though they had seen much and can remember much do not look back to the past as a golden age, and complain about the present. They don't say - "it wasn't like this in my day" and "I don't know what the world is coming to". Their words, their joy, their worship because they can see that something they had always believed, something they had always hoped for, something at the core of their faith was about to come to fullness. As they prepare to leave this world they do not regret the loss of the past, but rejoice in the promise of the future. 

They are full of hope. Their lives are complete, because they have the vision to see that what they have lived for is not passing away, but is present amongst them - and their last words prepare the way his first words.

3rd Sunday of the Year in Ordinary Time : Homily / Sermon

Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is close at hand. (Matthew 3:2)

It would be foolish, I think, for anyone to suppose that religion is less important in human society today than it was in the past. I’ll admit the place of the priest in the local community or the Bishop in Society is not what it might have been. The respect and deference which many of us may remember as children is certainly much less than it ever was.

Yet when we watch the news and consider attitudes it is certainly not the case that religion has gone away and crawled under a stone. Look at the tremendous interest in everything Pope Francis says, and the way people look for hints of changes ion direction and emphasis. Consider the interest placed in England in the words of the Archbishop of Canterbury when he speaks about the economy. And also notice - and this is especially interesting - the voices against religion, those who campaign against the ever popular faith schools, or who complain that religion is the sources of all ills. Be sure of this - while you’ve got critics and enemies then you are still a force to be reckoned with.

And notice too - though this is not always a good thing - the important role which religion plays in local and global conflicts - not necessarily the cause, to be sure, but certainly an important factor in war and peace, in poverty and international aid, in the building and staffing of hospitals and schools, in the eradication of ignorance and disease.

And yet, there is more difficult aspect to the role of faith in our society, especially in Europe, particularly in Britain.

There will be many, including those who don’t believe, who will allow that religion is important - important to know about - important to understand people’s beliefs and motivations - but not important to follow or embrace. In this very enlightened and positive attitude to religion the keywords are respect, and understanding - not Faith, or commitment.

And let’s be honest about this, because it is an approach to the issue which probably affects most of us too - we tend to see religion now as about individual choice and preference, rather than community identify: people see the good aspects of religion to be not about truth or eternal values, but more as a matter of comfort and culture. It’s positive power is in its ability to soothe, and encourage, and pacify - rather than as a call to conversion to change, to commitment, to salvation.

We see it in areas of public life too. In our prisons and our justice system, Religion - and especially Christianity is now no longer about reform and repentance, it is instead about supporting and comforting those in distress. It is not about challenging behaviour anymore, but about caring for those in trouble. It is no longer about values, but has become a support service, like education, or dentistry.

And we see it nowadays in the hospitals too. The sick have a right to ask for their chaplain to visit them - but the chaplain has no right to seek out those who have not asked … or who didn’t realise they had to ask.

And this attitude infects our relationships with other Christians and other faiths and those of none. “That’s your opinion” people are likely to say. You have a right to practice your faith … but no right to persuade others that they should follow it too. It leads to some of the ludicrous examples we come across from time to time - like the resistance of public bodies and state schools to have Christmas Cribs and Nativity Plays. And it leads also to an idea that when we talk about God’s love, and God’s love for everyone, it is taken to mean that God blesses us wherever, whenever and whatever we do.

Now, of course, faith is about comfort. And it is welcome, I am sure, that we nowadays concentrate more on praising God than being paralysed by the fear of offending him. And people should be protected, especially when most vulnerable, from harassment and emotional pressure. It is certainly good that different faiths and none can enjoy mutual respect and not fear persecution.

But it is a very sorry day when we forget that the first instruction of Jesus to those who followed him was “Repent”, Change, Commit. And the second instruction he gave was that we should be fishers of men, calling others to join us, to follow the same path. It is regrettable when we suppose God’s love for the sinner means that he does not want the sinner to change. It is unfortunate when we speak only of heaven, but never of purgatory and still less of hell. It is sad when the message of the Gospel is stripped of its challenge, and faith - which is always a source of comfort - never becomes anything more.

Christmas Memorial Service 8th December 2013

Homily preached at Carmountside Cemetery Chapel 8th December 2013

The homily was preceded by the reading of the Gospel according to St Matthew (2:1-4, 9b-11)

___

I was a King once. It was a long time ago. Probably when I was in the infants.

Now this was definitely the best role to have. You came onto the stage last - so your entrance was noticed, and you could probably even manage a wave to your Mum as you walked on. You didn’t have to sit or stand on the stage all the way through, and risk being told off for fidgeting. You didn’t have the embarrassment of being an animal, or wearing a tea towel on your head, or worst of all, if you were chosen to be Joseph, have to sit awkwardly next to a girl all the way through. You got to wear the best clothes. And you carried a fine present.
And you had a nice, straightforward line to say.
I bring gold - I bring frankincense (no I didn’t get it wrong and say “Frankenstein”!) - I bring myrrh.

Just like the Kings, we too bring gifts, give gifts, and receive gifts in this season. Some like Gold, are costly and precious. Others, like frankincense, are sweet smelling, perfumes and chocolates.

But myrrh is different. It is not lush. It not associated with celebration and festivity. Myrrh is the oil, the perfume for the soothing of the sick, the comforting of the anxious, and of the preparation of those at the end of life. It speaks of patience and pain, sadness and sorrow, bereavement and loss.

What an odd gift to bring to this child! But is it? In the midst of life we are in death. In the midst of festivity we are in sorrow. As all around are celebrating, all of us who mourn a loved one feel sadness, and emptiness, for those we love are no longer here.

We might feel awkward to be sorrowing at Christmas. We might hide our tears from others for fear of embarrassing them or ourselves.

But this gift of the wise men tells us that we may grieve, that we must remember, that they are always with us, and that even in moments of joy, we never fail to miss those who are no longer beside us at our celebrations, but who will never be absent from our hearts.