A Sermon for the Reign of Christ 2018

Dear Friends,

Every once and a while I find myself side-tracked and I forget to post the audio recording of my sermon.  This is what happened this past week.  So, as the First Sunday of Advent approaches, I am just now posting a link to my sermon from last Sunday.  If you choose to listen, I hope that it helps in your walk of faith.

Richard +
Vicar of Holy Trinity Cathedral

Click here to listen to the Sermon preached on the Reign of Christ, the 25th of November, at Holy Trinity Cathedral at the 10.00 Eucharist.

Proper Prayers for Advent 1C (2 December 2018)

First Sunday of Advent (Year C)

2 December 2018

Jeremiah 33.14-16; Psalm 25.1-9; 1 Thessalonians 3.9-13; Luke 21.25-36

Collect of the Day

Almighty God, give us grace to cast away the works of darkness and put on the armour of light, now in the time of this mortal life in which your Son Jesus Christ came to us in great humility, so thaton the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the living and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through him who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.   Amen.  [The Book of Alternative Services 1985, 268 alt.]

or

Stir up your power, Lord Christ, and come.  By your merciful protection alert us to the threatening dangers of our sins, and redeem us for your life of justice, for you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.  Amen.  [Evangelical Lutheran Worship 2006, 18]

or

God of justice and peace, from the heavens you rain down mercy and kindness.  Raise our heads in expectation, so that we may yearn for the coming day of the Lord and stand without blame before your Son, Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns for ever and ever.  Amen.  [Trial Use Collects 2016, 101]

or

God of justice, as your kingdom dawns, turn us from the darkness of sin to the light of holiness, so that we may be ready to meet you in our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.  Amen.  [Trial Use Collects 2016, 101]

or

God our Saviour, you utter a word of promise and hope and hasten the day of justice and freedom, yet we live in a world forgetful of your word, our watchfulness dulled by the cares of life.  Keep us alert.  Make us attentive to your word, ready to look on your Son when he comes with power and great glory.  Make us holy and blameless, ready to stand secure when the day of coming shakes the world with terror.  We ask this through him whose coming is certain, whose day draws near:  your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever.  Amen. [Opening Prayers:  Collects in Contemporary Language 1997, 3]

or

Urgent God, breaking through the static to speak to our hearts:  disarm our love of control and shake the silent heavens to reveal your dawning glory, judging all in the light of love; through Jesus Christ, the one who is to come.  Amen.  [Prayers for an Inclusive Church 2009, 79]

Prayer over the Gifts

God of love and power, your word stirs within us the expectation of the coming of your Son.  Accept all we offer you this day, and sustain us with your promise of eternal life.  We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.  [The Book of Alternative Services  1985, 269]

or

God of abundance, we bring before you the precious fruits of your creation, and with them our very lives.  Teach us patience and hope as we care for all those in need until the coming of your Son, our Saviourand Lord.  Amen. [Evangelical Lutheran Worship 2016, 64 alt.]

Prayer after Communion

God for whom we wait, you have fed us with the bread of eternal life.  Keep us ever watchful, so that we may be ready to stand before the Son of man.  We ask this in the name of Christ the Lord.  Amen. [The Book of Alternative Services 1985, 269 alt.]

or

God for whom we wait, in this meal you give us a foretaste of that day when the hungry will be fed with good things.  Send us forth to make known your deeds and to proclaim the greatness of your name, through Jesus Christ, our Saviourand Lord.  Amen.  [Evangelical Lutheran Worship 2016, 65 alt.]

Suggested Advent Liturgical Elements

Suggested ADvent Liturgical Elements

The Greeting

Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,

who has come to set us free,

who has raised up for a mighty Saviour,

born from the house of David.  Amen.

The Candles of Advent

On the First Sunday of Advent as the first candle is lit we sing

O come, O come, Emmanuel,

and ransom captive Israel,

that mourns in lonely exile here

until the Son of God appear.

Rejoice! Rejoice!

Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel!

On the Second Sunday of Advent as two candles are lit we sing

O come, O come thou Lord of might,

who to thy tribes on Sinai’s height

in ancient times didst give the law,

in cloud and majesty and awe.

Rejoice! Rejoice!

Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel!

On the Third Sunday of Advent as three candles are lit we sing

O come, thou Dayspring from on high,

and cheer us by thy drawing nigh;

disperse the gloomy clouds of night,

and death’s dark shadow put to flight.

Rejoice! Rejoice!

Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel!

On the Fourth Sunday of Advent as four candles are lit we sing

O come, O come thou Wisdom from on high,

who orderest all things mightily;

to us the path of knowledge show

and teach us in her ways to go.

Rejoice! Rejoice!

Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel!

After the Lighting of the Candles the Collect of the Day is said or sung.

The Apostles’ Creed

Let us confess the faith of our baptism.

I believe in God, the Father almighty,

creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord,

who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,

born of the virgin Mary,

suffered under Pontius Pilate,

was crucified, died, and was buried;

he descended to the dead.

On the third day he rose again;

he ascended into heaven,

he is seated at the right hand of the Father,

and he will come again to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,

the holy catholic church,

the communion of saints,

the forgiveness of sins,

the resurrection of the body,

and the life everlasting.  Amen.

Confession and Absolution

Our Lord comes to bring to light things now hidden in darkness and to disclose the purposes of the heart.  Let us open our hearts and prepare for Christ’s coming by confessing our sins in penitence and faith.

God of all mercy,

we confess that we have sinned against you,

opposing your will in our lives.

We have denied your goodness in each other,

in ourselves and in the world you have created.

We repent of the evil that enslaves us,

the evil we have done

and the evil done on our behalf.

Forgive, restore and strengthen us

through our Saviour Jesus Christ,

so that we may abide in your love

and serve only your will.  Amen.

May the God of love and power forgive you and free you from our sins, heal and strengthen you by the Holy Spirit and raise you to new life in Jesus Christ.  Amen.

The Exchange of the Peace

May the peace of Christ whose coming draws near be with you.

And also with you.

The Great Thanksgiving

The Lord be with you.

And also with you.

Lift up your hearts.

We lift them to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

It is right to give our thanks and praise.

Blessed are you, gracious God, creator of heaven and earth;  we give you thanks and praise through Jesus Christ our Lord, who in the fullness of time came among us in our flesh and opened to us the way of salvation.  Now we watch for the day when he will come again in power and great triumph to judge this world, that we, without shame or fear, may rejoice to behold his appearing. Therefore we praise you, joining our voices with angels and archangels and with all the company of heaven, who for ever sing this hymn to proclaim the glory of your name.

Holy, holy, holy Lord,

God of power and might.

Heaven and earth are full of your glory.

Hosanna in the highest.

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.

Hosanna in the highest.

Holy One, the beginning and the end, the giver of life:  Blessed are you for the birth of creation.  Blessed are in the darkness and in the light.  Blessed are you for your promise to your people. Blessed are you in the prophets’ hopes and dreams.  Blessed are you for Mary’s openness to your will.  Blessed are you for your Son Jesus, the Word made flesh.

In the night in which he was betrayed, our Lord Jesus took bread, and gave thanks; broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying:  Take and eat; this is my body, given for you.  Do this for the remembrance of me.

Again, after supper, he took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it for all to drink, saying: This cup is the new covenant in my blood, shed for you and for all people for the forgiveness of sin.  Do this for the remembrance of me.

Let us proclaim the mystery of faith:  Christ has died.  Christ is risen.  Christ will come again.

With this bread and cup we remember your Word dwelling among us, full of grace and truth.  We remember our new birth in his death and resurrection.  We look with hope for his coming.  Come, Lord Jesus.

Holy God, we long for your Spirit.  Come among us.  Bless this meal.  May your Word take flesh in us.  Awaken your people.  Fill us with your light.  Bring the gift of peace on earth.  Come, Holy Spirit.

All praise and glory are yours, Holy One of Israel, Word of God incarnate, Power of the Most High, one God, now and forever.  Amen.

The Breaking of the Bread

God of promise, 

you prepare a banquet for us in your kingdom.

Happy are those who are called 

to the supper of the Lamb.

The Invitation to Communion

In tender mercy our God has prepared a table  for all who seek goodness rather than evil, love rather than hate, light rather than darkness, life rather than death.  Come and share in the feast prepared for those beloved of God, for these are the gifts of God for the people of God.

Thanks be to God.

The Dismissal

The Deacon sends us forth in these or similar words

As we await our coming Saviour,

go in peace to love and serve the Lord.

Thanks be to God.  Alleluia!

Liturgical elements are taken from (i) Common Worship of the Church of England, (ii) Enriching Our Worship of the Episcopal Church, (iii) Evangelical Lutheran Worship of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada, (iv) The Book of Alternative Services of the Anglican Church of Canada and (v) materials adapted by the Ven. Richard Geoffrey Leggett, Ph.D.

Proper Prayers for the Reign of Christ (RCL Proper 34B --- 25 November 2018)

RCL Proper 34B:  Reign of Christ

Sunday between 20 and 26 November

2 Samuel 23.1-7; Psalm 132.1-13, (14-19); Revelation 1.4b-8; John 18.33-37, (38a)

Collect of the Day

Almighty and everlasting God, whose will it is to restore all things in your well-beloved Son, our Lord and King, grant that the peoples of the earth, now divided and enslaved by sin, may be freed and brought together under his gentle and loving rule; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.  Amen.  [The Book of Alternative Services 1985, 394]

or

Almighty and ever-living God, you anointed your beloved Son to be priest and sovereign forever.  Grant that all the people of the earth, now divided by the power of sin, may be united by the glorious and gentle rule of Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God now and forever.  Amen. [Evangelical Lutheran Worship 2006, 53]

or

Almighty God, train our eyes to discern your righteous rule, so that, standing firmly in hope before the powers of this world, we may heed your voice and be constant in your truth; through Jesus of Nazareth, David’s heir.  Amen. [Liturgy Task Force 2016, 99]

or

You who are, who were, who are to come, before whose judgement all that is not love fades away: save us from the violence that seeks to claim our hearts, so that we may hear a different voice and belong to you in truth; through Jesus Christ, the wounded king of all.  Amen.  [Liturgy Task Force 2016, 100]

or

Almighty and eternal God, to Jesus Christ, the first-born from the dead, you have granted everlasting dominion and a kingship that shall not pass away. Remove from us every desire for privilege and power, that we may imitate the sacrificial love of Christ our King and, as a royal and priestly people, serve you humbly in our brothers and sisters. Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever.  Amen.  [Opening Prayer:  Collects in Contemporary Language 1997]

Prayer over the Gifts

Eternal God, by your grace you have raised us up and enthroned us with Christ in the heavenly realms.  Receive all we offer you this day, and lead us in those good works for which you have created us.  We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ the Lord.  Amen.  [The Book of Alternative Services 1985, 394-395]

or

God of mercy and grace, the eyes of all wait upon you, and you open your hand in blessing.  Fill us with good things at your table, so that we may come to the help of all in need, through Jesus Christ, our redeemer and Lord.  Amen.  [Evangelical Lutheran Worship 2006, 64 alt.]

or

Merciful God, as grains of wheat scattered upon the hills were gathered together to become one bread, so let your church be gathered together from the ends of the earth into your kingdom, for yours is the glory through Jesus Christ, now and forever.  Amen.  [Evangelical Lutheran Worship 2006, 64]

or

Holy God, gracious and merciful, you bring forth food from the earth and nourish your whole creation.  Turn our hearts toward those who hunger in any way, so that all may know your care; and prepare us now to feast on the bread of life, Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Lord.  Amen.  [Evangelical Lutheran Worship 2006, 107 alt.]

or

God of all creation, all you have made is good, and your love endures forever.  You bring forth bread from the earth and fruit from the vine.  Nourish us with these gifts, so that we might be for the world signs of your gracious presence in Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Lord.  Amen.  [Evangelical Lutheran Worship 2006, 107 alt.]

or

Blessed are you, O God, maker of all things.  Through your goodness you have blessed us with these gifts:  our selves, our time and our possessions.  Use us and what we have gathered in feeding the world with your love, through the one who gave himself for us, Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Lord.  Amen.  [Evangelical Lutheran Worship 2006, 107 alt.]

Prayer after Communion

Almighty God, you have made us a royal priesthood in the kingdom of your Son our Saviour Jesus Christ.  Make known his victory through us, we pray, so that all the world may see his light. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ the Lord.  Amen.  [The Book of Alternative Services 1985, 395]

or

Gracious God, in this meal you have drawn us to your heart, and nourished us at your table with food and drink, the body and blood of Christ.  Now send us forth to be your people in the world, and to proclaim your truth this day and evermore, through Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Lord.  Amen.  [Evangelical Lutheran Worship 2006, 65]

or

O God, our life, our strength, our food, we give you thanks for sustaining us with the body and blood of your Son.  By your Holy Spirit, enliven us to be his body in the world, so that more and more we will give you praise and serve your earth and its many peoples, through Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Lord.  Amen.  [Evangelical Lutheran Worship 2006, 65 alt.]

or

We give you thanks, almighty God, that you have refreshed us through the healing power of this gift of life.  In your mercy, strengthen us through this gift, in faith toward you and in fervent love toward one another; for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord.   Amen.  [Evangelical Lutheran Worship 2006, 114]

or

O God, we give you thanks that you have set before us this feast, the body and blood of your Son.  By your Spirit strengthen us to serve all in need and to give ourselves away as bread for the hungry, through Jesus Christ our Lord.     Amen.  [Evangelical Lutheran Worship 2006, 114]

or

God of abundance, with this bread of life and cup of salvation you have united us with Christ, making us one with all your people.  Now send us forth in the power of your Spirit, so that we may proclaim your redeeming love to the world and continue forever in the risen life of Jesus Christ, our Lord.     Amen.  [Evangelical Lutheran Worship 2006, 114 alt.]

Prayer and the Christian Life: Reflections on the Readings for RCL Proper 33B (18 November 2018)

One of the joys of being the Vicar of Holy Trinity Cathedral is serving with wonderful clergy colleagues.  Today, Carole Neilson, the Deacon of the Cathedral, preached on prayer and the Christian life.

Click here to listen to Carole's sermon as preached at the 10.00 Eucharist on Sunday the 18th.

Richard +
Vicar

Proper Prayers for RCL Proper 33B (18 November 2018)

RCL Proper 33B

Sunday between 13 and 19 November

1 Samuel 1.4-10; 1 Samuel 2.1-10 (as canticle); Hebrews 10.11-14, (15-18), 19-25; Mark 13.1-8

Collect of the Day

Almighty God, you sent your Son Jesus Christ to be the light of the world. Free us from all that darkens and ensnares us, and bring us to eternal light and joy; through the power of him who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.  [The Book of Alternative Services 1985, 392-393]

or

Almighty God, your sovereign purpose brings salvation to birth.  Give us faith to be steadfast amid the tumults of this world, trusting that your kingdom comes and your will is done through your Son, Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Lord.  Amen. [Evangelical Lutheran Worship 2006, 53 alt.]

or

Timeless One, you create all moments of our lives, giving each its meaning and its purpose. Strengthen us to witness continually to the love of Jesus Christ, so that we may hold fast in times of trial, even to the end of the ages.  Amen.  [Liturgy Task Force 2016, 99]

or

O God, you gather a people you call your own.  Confirm us in the strength of your abiding word and stay our hearts in the time of trial, so that on the day of the Son of Man we may without fear rejoice to behold his appearing.  We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ.   Amen.  [Liturgy Task Force 2016, 99]

or

Subversive God, deconstructing temples of power in which we would keep you trapped and tamed:  lead us through violent times, unafraid to speak for peace, untempted by those who promise easy answers; may we follow him alone who renews the world in love; through Jesus Christ, who sits at God’s right hand.  Amen.  [Prayers for an Inclusive Church 2009]

Prayer over the Gifts

Holy God, in this eucharist we renew our baptismal covenant.  Help us, through our offering this day, to renounce all things that draw us from your love.  This we ask in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.  [The Book of Alternative Services 1985, 393]

or

God of mercy and grace, the eyes of all wait upon you, and you open your hand in blessing.  Fill us with good things at your table, so that we may come to the help of all in need, through Jesus Christ, our redeemer and Lord.  Amen.  [Evangelical Lutheran Worship 2006, 64 alt.]

or

Merciful God, as grains of wheat scattered upon the hills were gathered together to become one bread, so let your church be gathered together from the ends of the earth into your kingdom, for yours is the glory through Jesus Christ, now and forever.  Amen.  [Evangelical Lutheran Worship 2006, 64]

or

Holy God, gracious and merciful, you bring forth food from the earth and nourish your whole creation.  Turn our hearts toward those who hunger in any way, so that all may know your care; and prepare us now to feast on the bread of life, Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Lord.  Amen.  [Evangelical Lutheran Worship 2006, 107 alt.]

or

God of all creation, all you have made is good, and your love endures forever.  You bring forth bread from the earth and fruit from the vine.  Nourish us with these gifts, so that we might be for the world signs of your gracious presence in Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Lord.  Amen.  [Evangelical Lutheran Worship 2006, 107 alt.]

or

Blessed are you, O God, maker of all things.  Through your goodness you have blessed us with these gifts:  our selves, our time and our possessions.  Use us and what we have gathered in feeding the world with your love, through the one who gave himself for us, Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Lord.  Amen.  [Evangelical Lutheran Worship 2006, 107 alt.]

Prayer after Communion

Gracious God, in this sacrament we have shared the body and blood of Christ.  May we who have been nourished by holy things bear witness to his light, and share in his eternal priesthood; for he is Lord for ever and ever.  Amen.  [The Book of Alternative Services 1985, 393]

or

Gracious God, in this meal you have drawn us to your heart, and nourished us at your table with food and drink, the body and blood of Christ.  Now send us forth to be your people in the world, and to proclaim your truth this day and evermore, through Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Lord.  Amen.  [Evangelical Lutheran Worship 2006, 65]

or

O God, our life, our strength, our food, we give you thanks for sustaining us with the body and blood of your Son.  By your Holy Spirit, enliven us to be his body in the world, so that more and more we will give you praise and serve your earth and its many peoples, through Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Lord.  Amen.  [Evangelical Lutheran Worship 2006, 65 alt.]

or

We give you thanks, almighty God, that you have refreshed us through the healing power of this gift of life.  In your mercy, strengthen us through this gift, in faith toward you and in fervent love toward one another; for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord.   Amen.  [Evangelical Lutheran Worship 2006, 114]

or

O God, we give you thanks that you have set before us this feast, the body and blood of your Son.  By your Spirit strengthen us to serve all in need and to give ourselves away as bread for the hungry, through Jesus Christ our Lord.     Amen.  [Evangelical Lutheran Worship 2006, 114]

or

God of abundance, with this bread of life and cup of salvation you have united us with Christ, making us one with all your people.  Now send us forth in the power of your Spirit, so that we may proclaim your redeeming love to the world and continue forever in the risen life of Jesus Christ, our Lord.     Amen.  [Evangelical Lutheran Worship 2006, 114 alt.]

Re-Presenting the Past to Shape Our Future: Reflections on Remembrance Day 2018

Re-Presenting the Past to Shape Our Future

Reflections on Remembrance Day 2018

Propers for Peace from the BCP 1979 (TEC)

11 November 2018

Holy Trinity Cathedral

New Westminster BC

Click here to listen to the Sermon as preached at the 10.00 Eucharist today.

            When I was a boy, at least once if not twice a year, my father would pack up my mother, my sister and me to drive from Colorado to upstate New York to visit my Leggett grandparents.  My father loved the freedom of long-distance driving, so the trip was always a joy for him. My mother could knit or nap in the front passenger seat, so she kept busy.  My sister could read her favourite books, so she was content.  But I was too young to drive, not fond of napping and could not read in a moving vehicle without becoming carsick.  

            My father invented a game for me.  How many different license plates could I collect along the way?  It was not enough just to record where the license plate was from.  My dad expected me to ponder any motto on the plate.  New Hampshire was always one of my favourites:  “Live Free or Die!”  But on one trip I came upon a rare plate to see on the highways of the United States: a car with license plates from Québec.

            No one in my family spoke French and it wasn’t until I went to university that I learned to read, write and speak French --- after a fashion.  So I had no idea what the motto meant:  “Je me souviens.”  I tried various pronunciations, but it remained a mystery to me.  Google Translate was still many decades in the future, so I had to be content to remain in ignorance of this strange motto from a foreign land.

            Skip forward twenty-five years.  I’ve graduated from university with a degree in modern languages and secondary education. I’ve completed my seminary education, served in various ministry settings, almost completed a doctoral degree and find myself in Canada.  “Je me souviens” now has meaning for me --- “I remember”.  

            Our neighbours to the east remember who they are.  There is great strength in knowing who we are and how we have come to be where we are in the great mystery of time.  There is also great danger in forgetting that we remember our past in order to shape a better future, not only for us but for all who share ‘fragile earth, our island home’.  I value my own identity as the descendant of Welsh settlers of the island of Britain who then dealt with the invasion of Anglo-Saxon and Norman French peoples by creating a hybrid culture, a kind of British Métis if you like.  I cannot and will not forget my grandfather who fought in the First World War, my three uncles veterans of the Second World War, my father a veteran of Korea, my cousins who served in the British armed forces and my brother-in-law who cared for the wounded and injured of Iraq and Afghanistan.  But I dare not forget why I remember.

            Within the Christian tradition there are few more important words than ‘remember’. Every Sunday, as we celebrate the eucharist, you hear me twice quote Jesus’ words on that last night, “Do this in remembrance of me.”  The word that the writers of the gospels use is anamnesis.  ‘Anamnesis’ literally means ‘not forgetting’, the opposite of ‘amnesia’.  Even more importantly, the word ‘anamnesis’ means to ‘unleash the power of the past into the present in order to shape the future’. To remember, as Christians, is not a trip down some nostalgic road so that we can romanticize about the past, to wish things were the way they used to be.  

            We remember that last night because we want to unleash the power of Jesus’ self-giving to empower us to work towards the future God envisions for all of creation.  We remember the many generations of those disciples of Jesus who came before us because we want their stories to shape our own so that ‘we and all God’s children may be free’. We remember the sacrifices of those who fought and died in armed conflicts as well as the sacrifices of their families who tried to carry on at home because we do not want their sacrifices to be in vain, to be simply one more tally in humanity’s failure to discover more life-giving and life-sustaining ways to manage conflict.

            My grandfather Broom was a gentle man who served first as a cavalryman and then as a machine-gunner in the First World War.  In that war he lost faith in many things and wanted nothing more than to come home to love his family and to tend his garden.  During the Second World War he sent his only son off to India while he remained in England as a member of the Home Guard and an Air Raid Warden. I remember going into his garden shed and finding his old helmet.  I put it on and marched proudly out into the back garden only to see something in my grandfather’s eyes I had never seen before --- anger, not at me but at the memories; fear, not of me but for me; sorrow, not at me but for me.  He gently removed the helmet, put it back in the shed and I never put it on again.  My grandfather remembered and in that present moment he desired a different future for his grandson.

            There are those who ponder why some churches, such as ours, observe Remembrance Day.  It has been, in my experience, an occasion for some ‘vigorous fellowship’ in some of the circles in which I live and work.  What I tell my friends who have different views from mine is this. Deeply embedded in the human soul is the need to remember, but that deeply-felt need must be shaped by a vision for the future.  Without a vision for the future, remembering becomes a comfortable or an unsettling experience that does not lead into productive action.  As Christians we have a vision for the future and that future is the creation made new, the restoration of right relationship between God and humanity, right relationship between humanity and creation, right relationships between all human beings regardless of any category we might wish to place ourselves or others, right relationship within ourselves as persons who know both the light and the shadow within us.  And so we remember our past in order to unleash its power to shape the future, a future that embodies the good news of God in Jesus of Nazareth.

            So remember, my friends.  Remember in order that today we can take even just small steps into the future God has shown us.  Je me souviens.  Nous nous souvenons.  We remember who we have come from so that who we are today is a sign of who we shall be.

God is working his purpose out

as year succeeds to year:

God is working his purpose out,

and the time is drawing near;

nearer and nearer draws the time,

the time that shall surely be,

when the earth shall be filled with glory of God

as the waters cover the sea.[1]

---

[1]The Hymnal 1982, #534 v. 1.

A Letter for Eleanor (All Saints Sunday, 4 November 2018)

This Sunday we're baptizing Eleanor at Holy Trinity Cathedral.  For the past seven years I have written a letter to the person being baptized, especially when it's a child, in the hope that the child's family will read it to her or him in a few years' time.

Here's my letter for Eleanor.

4 November 2018

Dear Eleanor,

            I am writing this letter to you because, in a few years, you may want to ask some questions about your baptism and what it means to be a Christian. These are good questions to ask and I thought that writing a few things down for you will be helpful when that day comes.

            You are being baptized on one of the very special days of the Christian year, a day we call All Saints Day.  During the year Christians remember many of the people who have been followers of Jesus ever since he lived among us and showed us the way to love God and to love one another.  We call these people ‘saints’, a word that means ‘holy ones’.  Some of them are famous and are known both by Christians and by non-Christians.  Others are remembered only by Christians and many are only remembered by some but not all Christians.

            Because there are so many people to remember who have followed Jesus and who have helped other people follow in Jesus’ way, we long ago decided to have one day when we celebrated all the saints, known and unknown, famous and not so famous, important to everyone and important only to some.

            All Saints is one of the days during the year when our church family, the Anglican Church, sets aside as a good day for baptisms.  You might wonder why.  After all, how do we know that you’ll be a ‘saint’?  Well, Eleanor, I’ll tell you a secret that many people don’t know, including some Christians.  Anyone who follows Jesus, no matter how young or old, no matter how well known or not so well known, are saints.  We are all God’s holy ones because we are all trying, as best as we can, to love God and to love one another.

            Today, in your baptism, we are saying to the whole world, ‘Here is Eleanor, a saint of God, a holy one who can show you how to follow the way of Jesus.’ Being a saint is something we work at being for our whole lives.  Sometimes we’re really good at it and sometimes we know that we’re not at our best. But what makes us saints is that we keep working at following the way of Jesus 

• by serving the world God created and gave into our care; 
• by gathering with Christians to pray, to share in the bread and wine and to listen to what the Bible is saying to us today;  
• by sharing with other people what we know about God and God’s ways; 
• by learning as much as we can about God’s ways, and 
• by caring for others when they are in any need or trouble.

            I also need to tell you that being a Christian is not always easy.  It’s not easy because God has given us a job to do. Our job is to work with God to make a new world possible, not only for us but for everybody.

            I know some Christians who may walk for two or more hours on a Sunday to join other Christians for prayer.  As they walk, they sing a walking song:

We have another world in view, in view,

we have another world in view.

We have another world in view, in view,

we have another world in view.

Our Saviour has gone to prepare us a place,

we have another world in view.

We have another world in view, in view,

we have another world in view.

We have another world in view, in view,

we have another world in view.

We have another world in view.  Some people see the world and all its good things as something to use for their own needs alone.  Other people try to take all the good things of the world for themselves without sharing them with others.  This is not how Christians see the world.

            Christians see the world as a gift from God who loves us in so many ways. God wants every single creature, whether they are people or animals or plants, to enjoy life as fully as possible. God’s love reaches to every single person on the earth, no matter what they look like, no matter whom they love and live with, no matter whether they believe in God or not.

            Eleanor, I’m really glad that today you’re being baptized.  You’ve always been a special person to God, to your family and to us here at Holy Trinity Cathedral.  Today you’re becoming even more special by joining as a saint, a person trying to follow the way of Jesus, a person who has another world in view. No matter where you go in the years ahead, there will always be a place like Holy Trinity Cathedral where you can practice up on being a saint and where you sing about the new world God wants for all us.

            So, welcome Saint Eleanor!  Welcome and may the world we’re dreaming of and working towards come even closer for you, for your whole family, for everyone in the world.

Your friend,

Richard +