It Is Better Together
Can be listened to here
Gate Pa – Year C 14th Sunday of Ordinary Time,(Pentecost 7)
Readings:
Psalm
Psalm
30
First
Reading:
2 Kings 5:1-14
Second
Reading: Galatians
6:7-16
Gospel:
Luke
10:1-11, 16-20
What I want to say:
explore
why Christianity is a communal religion, as opposed to not being about me and
God
What I want to
happen:
People to do stuff together
The Sermon
1. Introduction:
As a Franciscan this mornings gospel reading
is one of the readings that have shaped our identity
It was this or a similar reading Francis heard
on the 24th Feb 1208
he embraced the life of poverty
threw away his leather belt and his money bag
life was never the same.
took these words literally
and seriously
sought to live them out for rest of his life
rules were written so that his brothers could
also live it out
man it was hard
cracks were showing even before Francis died.
none the less - it stands at heart of
Franciscan way today
clearly passage that has a lot to say about
our attitudes to money
to possessions
one that I continue to struggle with
even as it does continue to shape me and my
life.
lets be honest
none of us live it out
really demanding
so I suspect we quickly move on to the next passage
2. Better Together
But lets just pause for a moment
Think this passage offers us more than this
think Francis took more than attitude to possessions
out of this reading
One of significant aspects of this reading I think
that Jesus sent out 70 or 72 people
not alone
in at least pairs
so would have spent a lot time together on
journey to and from villages and towns they went to.
I think this is really important
3. Fiji and Solomons
Remember one first times went to Fiji on youth
event
spent last night or two in village
went as group
I struggled with it all
so glad that I was not doing this alone
even where we were billeted there were three
of us
Much better experience with others.
able to give moral support to each other
second time we did it the other way around
went to village first
in big groups
sleeping in hall
when arrived hours late – because flight late
people were little grumpy it was ok
when transport didn’t arrive the next morning
it was ok
worked
it out together
able to support each other
use gifts of each other
some great just chatting away to people not
know
others could do the public speaky thing
etc….
4. Solomons
compare that to first time went to Solomons
I went with Dorothy Brooker who some you might
know
she stayed up in Chester House
I stayed in friary
I found all that very stressful
heat
not
knowing anyone in Friary
not
knowing what expected to go to or when anything was on
how I longed for someone else to be at there
friary with me
or up at Chester House if I was honest
Each day meet with Dorothy at Chester House
sort out what doing that night
go from there
not entirely alone
Last time three years ago
went on my own
this time I knew number people
tertiaries
first
order friars
even when went off to Makira and Malaita on my
own
ok
with family
not on my own
well looked after
vaguely familiar
so grateful that the first two times I went I
had others.
share
those experiences
learn
from them
grow
into that situation
It is better when we do it together
Jesus knew that
Francis knew that
This reading also set out how Franicis would send
out brothers
in at least pairs
never alone
5. The buzz
imagine then the buzz when this 70 or 72 got
back
the stories
the disappointments
the heartache for some
rejoicing and amazement for others
while we hear Jesus speech
important
speech
highlights
while triumphs are all good
real
source rejoicing is our relationship with God
knowing
that we are never alone
God
was with us each step of way
I think just as important part of story is not
mentioned by Luke
it was the talking
sharing
encouraging
supporting
In that they found God at work even when they
left dust free
looked to go again
6. Not about me and Jesus
somehow over centuries we have lost this
communal aspect
Christianity has become about me and God and
getting into heaven
ministry about what I do.
Not how we find it in either Gospels or Paul
Both Paul and Jesus real emphasis was creation
of new community
Paul – new Israel –
new
people of God
become
inheritors of promises of God for creation and all humanity
means
by which those promises become reality
not about what they did as individuals
what they did together as a community
it
was better together
same is true for us today
not even just about what we do here at St.
Georges
although that is important
we are part of something even bigger
diocese
tikanga
province
communion
the church catholic
all in this together whether we like it or not
and it is still better when we do it together.
for today
lets focus on us here
doing things together
ministry is not about me
it is about us.
Lets do it together
because it is better when we do
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