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




Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Get those PSA Blood Tests Done Boys!

I had a strange conversation a few months ago. I was lying back in a chair, naked from the waste down, holding a nappy over my bits while I waited for the skin under my bits to go numb enough from liquid nitrogen or some such thing, so that they could inject the local anesthetic and then punch a couple of holes through to the prostate. All in all a fun experience. And while I waited the nurse made small talk and asked what I did. "I'm retired", I replied. "Oh, what are you planning to do now you are retired? any travel?" "Turns out not" I said, "It seems I'm just keeping my dairy open for dealing with health things." And I am still keeping my dairy open and still dealing with them. This journey began last year. I was already dealing with two other things, including a lump in my parotid gland which has been slowly growing there for about 3 years. When I got back from being overseas on sabbatical my doctor called me in to talk about that an...
Read more

What a Ride! - Thankyou and Goodbye!

Image
You can listen to this sermon here   Gate Pa - Ascension Sunday and Easter 7 Year B, 2024 Readings: Palm                            Psalm 1 First Reading:             Acts 1:1-11, 15-17,21-26                     Bible Page 884 Second Reading:        1 John 5:9-13                                       Bible Page 991 Gospel:                         John 17:6-19      ...
Read more

"Just Enjoy The Coffee"

I was just sent this on Anglicans All. Being a coffee enjoyer and a Franciscan I enjoyed it. I hope you do to: Even if you are not a coffee drinker...Have a good day!!!! A group of graduates, highly established in their careers, got together to visit their old university professor. Conversation soon turned into complaints about stress in work and life. Offering his guests coffee, the professor went to the kitchen and returned with a large pot of coffee and an assortment of cups - porcelain ,plastic, glass, crystal, some plain looking, some expensive, some exquisite, telling them to help themselves to the coffee. When all the students had a cup of coffee, the professor said: If you noticed, all the nice looking expensive cups were taken up, leaving behind the simple and cheap ones. While it is normal for you to want only the best for yourselves, that is the source of your problems and stress. Be assured that the cup itself adds no quality to the coffee. In most cases, it is just more ex...
Read more