 |
| The Apostles Speaking in Tongues - Nicholas Pope |
Introduction
Good morning and welcome to Start:Stop.
My name is Phillip Dawson. Reverend Stephen is away today, he returns next week. This reflection will last ten minutes. The readings and prayer responses can be found on the leaflet on the table, please do take a copy.
Well….who isn’t talking about “that” sermon? Bishop Michael Curry’s words at the Royal Wedding on Saturday certainly set the media on fire this weekend! This morning we’ll be reflecting more about the transformative power of God’s love using the imagery of fire, with the help of the Venerable Bede, whose feast day the church celebrates on Friday – and brothers John and Charles Wesley, who are remembered on Thursday.
First, a reading from scripture, which you can find on page 70 in the Old Testament section of the church bibles. This passage describes the moment before Moses receives the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai, fifty days after Passover.
Bible Reading
From the Book of Exodus, chapter nineteen, verses sixteen to twenty:
On the morning of the third day there was thunder and lightning, as well as a thick cloud on the mountain, and a blast of a trumpet so loud that all the people who were in the camp trembled. Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God. They took their stand at the foot of the mountain. Now Mount Sinai was wrapped in smoke, because the Lord had descended upon it in fire; the smoke went up like the smoke of a kiln, while the whole mountain shook violently. As the blast of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses would speak and God would answer him in thunder. When the Lord descended upon Mount Sinai, to the top of the mountain, the Lord summoned Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up.
On the morning of the third day there was thunder and lightning, as well as a thick cloud on the mountain, and a blast of a trumpet so loud that all the people who were in the camp trembled. Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God. They took their stand at the foot of the mountain. Now Mount Sinai was wrapped in smoke, because the Lord had descended upon it in fire; the smoke went up like the smoke of a kiln, while the whole mountain shook violently. As the blast of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses would speak and God would answer him in thunder. When the Lord descended upon Mount Sinai, to the top of the mountain, the Lord summoned Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up.
Meditation
We’ve heard a lot about the transforming power of the fire of God’s love in the past few days. On Saturday, in his address to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and quoting the French Jesuit priest Pierre de Chardin, Bishop Michael Curry explained that “if humanity ever captures the energy of love – it will be the second time in history that we have discovered fire.”
We’ve heard a lot about the transforming power of the fire of God’s love in the past few days. On Saturday, in his address to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and quoting the French Jesuit priest Pierre de Chardin, Bishop Michael Curry explained that “if humanity ever captures the energy of love – it will be the second time in history that we have discovered fire.”
Not for one moment wishing to put the dampeners on his blazing oratory, but Great Northern, Thameslink or Southern Rail commuters may find it harder than some this morning to accept the Bishop’s previous statement that fire (including the combustion engine) has made “civilisation” possible!
On Sunday, churches across the world were full of fire and smoke as we celebrated the feast of Pentecost – the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles in the Upper Room. This event marks the birth of the Church and is described in dramatic terms in the Acts of the Apostles: “suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them.”
In his Homily for Pentecost written in the eighth century, the Venerable Bede - ever the teacher - helps us to see the link between the transformative power of God’s love in the the outpouring of grace at Pentecost and the fire which accompanied the giving of the Law to Moses on Mount Sinai - that we heard about in our bible reading.
A great fan of “connectedness” (he was the first person to describe the English as one “People”) Bede - whose life is remembered in many parts of the church on Friday - was a linguist and scribe but also a noted mathematician, who helped to fix the date of Easter. Perhaps therefore, the focus for his Pentecost homily - the significance of the number fifty and its connection with jubilee (a time of celebration and rest) should come as no surprise.
Using mathematics and mystery Bede helps us to see beyond the smoke and fire; that through our actions and with the gifts given to us by the grace of the Holy Spirit, we can come to know the joy and peace of God’s enduring love - to find true “rest”.
He explains:
“It was not without deep significance that the number fifty was observed in the giving both of the law and of grace. By this number the long-lasting quality of our future rest was surely being shown, since on this fiftieth day the ten commandments of the law were delivered, and the grace of the Holy Spirit was given to human beings. This was to point out clearly that all who carry out the commands of the divine law with the help of the grace of the Spirit are directing their course toward true rest....and that most longed-for command of our Lord and Saviour will be fulfilled: Be still and see that I am God.”
"Be still, and know that I am god!"
'Tis all I live to know!
To feel the virtue of thy blood,
wrote Charles Wesley in one of his many glorious hymns. Charles and his brother John, the founders of Methodism, are celebrated by the church on Thursday. Unlike Bede, who ventured no more than ninety miles from his monastery during his lifetime, the Wesley Brothers weren’t still for long! They travelled thousands of miles throughout the UK and America - but by John Wesley’s own admission, they did “know” God. In fact John said that despite the backdrop of his prolific output and the huge catalogue of hymns composed by his brother Charles, through their dedication to prayer and living a life of service to others, knowing God was the only thing they did know:
“When I was young I was sure of everything; in a few years, having been mistaken a thousand times, I was not half so sure of most things as I was before; at present, I am hardly sure of anything but what God has revealed to me.”
Their mother Susannah - who had nearly as many children as Charles wrote hymns (I exaggerate of course!) - had a novel way of finding that divine stillness to meet with God amongst the hustle and bustle of family life. Her technique was to turn her chair to face the wall and throw her apron over her head.
A quirky coping strategy, but a wonderful reminder that through the gift of the Holy Spirit given to us through the death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ, we don’t need to be brought to the foot of Mount Sinai or journey to the upper room to meet the fire of God’s love. In the words of another great Wesley hymn, it is kindling on the “mean altar of our hearts.”
We are all created in and connected by God’s love - God’s greatest gift to us. As Bede said in the eighth century - and Bishop Michael Curry reminded us on Saturday - our route to lasting joy and peace is to live in - and share that love with others.
In a period of silence, let us take a moment to seek that inner space where God resides - and consider how in the day and week ahead, we can capture and harness the energy of God’s love - sharing with those around us the transforming power of the Holy Spirit.
Prayers
Please join with me by using the prayer response in bold type:
May the light of your presence, O God
Set our hearts on fire with love for you; now and for ever.
O Spirit of God, mighty river, flow over me, in me, through me.
O Spirit of God, cleanse me, purify the channels of my life.
O Spirit of God, bear me along with thy flood of life-giving service.
O Spirit of God, mighty river, bear me down to the ocean, the ocean of thy love.
May the light of your presence, O God
Set our hearts on fire with love for you; now and for ever.
O Spirit of God, mighty fire, glow in me, burn in me, until thy radiance fills my soul.
O Spirit of God, mighty fire, may thy light illumine my mind.
O Spirit of God, mighty fire, may thy heat consume my will until I burn for thee alone.
May the flames of thy love ever blaze upon the altar of my heart.
May the light of your presence, O God
Set our hearts on fire with love for you; now and for ever.
(Chandran Devanesan)
Conclusion
Please join with me in concluding our period of reflection by saying the words on your order of service in bold type.
The Lord bless us, and preserve us from all evil and keep us in eternal life.Amen
Let us bless the Lord.Thanks be to God.
Dismissal
Thank you for joining us for Start:Stop today.
Please come back, if you can, on Thursday lunchtime at 12.45pm when we will celebrate the feast of Pentecost here at St Stephen Walbrook.
No comments:
Post a Comment