Start:Stop-Checkmating God

Start:Stop offers busy commuters the chance to start their day by stopping to reflect for ten minutes. Reflections begin each quarter hour from 7.45am until 9.00am. Thank you to everyone who joined me today at St Stephen Walbrook. My reflection is below.

Thank you for joining us for Start:Stop. This reflection will last around ten minutes and you are welcome to come and go as your schedule dictates. During Lent our reflections are inspired by Dr Jane Williams book The Merciful Humility of God. Today we look back to the Feast of the Annunciation, which was celebrated yesterday, with the help of St Teresa of Avila, who among other things is the patron saint of chess. We begin with a short bible reading which can be found on page 211 of the New Testament section of the bibles.

Bible Reading - Philippians 2.1-8

If then there is any encouragement in Christ, any consolation from love, any sharing in the Spirit, any compassion and sympathy, make my joy complete: be of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others. Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus,

who, though he was in the form of God,

   did not regard equality with God

   as something to be exploited,

but emptied himself,

   taking the form of a slave,

   being born in human likeness.

And being found in human form,

   he humbled himself

   and became obedient to the point of death—

   even death on a cross.

Reflection

The passage we have just read is taken from what has been described as the most personal of St Paul’s letters. This section has been the subject of considerable study because of what it tells us about the person of Christ. If you were following along in the bible you will have seen that part of the text is set out on the page in the form of a poem or hymn. Written before the Gospels, this is one of the earliest known descriptions of the birth, death and resurrection of Jesus and the reason for the incarnation.

As well as explaining something about the person of Christ, the passage also speaks about our personal relationship with God and with each other. St Paul invites us to shape our lives – or be in the same mind as he puts it – as Christ Jesus. This is the essence of discipleship – and a message which is as important for us as for those who would have first heard the letter read aloud in Philippi in Macedonia around AD60. At a time when Christians lived under the threat of persecution, it is hard to imagine how difficult the call to ‘regard others as better than yourselves’ must have seemed. But St Paul reminds them – and us - that there is strength in humility and in serving others. These are more than just features of life as a Christian – they are the very grounding of it (humility comes from a Latin word which can be translated as “from the earth”). Paul implores us to imitate Christ, who achieved glory and new life by giving up power and authority, not taking hold of it.

St Paul’s words are echoed by Dr Jane Williams, who reminds us in her Lent Book, “There is no way to glory and new life except through the way of God’s humility in Jesus Christ.” In each chapter she offers a glimpse into the lives of people through history who have sought to imitate Christ in their own way. In St Teresa of Avila she finds an example of someone who put humility and service at the heart of their way of life and helpfully left a sort of ‘instruction manual’ to help others on their quest to achieve union with God.

Written in the sixteenth century, “The Way of Perfection” draws on Teresa’s personal experience in prayer as a guide for the Carmelite nuns in the reformed Order she founded. The humanity of Christ was the focus of Teresa’s prayer life and she referred to “The Way of Perfection” as a ‘living’ book.

Teresa’s own humanity speaks to us today not only through her writing, but also her sense of humour, which has inspired hundreds of internet memes based on her many reputed sayings. One of my favourites – often quoted by the Pope - is “A sad nun is a bad nun”. However, it seems that even Teresa had a limit as far as fun-loving nuns were concerned. She tore out a chapter from one manuscript of “The Way of Perfection” in which she used the allegory of a game of chess to describe how we can learn to ‘checkmate’ God. Perhaps she felt that knowledge of chess was not appropriate for her new Order, in which games were forbidden? The chapter was reinstated from surviving manuscripts by later editors of her works.

Checkmating the Lord may seem an unusual – and not particularly humble – calling for the faithful – but the link between attaining union with God and the so-called philosopher’s game is not as peculiar as it might seem. Historians have suggested that the rise in the strength of the Queen on the chessboard can be directly attributed to the growth in the cult of the Virgin Mary. Teresa believed that a great deal of study and practice is required to become a chess champion, just as those who wish to receive God’s gift of glory and new life must practice. The first half of The Way of Perfection discusses the importance of three ‘fundamental’ virtues – humility, loving one another and detachment. Perfecting these, Teresa says, allow us to “set out the pieces” on the board, enabling us to start the game in which we give ourselves fully to the Lord. It is the quality of this gift – or our strength in the game - that ultimately leads to the surrender, or checkmate, of the Lord – and our union with Him. As St Paul reminded us in his letter to the Philippians, Christ achieves victory by giving up power and authority, not holding on to it.

Teresa writes “it is the Queen which gives the King most trouble in this game and all the other pieces support her. There is no Queen who can beat this King as well as humility can; for humility brought Him down from heaven into the Virgin’s womb and with humility we can draw Him into our souls by a single hair.”

For Teresa, Mary’s humility at the Annunciation, which was celebrated by the church yesterday, is the essence of the Way of Perfection; through Mary we learn that humility is not only about learning to be open to receiving God’s grace, but also conquering - or holding on to it.

Teresa’s allegory, like St Paul’s letter to the Philippians, helps us to remember that there is strength in humility. Humble people aren’t empty vessels who allow themselves to be treated like doormats – that is false humility. As Teresa herself said, humility and self-knowledge go hand-in-hand. Humble people are more inclined to self-reflection, to constantly strive to improve their game because they want to be better. Humble people are confident people – confident enough to make choices about their next move on the chessboard. As St Paul reminds us, Jesus chose not to exploit his divine power – he chose the humble path that led to the events of Holy Week and the cross. Being disciples means having the confidence to say no to temptation, to refuse to use our power for selfish gain and to say yes to Christ’s call to follow the way of the cross.

Meditation

In a few moments of silence before we pray, perhaps we might consider our next move. Where can we give up our own power and authority and live our lives for others this day, to the glory of God?

Prayers

In our prayers the response to Lord, lead us away from pride and selfishness is : and fill our hearts with humility.

Lord, lead us away from pride and selfishness

and fill our hearts with humility

God our Father, lead us, your disciples, to live in the way of your Son, the perfect model of holiness.

Help us never to forget that we are in need of the teaching of our Saviour and are forever sustained by your grace.

We remember all those around the world and those names written on our hearts who are suffering this day.

Lord, help us to set aside our own interests and serve theirs,

Not for personal glory and recognition but for the glory of God.

Lord, lead us away from pride and selfishness

and fill our hearts with humility

God our Father, lead us all, your disciples, to be of the same mind as your Son, Jesus Christ.

When we disagree with others,

disturb our self-righteousness and challenge our smugness.

We thank you for being with us when we make the wrong move, for welcoming us in shame.

Clothe us in humility that we may clear our sight and open our hearts to the way of true glory.

We pray especially for those facing disagreement and difficult decisions today and in the week ahead.

Lord, lead us away from pride and selfishness

and fill our hearts with humility

God our Father, your Son emptied himself for us, choosing to give up power and authority and take the path to the cross.

As you have shown us the way, enable us to help others to the same.

Lead us, in humility, to regard others as better than ourselves.

Through the power of your Spirit, give us confidence to use our power and authority at home, at work and in the world around us, to enable others, not to achieve our own selfish ambitions.

Help us to become the true disciples you want us to be.

Lord, lead us away from pride and selfishness

and fill our hearts with humility

Blessing

May the Lord lead us when we go, and keep us when we sleep, and talk with us when we wake;

and may the peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Amen.

Thank you for joining us for Start Stop today. Please take a copy of our latest newsletter which has details of our services during Lent and Holy week. The next reflection will begin in a few minutes. I hope you have a wonderful week ahead and in the words of Teresa of Avila “May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith.”

  

Links

The Way of Perfection, Teresa of Avila
The Birth of the Chess Queen, A History
Spirituality : Catholic Mysticism for Everybody. St Teresa on Humility