Ordinary Sunday 11: 13 June, 1999
The Revd Dr John Davis, Vicar of St Peter's Eastern Hill
Today's gospel has at its centre people who need help; the lost sheep of the
House of Israel. At this stage of his ministry, the Lord was moving freely
from place to place, creating a sensation by his teaching, his example, his
healing miracles. Not surprisingly, crowds of people came to see and to hear
him wherever he went. Some were sick, some had no sense of direction, some
could well have been there just for the show. Matthew describes them as being
like sheep without a shepherd. The Lord responded to this situation with
compassion, because it was clear that they were harassed and helpless. The
Twelve apostles were sent out into this with the same message and the same
teaching. And they were sent first to their own people. The wider mission
would come later, but the first task was with their own. The Twelve are
commissioned and instructed. What was being said and done was just as the
prophets had foretold of the promised Messiah. Those who were given this
responsibility were to go freely and willingly, because of what they
themselves had already freely received from God. But more, many more, were
needed, if this good news was to be shared to all.
The symbolism of the Twelve - for the twelve tribes of Israel, for everyone ,
makes it clear that more will be needed. And if we look at the first inner
core of disciples, the men and women who were at the heart of that first
response, we see a very disparate group: a group as like as not to start
pulling in differing directions if the Lord did not hold them together.
Fishermen, some of fiery disposition, a member or two of the resistance
movement against the Romans, one who had almost certainly been a corrupt
collaborator, a woman of the street, others we know nothing of, one who was for
whatever reason, to betray. Activists and contemplatives together. Side by
side with the Lord, in a context of the greatest distress and confusion,
healing, setting free, forgiving. And it all starts with a sense of
compassion, of caring, outreaching love. These lives immediately around about,
need not be like they are.
That is indeed a powerful message. And it is a message that can be heard first by us. These Sundays in Ordinary Time systematically unfold the Lord's
teachings. Over time, we might even start to have a few lights going on;
lights of glimpses of understanding and recognition. And before we take on the
world, we can start with ourselves, as individuals and as an individual
community. That is very hard at the best of times. It is even harder in a
place such as this. We come from all over. There are several hardly
overlapping groups of people. We have many visitors. But we too need to hear
and to be changed by this timeless good news of healing, setting free and
forgiveness. And having indeed taken this on board, like the original
disciples, mixed and potentially of varying promise, we too can however
tentatively, start to reach out, first to those immediately about us. We reach,
not in our own power or our own strength, but in that of that Lord of the
harvest, whose harvest this is. That is what the gospel today tells us.
Perhaps the second lesson too is of assistance and encouragement. We have some powerful help, according to St Paul. It is not as if God is quietly waiting
for us to achieve perfection and for all our very obvious shortcomings to be
eliminated. The first and essential steps have already been taken,
notwithstanding our limitations. And they are steps which start with love.
"God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners, Christ died
for us".(Rom 5:8). This has clear implications. It really makes a difference.
"We are his people, the sheep of his flock" the psalm response has reminded us.
And because we have received much, and because we are growing in our awareness
of this truth, what can we give in return ? - to God and to others. That is
the question.
The wonderful thing about that first reaching out, that we have heard about
today in the gospel was that it was something done by many: It was done by
those labourers for the harvest ,called and sent by the lord of the harvest.
Those men and women in that first generation. So too now, whatever happens
when individual hearts are warmed and stirred by that same calling and sending
today, here, happens in the context of many. This is a corporate vision:
individuals together responding. Conversion of lives, conversion of life
together.
I myself find this message comforting and encouraging. I am all too aware of
my own limitations and shortcomings - we do indeed all hold these treasures in
earthen vessels, perhaps none-too-pretty clay jars - but most fortunately all
this does not depend on me alone. Of course, leadership carries its own extra
burdens and responsibilities, but this is a shared vision we seek to grasp, a
combined task, clergy and lay, old and new, saintly and not so saintly, all in
receipt of the love and grace of God.
This parish is one of a group of twenty or so in this diocese and indeed in
this whole province, which has more than 200 people through its doors every
Sunday - and has had so for at least the last five years. The incumbents of
these parishes have just started regular meetings. Most of them are
evangelical. Some of them have seen quite remarkable growth. All of necessity
have team ministries. Most have significant groups of lay leaders and
ministries. Most would have well-developed home groups, based on where people
live, which then feed into the Sunday worship. All face the challenge of
responding to considerable numbers of visitors or newcomers. All are obviously
offering something which both attracts and to at least a degree retains.
Although St Peter's remains in this group, our attendance figures for last year
up to the end of September, for a variety of reasons, indicated a significant
decrease and prior to that we were simply holding our own. This is not
something that can be disregarded or taken lightly. Perhaps it is even now
being addressed. The greatest of churches can run out of steam. The corporate
life of a parish needs constant attention. Love of God and love of neighbour
starts right here.
We all know that each one of us is here because we choose to be.. Almost
everyone here comes past several or indeed many other churches to worship here
in this city church, alongside this fascinating variety of fellow St Peterites.
Those of us who are here week by week, would not have it any other way. The
tradition we honour and are nurtured by here is one which sustains and
challenges. We are connected with the faith of the centuries. To a greater or
lesser extent, and as we are able, we give our support to this place. That we
find ourselves side by side with so many people with similar needs but
sometimes very different life experiences and expressions of them, is a matter
of great rejoicing.
Being newly returned to St Peter's myself, I can perhaps myself see some of the things that are refreshingly different or more sharply focused here - the
things that in the first instance invite the curiosity of the visitor,and may
indeed result in more and more choosing to join with us here. A place to grow
in faith, a place to worship the Lord with "full catholic privileges", a place
to live out that faith by actions as well as words - as we say, not only with
our lips, but in our lives. That starts by doing that with those who are here
and around us now and week by week - and then building out from that with the
centre firm. None of this can or should be taken for granted.
The needs and demands of those crowds in today's gospel aroused the Lord's
compassion. He felt for them deeply. But the task was far too great for him
alone. In this generation and at this time, in this parish, the Lord has
called us. We are at least as mixed as the first disciples and the tasks are
pretty much the same. We are beneficiaries of the same gifts and the same hope
and promise. We have a task, together.
With the gospel acclamation, we can remind each other:
Alleluia, alleluia!
The kingdom of God is near;
repent and believe the Good News!
Alleluia!
The Lord be with you.
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Views is a
publication of
St Peter's Eastern Hill, Melbourne Australia.
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