Second Sunday after Christmas - the Epiphany of Our lord - Br. Simeon

Andre-Rublev's Saviour

Holy Redeemer

An ECCA Parish

In the care of the Ecumenical Franciscan Order

Homily preached at Warrimoo on Sunday 4th January 2015:

The EPIPHANY of OUR LORD

Gospel:  Matthew 2:1-12

“Magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem; “Where is the newborn king of the Jews?  We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage.”

May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord my strength and my Redeemer. Amen.

Welcome, friends, to 2015 and to what is in all truth my favourite celebration of the ecclesiastical year – namely, the feast of the Epiphany!

Surely one of the great stories of Christmas is the story of the visit of the Wise Men from the East. Wherever the story of the birth of Jesus is told, so too is told this delightful tale of strange men from some faraway land who brought gifts to the baby Jesus.

The story of the astrologers and the star of Bethlehem are unique to Matthew’s Gospel.  I noted in my preparing my sermon,  that Matthew does not call them kings nor does he give their names nor reports where they came from -- in fact, Matthew never even specifies the number of magi (because three gifts are presented to the Child, it has been a tradition since the fifth century to picture “three wise men”). In stripping away the romantic layers that have been added to the story, Matthew’s point can be better understood.

A great many First Testament ideas and images are presented in this story.  The star, for example, is reminiscent of Balaam’s prophecy that “a star shall advance from Jacob” (Numbers 24: 17).   Many of the details in Matthew’s story about the child Jesus parallel the story of the child Moses and the Exodus.

Matthew’s story also provides a preview of what is to come.  First, the reactions of the various parties to the birth of Jesus parallel the effects Jesus’ teaching will have on those who hear it.

 Herod reacts with anger and hostility to the Jesus of the poor who comes to overturn the powerful and rich.  The chief priests and scribes greet the news with haughty indifference toward the Jesus who comes to give new life and meaning to the rituals and laws of the scribes.  But the magi -- non-believers in the eyes of Israel -- possess the humility of faith and the openness of mind and heart to seek and welcome the Jesus who will institute the Second Covenant between God and the New Israel.

Secondly, the gifts of the astrologers indicate the principal dimensions of Jesus’ mission:

gold - is a gift fitting for a king, a ruler, one with power and authority;

frankincense - is a gift fitting for a priest, one who offers sacrifice (frankincense was an aromatic perfume sprinkled on the animals sacrificed in the Temple);

myrrh - is a fitting “gift” for someone who is to die (myrrh was used in ancient times for embalming the bodies of the dead before burial).

Epiphany calls is to a new vision of the world that sees beyond the walls and borders we have created and to walk by the light which has dawned for all of humankind, a light by which we are able to recognise all men and women as our brothers and sisters under the loving providence of God, the Father of all.

The magi’s following of the star is a journey of faith, a constant search for meaning, for purpose, for the things of God that each one of us experiences in the course of our own lives.

What we read and watch and listen to in search of wealth, fame and power are the “stars” we follow.  The journey of the magi in Matthew's Gospel puts our own "stargazing" in perspective, calling us to fix our search on the “star” of God’s justice, peace and compassion.

Amen.

23rd Sunday after Pentecost

Andre-Rublev's Saviour

Homily preached at Winmalee by Br Simeon on  Sunday 16th November 2014:

 


23rd Sunday after Pentecost year A.

Gospel: Matthew 25:14-30

In today’s gospel we heard the parable of the talents.  Which on the surface seems a little harsh.  We all know, if not worked for, people like the master.  I must admit I have some sympathy for the slave who simply hid the money and returned it.  Of course that slave is the one who did not use the talent he was given and so his reward is appropriate, albeit harsh.

What is Jesus trying to tell us here?  That we should go out and invest what money we have and make more?  That sounds like it might be wavering into the prosperity preaching.  No I don’t think Jesus is talking about money.  True the word talent in the biblical sense means a measure of weight.

Roughly the weight of the amount of liquid it took to fill an amphora.  And yes I suppose we could look at the parable in that sense.  But we can also move beyond such a literal use of the word into one where we understand the word in the sense of gift.  And if we use this sense, then the parable has a whole different purpose.

The master has given his slaves gifts that they are to use in the growing the masters domain.  We are not told what the gifts are, just that different slaves have different ones.  The master has an expectation that they will use those gifts to the best of their ability and create growth.  Two of the three do this, the third does not.

The master doesn’t expect anymore, than what he believes each slave is capable of, but he does expect some sort of return.  Which is why the slave who simply hid his gift, and did not use it, is treated with such disdain.  Now so far I’ve been careful not to draw us into the parable, but that’s about to change! And I strongly suspect you all knew it was coming.

We have all been given gifts.  We all have different abilities and strengths. Some of us are very good at things that others couldn’t even start to do.  The best example perhaps is an artist, some people have the gift of drawing, while others no matter how hard they might like to have the gift, simply don’t.

But having the gift is only the first part of the equation.  The gift has to be used in order to be developed and to be of benefit to the person and others.  If the artist doesn’t draw, then the art that they could create remains hidden, buried, and underutilised. Sound familiar?

So what is the gift you have?  Are you using it or is it hidden away were no one can see it.  of course some people have great difficulty in understanding what their gifts are.  They are so blinded by those of the others, or in their own fears that they lose sight of the precious thing they have been given.  Remember what the third slave said “I was afraid so I went had hid your talent in the ground”.  I suspect that slave had a severe lack of self-confidence.

Yes it is easy to give into the fear of: “No I can’t do that”, but this will not see the gift grow.  We need to be like the other 2 slaves.  Take our gifts, gird up our loins and use the gifts to the enrichment of the gospel and for ourselves.  And when we do this, who knows what we could and would achieve.

When God says to you, so tell me my child, what use did you make of the gifts I gave you?  I know what I’d like my reply to be.  Do you what yours would be?

Br. Luke