Two voices
Below is the text of a sermon which was never preached, but which was heard twice. In it I have fused phrases from the texts of the inaugural sermons preached by both Pope Francis l and the new Archbishop of Canterbury. Despite the centuries of division some of it bitter beyond measure, there is a common thread here. Eric Morecambe used to say that you ‘can’t see the join’. I wonder whether you can, without resorting to Google to research it? One clue: the words ‘protect’ and ‘provoke’ reflect hugely different views of the church’s role. Good luck…
When we do better we make space for our own courage to be liberated, for God to act among us and for human beings to flourish. It means respecting each of God’s creatures and respecting the environment in which we live. It means protecting people, showing loving concern for each and every person, especially children, the elderly, those in need, who are often the last we think about. It means caring for one another in our families: husbands and wives first protect one another, and then, as parents, they care for their children, and children themselves, in time, protect their parents. It means building sincere friendships in which we protect one another in trust, respect, and goodness. In the end, everything has been entrusted to our protection, and all of us are responsible for it. Courage is released in a society that is under the authority of God, so that we may become the fully human community of which we all dream. There can be no final justice, or security, or love, or hope in our society if it is not finally based on rootedness in Christ. Jesus calls to us over the wind and storms, heed his words and we will have the courage to build society in stability. The church transforms society when it takes the risks of renewal in prayer, of reconciliation and of confident declaration of the good news of Jesus Christ. Today too, amid so much darkness, we need to see the light of hope and to be men and women who bring hope to others. To protect creation, to protect every man and every woman, to look upon them with tenderness and love, is to open up a horizon of hope; it is to let a shaft of light break through the heavy clouds; it is to bring the warmth of hope! Let us provoke each other to heed the call of Christ, to be clear in our declaration of Christ, committed in prayer to Christ, and we will see a world transformed. Let us protect with love all that God has given us!
Images: Guardian and wikipedia
