St. John's

Sermon Messages

--“Pentecost 16--James 3:3-4:3, 7-8” – by the Reverend Mary Lewis, Associate Rector

In the New Testament reading from the Letter of James which we heard read a short time ago, the writer is talking about wisdom and is suggesting that you and I can actually see wisdom and understanding in the way wise people live according to God’s will.

Through my sermon this morning, I am going to ask you to think about the nature of wisdom, and its characteristics as they are revealed to us in the scriptures, and then I am going to ask you to consider how important it is to have a strong relationship with God so that your life may be lived faithfully according to the will of God.

You will have noticed that our reading from James distinguishes between two types of wisdom: that which does not come down “from above” (vv. 14-16), and that which is “from above”. (v. 17).

The type of wisdom which does not come down “from above” is said to be “earthly, selfish, and comes from the devil” (v. 15). Here it is being suggested that wisdom may be sabotaged by evil forces and desires --cf. Jude 19 says "and now these people are already making you turn against each other. They think only about this life, and they don’t have God’s spirit”. Also, wisdom may be corrupted by persons whose outlook and motives are selfish.

The language used here is “unspiritual”--and it recalls that of Paul in 1 Corinthians 2:14 where he says “...only someone who has God’s spirit can understand spiritual blessings. Anyone who doesn’t have God’s spirit thinks these blessings are foolish.”

In particular, what undermines wisdom, according to today’s text, are bitter envy and immature faith. 1 Corinthians says “you are jealous and argue with each other. This proves that you are not spiritual and that you are acting like the people of this world.”
Works of the flesh also undermine wisdom: Galatians 5:20 says “They worship idols, practice witchcraft, hate others, and are hard to get along with”. And evil works also undermine wisdom: Ephesians 4:31 says “Stop being bitter and angry and mad at others. Don’t yell at one another or curse each other or ever be rude.” These characteristics are also linked with arrogance: “Don’t be boastful and false to the truth” (v. 14).

Now, against this negative portrait we can see the positive side: “Wisdom from above” (vv.17-18). It is said to be “pure, peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without a trace of favoritism or hypocrisy.” Wisdom of this kind is a gift from God (1:5). And, when wisdom comes to be embodied in those who exhibit these characteristics, then God’s reign can be extended in the earth. And, if the “wisdom from above” excludes boasting, jealousy, and selfish ambition, peace will be sown. I think of the wonderful words of the song which I love so much...“Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me.”
In the second part of today’s text, the source of “conflicts and disputes” among believers is explored. Perhaps the relationship between this subject and the preceding verses is that strife and conflict often run rampant among those with pretensions to wisdom and understanding. And yet today’s text traces these divisive impulses to our inordinate desire--wanting something we cannot get causes us to kill; or coveting what belongs to someone else causes us to fight and quarrel. James says that the source of these troubles is located in our inability to ask properly. It’s not so much that we don’t ask, but that our asking stems from the wrong motives.

The final two verses suggest that God’s closeness to us is directly proportional to our closeness to God...that God is as near to us as we are to God.

Now, you and I know that we are called to take our part in helping to bring about the reign of God on this earth. I invite you to think about what James has said in his letter to you today, and pray for help to draw closer to God so that your life may be healed of all characteristics which turn us from the will of God, and that, instead, your life may come to reflect the wisdom of God in all that you say and do.  Amen.

(The Reverend Mary Lewis+ is Associate Rector of St. John’s York Mills Parish, Toronto, Canada.)

E-mail me with your comments.

--“Pentecost 13--James 1:17-27” – by the Reverend Mary Lewis, Associate Rector

I n my sermon this morning I want to concentrate our attention on three particular verses
from the reading we have just heard from the first chapter of the letter of James.

The first is:    Let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger; [v. 19]

the second is:    Be doers of the word, and not merely hearers... [v. 22]

and the third is:    Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the father,
is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world. [v. 27]

You see, in his letter, James calls us to put our thinking into action that changes the world.

Re: I-- Let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger; [v. 19]
Now, you and I know, from experience, that anger shuts of communication and creates a hostile environment.  We also know that speaking often is a tool we use to keep from listening.

You and I are at our best when we really listen to God, to one another and to the Holy Spirit giving voice to our conscience. And then, having really listened we can use our words in such a way as to bring honour to God and to help in building up others.

In this way we are reconciled to God by quick and attentive listening, and reconciled to others because we really hear them and respond to them not by a standard response,
but by action tailored to their specific needs.

And thus we will be putting our thinking into action that changes the world.

To live by God’s word of truth means being meek rather than angry, for “anger does not produce God’s righteousness”. Our moral life begins with “putting aside all those qualities of arrogance and desire and rage that oppose “God’s righteousness” (v. 20), and putting on the qualities of meekness and hearing .

Re: 2-- Be doers of the word, and not merely hearers... [v. 22]

for our faith to be real, it must be translated into deeds. It is not enough to be a “hearer of the word”; we must become “doers of the word” as well. Otherwise, our faith is only self-deception (v. 22).

Re:  3-- Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the father, is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world. [v. 27]
It is not hard to see that Margaret Auma, who spoke to us two weeks ago about springs ministries in her home town of Kisumu, Kenya is doing just that.

In his letter, James describes to us two types of generosity:
1) Generosity of spirit, which is exemplified by listening and being slow to anger;
2) Generosity of effort, which is demonstrated in caring for those who are isolated
(widows and orphans)

Verse 22 challenges us to do more than listen to God’s word and wisdom--it call us to
action grounded in faith.

James is calling us to put our thinking into action that changes the world.

How are you going to do your part this week?

Amen.

(The Reverend Mary Lewis+ is Associate Rector of St. John’s York Mills Parish, Toronto, Canada.)

E-mail me with your comments.

Prayer and Healing – by Bruce Williams, Deacon

Homily given at St John’s at 8:00 and 10:00 am, July 30, 2006. (Readings: John 6: 1-21, 2 Samuel 11: 1-15)
Today I want to talk about intercessory prayer, that is prayer where we ask for things such as health or peace or good weather. Some will say that asking things of God is not necessary, that He knows our every need already. However, when we have a personal relationship with someone, such as the one we have with God, it only makes sense to make our needs known to that person. My main point will be that God hears our hearts more than our voices and our groans more than our words. So Psalmist says, “Out of the deep have I called unto you, O Lord, Lord hear my voice.” (Psalm 130:1)

Of course, the biggest question for most people is why some prayers are answered and others not. On the one hand Jesus promises, "Ask and it will be given you... for everyone who asks receives... for your father in heaven will give good things to those who ask him" (Matthew 7: 7-11), and certainly we saw in today’s gospel how Jesus feeds and satisfies his people. As Hollis will also do in a few minutes, Jesus took the bread, blessed it, and broke it, also with the fish, and thousands ate their fill- with baskets and baskets of food left over. Everyone went home satisfied.

On the other hand, personal experience shows that many prayers are not answered. For instance, we have been praying for peace in the Holy Land for over fifty years yet peace seems no closer. One might think that God just did not care. None was angrier about unanswered prayer than Jeremiah, who laments with all of us:
You say that you are righteous, O Lord,
you say you bring justice...
so what do you have to say to this...
Why does evil thrive?
Is there no balm in Gilead?
Is there no physician there?
Why has the health of my people not been restored?
(Jeremiah 8:22; 12:1)

So we have a major difficulty to be explained. Jesus says prayers will be answered yet we know that they often are not answered. How then do we make our prayers effective? I want to go to the book of Samuel, which we have been reading this summer, for two examples of prayer, one answered and one unanswered. In today's reading we hear the beginning of the story of David and Bathsheba. David, who should be out fighting with his troops, has chosen to stay home. He sleeps late. He is perhaps a bit bored or at loose ends. When he gets up, it is evening. He goes for a walk and sees the beautiful Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah, bathing next door. David takes her, perhaps by force, or, more likely, as Bathsheba is an ambitious women, with her consent. She becomes pregnant. Uriah is sent for from the battlefield but refuses to play David’s game and is sent back to war grimly knowing that he is powerless against this tyranny, and that David has arranged to have him killed.

But the thing that David had done was evil in the eyes of God. The Lord sent Nathan the prophet to pronounce a terrible curse on the house of David, "I am about to raise up evil against you from within your own house. The sword shall nevermore depart from your house. I will take your wives from you and give them away in the sight of all. Your son, by Bathsheba will surely die." David repents and prays for forgiveness:
Have mercy upon me, O God, after your great goodness...
for I acknowledge my faults,
and my sin is ever before me. (Psalm 51: 1-3)
and David is granted life. David then prays for the life of the child. He fasted and lay on the ground all night weeping. But this prayer was not answered and the child died after seven days. Why? David, the adulterer and murderer, had seriously broken the laws of God, and God, in his wisdom, withheld his grace, not just from David but from his whole house. David’s prayers were unable to stop the shocking events in the family arising from his behaviour- the incestuous behaviour of his children, his sons’ murdering each other, the ill-fated rebellion of his favourite son Absalom, and David’s grotesque death as an old man lying next to a beautiful virgin brought in to warm him up, impotent both in his family life and political life.

Earlier in the books of Samuel we also hear a story about prayer but with a completely different outcome. A certain man, Elkanah, had a wife, Hannah. Elkanah loved Hannah deeply but she had no children. Hannah went to the temple at Shiloh deeply distressed. She prayed and wept and asked for a son, and her prayer was answered. Why? Hannah prayed with her heart. Indeed she used no words at all but tears and groans. She was making such a scene that the old priest, Eli, at first thought she was drunk. But then he realized that she was in the spirit. He blessed her and sent her home. Elkanah went into Hannah and knew her, the Lord remembered her and she conceived. The son born was the great prophet Samuel and the lives of Hannah and Elkanah from then on were blessed with great happiness.

From these two stories it seems that we do not always know how to pray effectively. For our prayers to be heard we have to learn to pray as we ought. Hannah prayed from the heart. We also have to pray in good faith, relaying on the grace of God in Jesus Christ. Most of all we have to pray in the Spirit. As one writer says:
Our prayers are rendered ineffective in the same degree as they take a different course than that in which the Spirit would lead us. And they become even more impotent when we come in conflict with the Spirit and grieve Him. (Hallesby, quoted in Bloesch, p 46)
The Spirit prays for us with groans too deep for words and the Father, who looks deep into our hearts, knows what the Spirit is asking for us. Indeed, in Augustine’s memorable words, God is far closer to us than we are to ourselves.

How do we learn to pray effectively? Pray regularly. Be persistent. Ask others about their prayer life or join a prayer group with like minded Christians. Start to read some of the excellent books available on prayer. Don’t be afraid to ask and to place your needs, such as healing, before God, for God knows our needs before we ask and our ignorance in asking.

The Anglican liturgy, services of healing and communion, filled with prayers can also broaden and deepen our walk with God. And so as you approach today the Mercy Seat come forward with confidence and faith that God is our hope and strength, a very present help in trouble. God does listen to us and will answer our prayers.

References
1. Bloesch, The Struggle of Prayer
2. Spidlik, Prayer: The Spirituality of the Christian East
3. Clement, The Roots of Christian Mysticism
4. Clements-Jewery, Intercessory Prayer

(Bruce Williams is a Deacon at St. John’s York Mills Parish, Toronto, Canada.)

E-mail me with your comments.

--“Pentecost 5--James 1:17-27” – by the Reverend Mary Lewis, Associate Rector

Jesus said: Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and yet shall not be condemned...

I want to ask you to think for a moment about how often you are faced with the need to make carefully-thought-out moral choices? More often than you would like, I suspect!

As mature adults, you and I have had to learn to judge between right and wrong, and to develop a keen sense of what is right and just, while being able to spot hypocrisy, moral compromise and oppression.

However, the first danger to threaten our discipleship of Jesus, once we reach maturity, may be our inclination to judge other people. But, how can we help making judgements? After all, what sort of people would you and I be if we made no moral judgements at all? And so, what does Jesus mean by this warning which he gives to us not to judge other people? Judge not, and ye shall not be judged; condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned...

First of all, you and I can't know everything about another person the way God does; only God sees the heart. We see only a small part of another person's life. Yes, we can judge a person's specific actions, but we must try not judge the whole person based on them. That is God's job, not yours and mine.

Instead, we should judge ourselves--we should take a good look at the areas of our lives that are not in line with what God wants of us. You see, when Jesus said "Judge not", he was talking about a particular kind of judgement. This particular kind of judgement is our tendency to put other people down because of their faults and failures. But, you and I should remember that we don't become better by comparing ourselves with some else.

The admonition which Jesus gives us to look for the beam in our own eye first is a saying that can grab the rug out from under our smug superiority. The sin of another person may not be our sin; but our sin can be just as bad. You see, judging is the sin of those who are blind to their own faults; it is the obsession of those who want to make themselves better--not by lifting themselves up--but by putting others down.

Always looking to another--and not to ourself--can provide a tidy veil which protects us from really honest soul-searching. We're not asked to be lazy nor rigid; you and I are called to be honest in our attempt to be obedient to Jesus as our Lord.

The clearest evidence of the character of a disciple of Jesus is the way a person treats other people. Jesus cuts through the hypocrisy, self-deceit, and shallowness that lie close to our hearts. Those who are non-violent, merciful, non-judgemental, and generous towards others will certainly be treated in the same way in the end.

The resulting ethic is that we are to be merciful because God is merciful; to be generous because God will use the measure of our generosity towards others when God judges us.

What makes this reading distinctly Christian is the way Luke grounds the appeal he makes. Our Christian character comes from our awareness that Jesus is our Lord and from the overwhelming experience of the mercy of God towards us.

It is God's own action in Jesus Christ that enables the development of our character that will act according to Jesus' will.
Therefore, let us pray this morning that we may be given the grace to make the right choices, and by doing so, love one another, as God loves us.  Amen.

(The Reverend Mary Lewis+ is Associate Rector of St. John’s York Mills Parish, Toronto, Canada.)

E-mail me with your comments.

--“Pentecost 2--1 Samuel 15:34-16:13” – by the Reverend Mary Lewis, Associate Rector

The Lord does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.  (1Sam.16:7)

Here is some background to the story we heard from First Samuel, chapter 15, a few minutes ago.
God had led the prophet Samuel to anoint Saul as Israel's king. Saul was the handsome and unusually tall son of a wealthy man of the tribe of Benjamin whose name was Kish.

One day, while looking for some run-away dockeys that belonged to his father--and for which he was responsible--Saul went into a village in the Ephraimite hills to look for help from a local man who was reported to be amazing--it was said that everything he said came true. This man's name was Samuel.
Saul went to talk to him in the hopes that the seer could tell him where to look for the dockeys.

Now, the day before Saul arrived, the Lord had told Samuel, I've seen how my people are suffering and I've heard their call for help. About this time tomorrow I'll send you a man from the tribe of Benjamin, who will rescue my people from the Philistines. I want you to pour olive oil on his head to show that he will be their leader.

The next day, Samuel looked at Saul, and the Lord told Samuel, this is the man I told you about. He's the one who will rule Israel. And so the prophet Samuel did as the Lord had told him, and he anointed Saul as prince--or king-designate--over Israel. (1Sam.10:1)

After this private ceremony, Saul was selected in a public lottery and acclaimed king by the people (1Sam.10:17-27). Samuel explained the rights and duties of a king to Saul and wrote them all in a book which he put in the temple building. But, when Saul failed to carry out instructions given him by Samuel, he was rejected by God (1Sam.13:7-14;15:10-29) who sent Samuel to Bethlehem to anoint a new king (1 Sam. 16:1-13).

As we pick up the story this morning, Samuel has just told Saul that, because of his disobedience, the kingdom will be torn from him and given to another.

The new person God picked to be anointed as king was chosen for his heart. Not his appearance or position in life. The Lord does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart. The normal standards by which human beings judge people may have led to Israel's demands for a king in the first place--a demand to which God assents; but God's standards now go beyond what the people call "normal".

David isn't the oldest nor the strongest among Jesse's sons; he is not even brought in from the pastures (where he is tending the sheep) when Samuel comes calling on the family. But Samuel, acting as God's agent, is insistent; the matter will not be decided until all of Jesse's sons have been seen. (While Samuel is not quite sure who he is looking for, he doesn't have any doubts that God's new anointed one will not be found among the older brothers. It is almost that, having been disappointed in Saul, both God and Samuel are determined that no mistakes are to be made this time. The Lord does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.

The various ways in which humans are tempted to do just the opposite of this can be seen in our racism, our sexism, our love of money, clothing and expensive cars. It's only when we learn to see beyond these things which are most visible that we begin to assess people in terms of their character and their commitments.

Samuel has sometimes been accused of rejecting Saul out of vested interests in maintaining the ideology of an old order. This is always a danger for those who must make judgements concerning leadership. But this story suggests that Samuel acted out of obedience to God's command.

We like Samuel, can't come to decisions concerning leadership without vested interests. But we can submit our decisions to prayerful discernment of God's will for the future rather than our own. If we are tempted to reject leaders in the name of God, hoping for the comfort of the "way we've always done things", we can be certain that God will find yet more challenging ways of raising up leaders to move us toward the future of God's kingdom. The Lord does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.

How do you tend to judge other people? Do you judge them on the basis of their talents, lifestyle, appearance, education, character, faith, intelligence, potential, possessions, or accomplishments? Knowing the Lord looks at the heart versus outward appearances, what can you do to make your heart more attractive to God?

(The Reverend Mary Lewis+ is Associate Rector of St. John’s York Mills Parish, Toronto, Canada.)

E-mail me with your comments.

--“Ascension - a monumental event. ” - by the Rector, the Reverend Hollis Hiscock,

Thursday of his week a monumental Church event is happening. It is greater than the recently released Da Vinci Code movie .. greater than the Da Vinci Code book … greater than the Da Vinci Code itself.

I am speaking about the Ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ from this earth. Our creeds express it simply as - ‘He (Jesus) ascended into heaven’. It showed the completion of a journey, completion of the circle.

The Ascension marked the end of our Lord’s earthly journey. A journey which began with His birth .. a low key event in a barn or cave surrounded by His parents, several ragged looking shepherds from a nearby hillside, three or more elegant wise men bringing strange gifts from a foreign country after travelling 1000’s of kilometres following a star for two years, and as always curious onlookers.

A journey that would take Jesus and His family to Egypt to escape the wrath of a secular ruler determined to wipe out any other ‘king’.

A journey that would bring the family back to Nazareth where Jesus would live the life of any normal person. The Gospel writers give us one little glimpse into the childhood of Jesus. At age twelve, His parent find Him in the Temple in Jerusalem sitting with the learned scholars and leaders listening to them and asking questions. As a teenager, the Gospel writer Luke tells us that Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and gaining favour with God and people. Sound like the kind of teenager every parent dreams for.

At the age of 30 His journey would change. For 3 years He would travel around teaching, preaching and healing. People would listen to His message, find a new or renewed relationship with God, and become His followers.

Three years later, the journey path would again change. He would take His message to Jerusalem – the Holy City. There He predicted He would be arrested, crucified on a cross and be resurrected to life on the third day.

This all happened. Then for another 40 days, He would spend His time with His followers. The Gospel writer Luke described it this way. ‘Jesus appeared to them many times in ways that proved beyond doubt that He was alive. They saw Him and talked with Him about God. When they came together He gave them their orders. WAIT FOR THE GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT PROMISED BY GOD.

Then the journey of Jesus on this earth would end. Again Luke reported, ‘Jesus led them out to the mountain, raised His hand and blessed them.’ Then He said, WHEN GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT COMES UPON YOU, YOU WILL BE FILLED WITH GOD’S POWER, AND YOU WILL BE WITNESSES TO ME ALL OVER THE WORLD. They were to go to people everywhere and tell them the good news of God’s love, and baptize them in the names of the Trinity. He reassured them that God would be with them ALWAYS.

Then said Luke, Jesus was ‘taken up into heaven as they watched Him, and a cloud hid Him from their sight.

The followers of Jesus then returned to the city of Jerusalem with great joy and blessing to wait for God’s spirit so they could tell the world about God.

We are here today because people witnessed to us about Jesus Christ. People will be in Christian Church a 100 years from now because WE witness to other people. The journey continues.

On Friday morning, 12 Handbell ringers and 3 their chaperones left for Montreal for their annual tour. Before leaving, we stood in a circle outside, near the Narthex door. I explained how the disciples too stood in a circle with Jesus on the mountain just before His ascension. Then we said together the Lord’s prayer, offered a prayer for safety on their journey and we said together the grace. As I watched the 3 cars drive away from our Church property, I thought about the sadness felt by the disciples as they watched Jesus go, and then I felt their joy and hope that God would return to them in a new form and power.

When Jesus was dying on the cross, He said, ‘it is finished’. We interpret it to mean, ‘my work is completed’. At the Ascension, this becomes more evident. The circle is now completed – birth, growing up, ministry, death and resurrection. The Ascension completes the circle. Jesus has accomplished everything.

He did it all for love, as the readings today reiterate. Jesus said - I have loved you .. I call you friends (not servants) … love one another.

As our response to the Ascension of Jesus, let us reaffirm our faith as we say together the Apostles Creed (BAS 189).

(The Reverend Hollis Hiscock is Rector of St. John’s York Mills Parish, Toronto, Canada.)

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--“Easter 4, Good Shepherd Sunday” – by the Reverend Mary Lewis, Associate Rector

You will have heard me refer to Jean Vanier several times in previous sermons, and, once again, his writing is the inspiration for this sermon I am offering to you this morning.

In his book, Drawn Into The Mystery Of Jesus Through The Gospel Of John, published in 2004, Jean Vanier gives us wonderful insights into shepherding, and points out that each one of us is called to be a shepherd in our everyday lives. Hear what Jean Vanier says.

Shepherds care deeply for those entrusted to them. But caring is not coddling or protecting; it implies firmness, helping people to make clear choices. What is important is that you and I are helped to grow to fulfillment.

Jesus says that he is the Good Shepherd. The word is Greek is "kalos", which can be translated as "noble", "beautiful", "perfect", "precious" or even "wonderful".

Jesus, and those listening to him, were well aware of the importance of shepherds in their rural setting, and what shepherding meant in the history of the Israelites. The Lord was the shepherd who had led the Israelites to freedom through the Red Sea, nourished them in the desert, and guided and led them through the desert to the Promised Land.

Jesus indicated to them a way of life, in the Ten Commandments, that they need to live in order to reach fulfillment.

You will remember that the Lord had given the Israelites shepherds throughout their history to lead them: Moses, Joshua, David, Solomon, the prophets Isaiah, Ezekiel, and many others. Isaiah reveals that the Lord will feed the flock like a shepherd; He will gather the lambs in his arms and carry them on his bosom and gently lead those that are with young. [Isaiah 40:11]

And so we learn that shepherding is about caring for those who are weak, lost and in need. It is all about presence, love and support.

Shepherds are needed as much today as they were in the time of Jesus, to love people and guide them to greater life. Children know that they need their parents to feed them, care for them, love them, look after them, protect them, guide them and help them grow up. Young adults need role models who will help them grow up and make good choices. Many people who feel lonely and a bit lost in our rich, materialistic society are looking for people who will guide them in a good and healthy life
and help them to find meaning in their lives.

Aren't you and I looking for people who really care for us, understand us, respect us?

Jesus, the Word made flesh, knows how much each one of us needs good, loving and wise shepherds so that we may grow to a fuller human and spiritual maturity.

Now, not only does Jesus reveal himself as the Good and Wonderful Shepherd, but each one of us, as we grow to maturity, is called to be a good shepherd, a servant-leader for others.

Have you ever thought of it this way before?

Jesus, the Good Shepherd, calls you and me to become good shepherds, to mature spiritually, to help others in need and to seek out those who are lost, crushed, or oppressed, who have been pushed to the margins of society.

Jesus wants to give life to all. He says I am the Good Shepherd. I know my own and my own know me. As the Father knows me and I know the Father, and I lay down my life for the sheep.

To "give your life" can have three meanings here. It can mean
1) Communicating to another person all that is precious and that gives life, so that others may live this treasure as well;
2) Giving of yourself to another in total trust and love;
3) Risking your life by throwing yourself into the raging waters to save someone who is drowning.

Jesus came to give life and to give his life, the life of love and light that he was living with the Father.
Jesus came to give his life on the cross, to take away all the blocks that prevent us from being in communion with God and with our fellow human beings.

And so today we give thanks for the example set for us by the Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ, and we pray, at this service, that we may strive for the spiritual maturity to become "good shepherds" to others with whom we interact in our daily lives.  Amen.

(The Reverend Mary Lewis+ is Associate Rector of St. John’s York Mills Parish, Toronto, Canada.)

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--“Guards Service” - by the Rector, the Reverend Hollis Hiscock, Associate Rector

This is a walking day here at St. John’s York Mills. Earlier the Brownie and Cubs, Scouts and Guides and all the other groups walked to this Church for their annual parade. At this worship, the Guards Regiments walked to this Church and their Chapel for their annual parade and services of remembrance. So in tune with the ‘walking theme’ I would like for you to take a walk with me. Our first walking stop brings us into an upper room. The door is locked because the men inside are frightened. They witnessed the crucifixion of their Lord and Master Jesus Christ, and they are scared that the same may happen to them. They screened every person who knocks at the door, and they insure that the entrance is always guarded. Suddenly Jesus appears in the middle of the locked room and said to them, ‘PEACE BE WITH YOU”.

We are told by the Gospel writer Luke that they were ‘startled and terrified’. Then they are elated that Jesus has come back to life, but even ‘while in their joy, they were wondering and disbelieving’.

Sometimes as we go through life, we feel like we are frightened and locked in a room. It may be the result of losing a loved one or the effects of what life is throwing our way. At that moment, it is fantastic when Jesus stands there and says to you, ‘peace be with you”.

Now I want you to walk into our memorial chapel and stop in front of the first stained glass window. It depicts the presentation of Jesus in the Temple. The aged Simeon is holding the baby Jesus. The old man representing the past and the waiting for a Saviour. The baby, with arms out stretched, symbolizes the coming of the new age, the Saviour reaching out His arms to embrace the whole of humanity in His arms of peace. Some 33 years later, the Risen Jesus would reach out His hands (scarred with the nails of the Cross) and say to His followers ‘peace be with you”. Today the Church of Jesus (WE His people) reach out our arms to embrace our troubled people and world, and say, ‘peace be with you’.

Read the inscription - erected by the scholars of the Church School to commemorate the war services of their fellow members.

Walk a few metres east and stop in front of a memorial plaque on the north wall. Read the names and remember a person lives behind each name. They served their country and guarded royalty. Each one was a child of God .. a person of peace. They fought for peace and now the 7 regiments - Blues and Royals, Coldstream Guards, Grenadier Guards, Irish Guards, Scots Guards, The Horse Guards and Welsh Guards - form a cross to remind us that the cross is the symbol of God’s love and peace for all people, including each of us.

Walk to the centre of the Chapel, look at the kneelers as you turn yourself around. The word PEACE is inscribed in 37 different languages spoken in this city. On May 2, 1999, we dedicated the Chapel, including the kneelers. In my sermon that morning, I said, ‘in 37 different languages, the word PEACE expresses the same hope found in most nations around our world. It also carries a message to our multi cultural city of Toronto that all people should LIVE IN PEACE.

Pamela Smith wrote about the kneelers in the May 1999 issue of the LINK, ‘As Christians we strive for peace in the world and peace within our lives. It is our hope that each stitch on these kneelers has brought us closer to that goal’. (It took over 1 million needlepoint stitches to complete the kneelers)

Walk to the front of the memorial chapel and stand before the altar, stand before the altar and look down. There you will see 30 doves flying towards the centre. At the centre is the real dove of peace -- representing Jesus Christ.

While you are standing there, recommit yourself to say to every person ‘PEACE BE WITH YOU’.

Please stand as we say together a prayer for peace. Page 676 - Book of Alternative Services.

(The Reverend Hollis Hiscock is Rector of St. John’s York Mills Parish, Toronto, Canada.)

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--“The Octave Day of Easter 2006” – by the Reverend Mary Lewis, Associate Rector

During the Easter season we have the opportunity to think about what it says in the Bible were the experiences of the risen Christ of his disciples.

The first appearance of Jesus, which is our Gospel for today (John 20:19-23), describes the disciples huddled in the house behind locked doors, fearful of those who has pursued and put Jesus to death. It is Easter evening, and Jesus himself appears, and says "Peace be with you". In this way, Jesus fulfils his promises: Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid. (14:27); ...in me you may have peace. In the world you face persecution. But take courage; I have conquered the world. (16:33) And Jesus shows proof that he is really himself, by showing them his hands and his side, and the disciples experience joy as a result.

The disciples have experienced peace and joy in recognizing the risen Christ; now they must complete their work by proclaiming him. This text reminds us that the Church is rooted in and is to continue the ministry of Jesus. In this way, the Church is different from other social groups. It has a divine origin, and you and I discover our reason-for-being in the call and commission of Jesus Christ.

In this story the gift of the Holy Spirit, which Jesus had promised over and over again, is fulfilled: Jesus breathed on them and said to them, 'Receive the Holy Spirit'.' It is the gift of the Spirit that empowers us to continue Jesus' work.

Verse 23 of this passage is always complicated. It says that the apostles were given authority to grant or to refuse to grant forgiveness of sin. Church leaders have debated the significance of this verse for the practices of baptism and penance. It was a crucial text in the Council of Trent's defense of The Sacrament of Penance and the role of ordained clergy in granting absolution from sins.

Now, we need to remember that Jesus' words were addressed to the whole faith community, not just to its apostolic leaders. Any consideration of this verse has to be grounded in an understanding of forgiveness of sins as the work of the entire community. The forgiveness of sins must be understood as the spirit-empowered mission of continuing Jesus' work in the world.

In the Gospel of John, sin is a theological failing, not a moral or behavioural transgression. To have sin is to be blind to the revelation of God in Jesus. In verse 23, then, Jesus commissions the community to continue the work of making God in Jesus known in the world and thereby to bring others to the moment of decision and judgment with regard to sin. It involves us bearing witness to the identity of God as revealed in Jesus.

By loving one another as Jesus loves, we reveal God to other people. By revealing God to others, we make it possible for them to choose to enter into relationship with this God of limitless love. It is in choosing or rejecting this relationship with God that sins are forgiven or retained. Our mission, therefore, is not to be the arbiter of right or wrong, but to bear witness, without ceasing, to the love of God in Jesus.

So, this morning we are given a message of peace and joy in the belief that Jesus Christ is risen; and we are commissioned to spread the good news about the love of God in Jesus to those who do not yet know Jesus Christ, in the power of the Holy Spirit, given to us by the Father.

(The Reverend Mary Lewis+ is Associate Rector of St. John’s York Mills Parish, Toronto, Canada.)

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--“Easter Carol Service” - by the Rector, the Reverend Hollis Hiscock, Associate Rector

In my first year at University, I attended a lecture by a visiting theologian. He spoke for over an hour about the importance of Good Friday and Jesus dying on the cross. During question time, I asked, ‘what value do you give to the resurrection of Jesus, for without Easter Good Friday would have been a failure?. He glared at me for a moment, and said, ‘don’t cloud the issue’.

Well I went on to cloud the issue for him. For me, the RESSURRECTION is the foundation stone upon which the Christian Faith is built. Without Easter, our beliefs would be built on quicksand. With Easter, it is built on the rock of God - our firm foundation – Jesus Christ.

Our Easter Carol Service brings together what Matthew recorded about the Resurrection of Jesus. These will be presented by our readers, and the messages will be enforced through music, singing and other voices.

In Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus spoke about His death and resurrection to His disciples on at least 3 occasions. Sometimes I get the impression that the disciples were not fast learners.

In chapter 16 (verse 21) Jesus sternly ordered the disciples not to tell anyone that He was the Messiah. Then He told them - ‘ that he must go to Jerusalem and undergo great suffering at the hands of the elders, chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.’

Later He confirmed what would happen. In chapter 17 (verse 22) .. as they were gathering in Galilee, Jesus said to them, "The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into human hands, they will kill him, and on the third day he will be raised." And they were greatly distressed.

Later still, as they were on the road going from Galilee to Jerusalem, the disciples still did not understand the real reason they were going to the Holy city. They thought they were going to celebrate the Passover. So once again, Jesus took the twelve disciples aside by themselves, and said (a bit frustrated by now), "See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death; then they will hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified; and on the third day he will be raised." (20:17-19).

Over the next week or so, they would experience what Jesus predicted. They would see Him arrested, mocked, flogged, killed and placed in a tomb. Then on the THIRD DAY HE WOULD COME BACK TO LIFE.

We have once more gone from Lent to Good Friday to Easter.

Jesus did it for love .. God’s unconditional love for you and me.

You may want to meditate on the Resurrection of Jesus and what it means in your life as the Handbells play MEDITATION.

(The Reverend Hollis Hiscock is Rector of St. John’s York Mills Parish, Toronto, Canada.)

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--“Easter” - by the Rector, the Reverend Hollis Hiscock, Associate Rector

Our PASSPORT TO EASTER journey has been a fabulous experience. In the daily readings from Matthew’s Gospel, the weekly discussion groups and my own reflections, my relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ has become stronger. And I have benefited from the faith and insights of my fellow pilgrims with whom I have shared the Lenten highway.

Lent brings us to Good Friday, which quickly gets transformed into Easter. A question posed in our PASSPORT TO EASTER book is ‘what does the resurrection of Jesus mean to you? What does EASTER mean to you?

In providing my answers to this question, I hope some of my thoughts will resonate with you in answering the question, ‘what EASTER means to you’.

EASTER is the reason why my parents brought me to be baptized, and the officiating priest said ‘I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.’ It was our response to the commission of Jesus as recorded in Matthew’s Gospel.

SAME IS PROBABLY TRUE FOR YOU.

EASTER is the reason why I spent countless hours learning the Lord’s Prayer, the 10 Commandments and the Apostles’ creed so that I could confirm my Christian Faith before a Bishop and receive the LAYING ON OF HANDS. This too was my response to the commission of Jesus as recorded in Matthew’s Gospel.

SAME IS PROBABLY TRUE FOR YOU.

EASTER is the reason why Helen and I knelt before God at our marriage, made promises to each other and agreed to build a Christian home in which to live, regardless of exterior circumstances. This too was my response to the commission of Jesus as recorded in Matthew’s Gospel.

SAME IS PROBABLY TRUE FOR YOU.

EASTER is the reason why I responded to God’s directive to ‘Go to all people everywhere and make them my disciples’.

I may not have gone ‘everywhere’ since my ordination in 1964, but I have experienced a wide variety of Church life and a diversity of towns and cities across Canada to which God has called me to go and serve. This too was my response to the commission of Jesus as recorded in Matthew’s Gospel.

SAME IS PROBABLY TRUE FOR YOU.

EASTER is the reason why I look with confidence and hope beyond my physical existence to that place which we call heaven or eternal life. I remember the promise Jesus made to His followers on that hill in Galilee, when he said, ‘I will be with you always’. This too was my response to the commission of Jesus as recorded in Matthew’s Gospel.

SAME IS PROBABLY TRUE FOR YOU.

These are some of my response to the question, ‘what does Easter mean to me?’.

If I were to stop at my own personal limits, I would be short-sighted and would not be benefiting from what the resurrection of Jesus means to us as a Parish and Church

EASTER is the reason why we worship here today and sing words like

‘Death’s mightiest powers have done their worst,

And Jesus hath his foes disperse;

Let shouts of praise and joy outburst,

Alleluia.

EASTER is the reason why we GIVE (not forced) of our time, our resources and our talents to our Parish and Church. As St. Paul wrote ‘God wants us to be cheerful givers (give with a smile on your face and in your soul),

EASTER is the reason why we feel God’s forgiveness flowing over us, like a refreshing rain in springtime.

EASTER is the reason why we can be hopeful and optimistic about our future regardless of what people, society or circumstances may send our way.

EASTER is the reason why we can face today, tomorrow, the next day and forever. ‘I am with you always’, said the Risen Christ.

EASTER is also a time to renew our faith in God and our commitment to the Christian way of life. Take a few seconds to get connected with God. Stand and renew our baptismal vows (page 330 – Book of Alternative Services.

(The Reverend Hollis Hiscock is Rector of St. John’s York Mills Parish, Toronto, Canada.)

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--“Good Friday” - by the Rector, the Reverend Hollis Hiscock, Associate Rector

Last evening 100 people gathered in the auditorium downstairs for two reasons .. both following what our Lord Jesus did the night before He was crucified. We celebrated the Passover meal. We recalled the stories, as found in the Old Testament of the Bible., about God delivering God’s people and bringing them to a promised land. We also celebrated the Last Supper or the first Holy Communion service, where Jesus took the bread and wine from the table, blessed it and gave it to His disciples, as He said ‘to do this in memory of me’.

We are here today because we remember what Jesus did for us on the cross. It is so succinctly described in that short hymn we just sang. For Good Friday … (second verse)

The Glory of our King was seen
when, with his arms stretched wide
to show his love to everyone,
Jesus was crucified.

During the past 7 weeks, over 100 people have followed the life of Jesus as recorded by the Gospel writer – Matthew.

Each day, we have read a selection from the Gospel and given some probing questions to consider.

One question for Good Friday asked, ‘which details of the story seem most significant to you?’.

I reread the Matthew account of the Crucifixion several times, and here are my ‘most significant’ details.

The number of people mentioned in the story ..

• Simon of Cyrene, a visitor to Jerusalem, forced to carry the cross of Jesus, and in that short time probably got to know Jesus very well.
• The followers of Jesus - Mary, Mary Magdalene, disciples, supporters – standing some distance from the foot of the cross - fearful and full of grief .. watching Jesus die.
• The ordinary people who, in Matthew’s words ‘shook their heads and hurled insults’ at Jesus on the cross. For example, the soldiers who gave Jesus ‘wine mixed with a bitter substance’; the two bandits who were also dying on the cross.
• Joseph of Arimathea .. the man who cared for the physical body of Christ .. even giving his own tomb to Jesus.
• The one soldier who stands out from the rest. He had experienced it all - the arrest, the torture, the crucifixion, the earthquake and ‘everything else that happened’ and concluded ‘He really was the Son of God.’

In a strange way, the group gathered around the cross of Jesus is similar to us who gather here in this Church today.

In our own lives, we may be like:

Simon .. forced to carry another person’s cross in life;
The followers - fearful of present or future situations;
The ordinary people - ready to cast insults at others;
Joseph - willing to give our time, talent and treasure for God;
The soldier - wanting reassurance that ‘Jesus is God’.

If you identify with any of the above remember the verse of the hymn

The Glory of our King was seen
when, with his arms stretched wide
to show his love to everyone,
Jesus was crucified.

My SECOND ‘most significant detail’ of Matthew’s account of the crucifixion of Jesus is the saying from the cross.

The Gospel writers record seven sayings or ‘words’ spoken by Jesus from the cross (IN THE BULLETIN). Matthew gives only ONE.

‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’

 I wonder why Matthew included this sentence only. He tells us it was spoken around ‘3 o’clock’ after hanging on the cross for over 3 hours. He was nearing death. Yet he cried out with A LOUD VOICE ..not a weak voice or a whimper.

The people reacted in several ways .. some thought he was calling to the prophet Elijah (Eli, Eli) .. a practical minded person tried to give him a drink to ease his suffering.

But Matthew simply said ‘Jesus gave a loud cry and breathed his last’

From the moment Jesus said, ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’ to the second ‘LOUD CRY’ just before He died, something wonderfully happened to Jesus.

He went from feeling abandoned by God and feeling totally alone …. To … regaining God’s presence and power (the LOUD CRY was a shout of victory) and peacefully entering into the loving arms of the eternal God.

This is a great image and reassurance to us. Whenever we feel alone and abandoned by family, friends, circumstances, we know that we will never again be separated from God.

In the TENEBRAE service (Wednesday evening), we hear, ‘if we trust Jesus as our Saviour, God is with us always, no matter how dark life may become. Even in the darkness of death, when we seem to be alone, separated from the people who love us – even then, we are not alone. God is with us. Jesus is at our side.’

Again listen to the reassuring words of the hymn (READ SECOND VERSE).

I want to end with one more image. A television commercial shows a woman, looking at her charge card bill and lamenting her high balance. She blows on the card, and the amount is reduced to ZERO. Nothing owing. Paid in full.

When Jesus died on the cross, he wiped out our sins and stamped on our souls -- PAID IN FULL with LOVE.

(The Reverend Hollis Hiscock is Rector of St. John’s York Mills Parish, Toronto, Canada.)

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--“Palm Sunday 2006” – by the Reverend Mary Lewis, Associate Rector

As we begin to reflect on the events of Palm Sunday, we have to remember that they are shaped dramatically by the politics of the day.

The Romans are in power, and are ruling with an iron hand. The Jewish community is divided into various factions, each trying to hold onto or claim power. For some, such as some of the Pharisees, maintaining the delicate balance of peace with Rome and tempering the rising Jewish nationalism is critical. Others are in full-scale cooperation with Rome.
Some are, (in varying degrees), against Rome.
The Romans are crucifying anyone who upsets, rebels, or breaks a major law so that order will be maintained. The situation is tense, and none of the leaders, Jewish or Roman, are interested in lighting the match that will explode the powder keg which Jerusalem has become.

Jesus, and those with him, travel the steep 15-mile road up from Jericho to Jerusalem. Near Jerusalem, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sends two disciples for the animals. And so, Jesus, the messianic king, approaches the city "humble and mounted on a donkey", the garments of his disciples serving as a saddle, and the garments of the pilgrims--along with tree branches--creating a carpet along the road.

A very large crowd both goes ahead of and follows Jesus, shouting "Hosanna"
(which means "save us") and "Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord."

Jesus entering the city creates quite a stir, with all the city asking, "Who is this?" and the answer given is "The prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee."

The crowds may have been cheering and creating a wonderful atmosphere of triumph, but I think "the mind of Christ" was quite different. For Jesus, this procession was a sealing of what would happen to him on the Friday that would follow. His entrance into Jerusalem caused such a stir that it forced his enemies to intensify their efforts to destroy him. And Jesus knew that his Palm Sunday ride was going to have that effect. His determination to go to Golgotha to redeem this world of lost sinners had now intensified to its maximum level. There was no turning back--and that was our Lord's intent and plan.

I think that these thoughts were filling the mind of Christ on that first Palm Sunday. So we can call it what we want to--perhaps, "his triumphant entry"--but to Jesus, it was crunch time toward Calvary.

What happens in the days ahead...what Jesus teaches and how he conducts himself in the face of arrest, betrayal, denial, trial, mocking, and finally death--provides the appropriate definition of "humble". With complete commitment, Jesus lives out his vocation to be the Son of God, refusing to come down from the cross, saving others and not himself, trusting only in God.

We will never forget Jesus because he accomplished so much for us: "Jesus healed the sick, and ate and drank with outcasts and sinners. He opened the eyes of the blind, and he proclaimed the good news of God's kingdom to the poor and to those in need. In all things, he fulfilled God's gracious will".
(BAS Eucharistic Prayer No. 1).

Are we willing to follow Jesus through the events of this Holy Week, as he celebrates the Last Supper with his friends, is arrested, betrayed, denied, tried, mocked and finally put to death on a cross? Will we be there to celebrate the glorious resurrection of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, on Easter Day?

When we are there, we will be affirming our belief that Jesus has the power to save us from sin and death; that he offers us the promise of new life in him; and the unconditional love of God present with us to comfort, support and keep us safe each and every day of our lives...and in the life to come.

(The Reverend Mary Lewis+ is Associate Rector of St. John’s York Mills Parish, Toronto, Canada.)

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--Lent 5--“Forgiveness” – by Catherine Keating, Deacon Candidate

In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. Today’s sermon is on the theme of Forgiveness as presented in Matthew’s Gospel. We all love to be forgiven - we expect it, and want it. But we sometimes find it a struggle to forgive; we resist it, and refuse to do it.

In story after story of His ministry, Jesus pronounced forgiveness of people’s sins - even sins that according to the laws of His time could not be forgiven. In so doing, He set an example for us not to judge one another but to forgive one another, and forgive one another over and over again, just as God forgives us.

Perhaps most controversial of all, Jesus commanded us to love our enemies, to do good for those who hurt us, to pray for those who wish us harm, and to love every human being as we love ourselves. More than any other aspect, the love that Christians are to show others is to be so significant as to distinguish the Christian from others in society. Jesus delivered these teachings to us through the Beatitudes [Matt 5:1-12] that we heard about a few weeks ago in church – they are also echoed in the hymn ‘They Will Know we are Christians by our Love, by our LOVE.’ We hear this message repeatedly in our services and prayers. Yet we tend to question and become hardhearted living in a world where there are too many tragedies, acts of violence and sufferings to pray about. Sometimes we, like Peter, ask ourselves – how much more can I give? How much more can I forgive? We mirror Peter as he asks:

"Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?" Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven." (Matthew 18:21-22 RSV)

In Matthew 18, Jesus has been dealing with the question of relationships among those who belong to him. Now some translations [like the NRSV] have ‘another member of the church’ rather than ‘brother.’ Whichever term is used, we are all brothers, and sisters in Christ and the lesson and expectations remain the same.

If we consider the term brother we might think of the little boy who as he was saying his prayers and asking God to bless the family, omitted his brother's name. His mother said to him, "Why didn't you pray for your brother?" He replied, "I'm not going to ask God to bless him because he hit me." And his mother said, "Don't you remember Jesus said to forgive your enemies?" The little boy said, "That's just the trouble. He's not my enemy; he's my brother!"

This anecdote, humorous as we might find it, is interesting in relation to this Gospel passage as Peter has a brother, Andrew, among the Apostles. Perhaps Peter was actually thinking of his sibling. Perhaps he had in mind a specific offence of Andrew here and he was faced with the problem of forgiving him.

At any rate, Peter may have felt that he was being very noble in suggesting that he would forgive his brother as many as seven times. There was good reason for him to think he had gone above and beyond the expected in suggesting he forgive up to seven times. According to Jewish tradition forgiveness should be granted up to the fourth offence. Peter may have thought that he had captured some of the merciful heart of Jesus when he more than doubled the expected number of times to forgive according to tradition. Peter may have been thinking of why one would continue to forgive when the offender appears not to be repentant but continues to offend.

Jesus’ response moves the problem from the earthly sphere of ordinary relationships to another realm. To be a true follower of Christ is exhibiting limitless forgiving without seeking revenge - that makes us Christians. Jesus provides theological grounding for unlimited forgiveness through the kingdom parable. Peter’s question addresses a human problem from a human perspective. The kingdom parable grounds forgiveness in the nature of God.

We know that the parables of Jesus are allegorical and not easy to understand on the surface. The parable of the king and his servant teaches us a lesson that runs throughout the New Testament that we should forgive in order to be forgiven. Those who do not forgive others cannot hope that God will forgive them. Remember that Jesus said, ‘Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.’ [Matt. 5:7]

In the first part the parable tells of a king who when conducting an audit discovers that one of his servants is guilty of embezzling an enormous amount. The servant owed a sum so vast that it was impossible to repay! This act could have resulted in execution, but the king decided that the servant would be punished by being sold into the worst form of slavery with his family. On hearing this, the servant pleaded for time to make restitution – remember that this sum was so vast restitution was virtually impossible. Then, all of a sudden, the king reversed his decision entirely, set the culprit free, and forgave the debt.

In the second part of this parable, the newly freed servant meets a fellow servant who owed him money. In this confrontation, the freed servant demanded repayment. The fellow servant begged for an extension in order to earn enough money to pay off the debt but the freed servant refused and took legal action to have the delinquent thrown into debtors’ prison till the debt was paid.

The third scene is similar to the first. Others report the incident to the king and he summons the freed servant and refers to him as ‘wicked slave.’ In his anger the king again reverses his decision and hands the cruel creditor over to be tortured most severely. One of the great points in this parable is the contrast between the two debts. The first servant was forgiven an enormous debt and yet was himself unforgiving. The debt owed him by a fellow servant was a mere fraction in comparison to his own debt.

Nothing that we have to forgive can be even remotely compared with what we have been forgiven. We have been forgiven a debt that is beyond all paying – human sin brought about the death of God’s own Son – and so we must therefore forgive others as God has forgiven us or we can hope to find no mercy.

Forgiveness does not come easily – especially when we feel wronged by a loved one, friend, or member of our family. It appears to be a long and hard road to forgiveness. Seems strange in a way – that the ones with whom we are the closest are the ones of whom we have difficulty being forgiving. Shouldn’t it be the other way around – give the benefit to the one we know and love before another?

The forgiveness we seek and give does not seem to compare to the situations in which others in the world find themselves. Jean Vanier tells the story of a woman in Rwanda who had had 75 members of her family killed in the carnage of that country. She told him that she had so much hate in her heart she found reconciliation difficult. He then asked her if she wanted revenge for what had happened and she replied in the negative – she said that there had already been too much killing. Vanier told her that the first step in the process of forgiveness was not to seek revenge. Another story he tells is of the woman who was imprisoned because of a man’s false testimony. When asked if she could forgive the man who had given the false testimony she said, ‘No, he has hurt me too much. But,’ she added, ‘I pray for him each day that he might be liberated from all the evil in him.’ Praying for the person who has hurt us is another step to forgiveness.

From the passages read today we learn that we are to go to God in true repentance and ask forgiveness and in so doing we will be forgiven. We are to pray for the strength to resist the temptation to seek revenge and ask for the grace of God. We are to pray for those who sin against us. And after repenting and asking God’s forgiveness, after forgiving those who have sinned against us we are to forgive ourselves, release the burden of the sin to the Lord, and start a life transformed.

They will know we are Christians by our love.

Amen

References:

Barclay, Wm. The New Daily Study Bible: The Gospel of Matthew Volume Two, Westminster John Knox Press, Louisville Kentucky 2001

Hare, Douglas R. A. Interpretation: A Bible Commentary for teaching and Preaching Matthew

Vanier, Jean Drawn into the Mystery of Jesus through the Gospel of John, Novalis, Saint Paul University, Ottawa, Canada 2004

http://www.grace4u.org/newtest/matthew/Matt18-21.htm

http://www.pbc.org/dp/stedman/parables/0381.html

(Catherine Keating is a Deacon Candidate at St. John’s York Mills Parish, Toronto, Canada.)

E-mail me with your comments.

--Lent 4--“Parables” – by the Reverend Mary Lewis, Associate Rector

The theme in our study of the Gospel of Matthew on this 4th Sunday in Lent is “Parables”.  
A parable is a short story with a double meaning. On the surface level a parable speaks of sowing or fishing, but on a deeper level it points to something else... and it challenges us to discover that something else by close interpretation.
As it says earlier in Chapter 13, Jesus spoke in parables, and only those who have committed themselves to follow Jesus as his disciples are given the mysteries of the kingdom. They have Jesus as their teacher and can learn from him the meaning of the parables. For those who do not become disciples, the parables are not explained, and they function not as teaching but as judgment.
In the Parable of the Wheat and the Weeds, which is our Gospel reading for today, we find that its interpretation is placed near to it in our reading.

Jesus often spoke to his disciples in parables, and the parables we find in the Bible can be placed into five groupings: 1) parables of the kingdom; 2) parables of salvation; 3) parables of wisdom and foolishness; 4) parables of the Christian life; and 5) parables of judgment.  
Our parable today is of the first type--it is a parable of the kingdom. We know this because it starts with the words: “The kingdom of heaven is like...someone who sowed good seed in his field.”

What is the meaning of the Parable of the Wheat and the Weeds?

>From the interpretation of this parable contained in verses 36-43 we learn that Satan is mixing phony Christians in among true Christians in order to hinder God’s work. The devil is going to bring forward people so much like true Christians--yet not Christians--that even the servants of God will not be able to tell them apart!
So, what are some applications of our parable for us today? Let me offer you three:

1) If the devil is mixing his people in among true Christians, then we should be
 alert to that fact. You and I should be on our guard not to be taken in, and we   should not be surprised if the devil’s people show up in strange places. When   the master in the parable forbids the servants to go and weed out the field, it’s   a realistic reminder to us all that the servants do not finally have the ability to get  rid of all the weeds and that sometimes, attempts to pluck up weeds, cause   more harm than good. This is just the way it is.

 So, are we lost forever, in a hopelessly compromised world? I think that the   answer is No. The parable contains the promise that, in the wisdom of God, the weeds will ultimately be destroyed. Evil is temporary; only the good endures.

 The parable leads us, then, to a place of joy and hope. You and I live in an   imperfect world, and no human effort can make that fact go away. But that was   never our job anyway. We are to live as faithfully and obediently as possible,   confident that the harvest is sure.

2) The mixed nature of the Christian congregation shouldn’t be an excuse for
 unbelievers to refuse to come to Christ.  You will have heard people who   don’t believe in Jesus say: “I am not a Christian because the church if filled with hypocrites.” But we should be careful here, because this statement implies that  the person who is making it is better than those who are rejected.  At best, it’s
 not the whole truth--there are deeper reasons why people will not become   Christians. But the real problem is that if hypocrisy and other sins were to be   eliminated entirely among the people of God, then there would no place for the   person who objects! He or she wouldn’t fit in. There is, of course, a place for   him or her because Jesus came “not...to call the righteous, but sinners” to   repentance (Matt. 9:13).

3) None of us should take comfort in sin. The church is not pure; we can’t
 always tell the difference between the wheat and the weeds in this age.
 But a day is coming when that distinction will be made. The harvest will come.
 The wheat will be gathered into God’s barn, and the weeds will be burned. And
 so we should carefully examine ourselves as to whether we are true children of God or not.

And so you and I see that for Matthew, to know God’s plan for history, culminating in the judgment of the Son of Man, is to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God.

This Parable of the Wheat and the Weeds speaks of the final victory of God’s kingdom despite all appearances. Yes, Satan is active. But, as Paul says in his first letter to the Corinthians, Chapter 15, verse 57  ”thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1Cor. 15:57)

(The Reverend Mary Lewis+ is Associate Rector of St. John’s York Mills Parish, Toronto, Canada.)

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MIRACLES – by Bruce Williams, Deacon

Homily given at St John’s Church, March 19, 2006. The Gospel was Matthew 9: 18- 31.

Today’s subject is miracles. Miracles, in our scientific age, have become a source of embarrassment for many Christians, as somehow unsavoury or relics of a more primitive past. Certainly, like many, I have struggled with this problem. However, it cannot be denied that miracles, such as the incarnation and the resurrection, form the very foundation of our faith.

Before moving to the three miracles of today’s gospel reading, I would like to share some of my own efforts to make sense of miracles:
-A miracle occurs when God shows forth Himself to us in a way that fills us with awe and wonder and that awakens or confirms or strengthens our faith.
-Miracles may sometimes seem like a violation of the order of nature but this is only because our knowledge of the world is incomplete.
-When God acts directly in our lives, God does not act capriciously or irrationally.
-To view miracles as violations of the laws of nature, as David Hume and many others have done, is a caricature and certainly not the best way to approach them.
-Although extraordinary events certainly happen from time to time, miracles are more often found in the little things of everyday life- a smile, an act of love or kindness, a thoughtful gift, a beautiful day.
-As St Augustine, in The City of God (10:12), points out, life itself is a far greater miracle than the most incredible happenings:
Although the miracle of this visible world is little thought of, yet when we contemplate it, it is a greater miracle than the rarest and most unheard of marvel... Therefore God, who made the visible heaven and earth, does not disdain to work visible miracles in heaven and earth, that He may awaken the soul... to worship Himself, the Invisible.
-In either case, in the miracles of everyday life or in the extraordinary, miracles are signs of God’s ongoing saving activity, signs that the Messiah, Jesus Christ, Lord and Savior, comes to bring meaning to our lives and to make us whole through our faith.
-But, in keeping with their meaning as signs:
Miracles can be perceived only by those who see the world as controlled and directed by a free and transcendent Being... who can establish a relationship with human beings.
(Latourelle, p693)
-In other words, miracles are only apparent to those with faith. For instance, if a serious illness like cancer is cured, to the physician this is inexplicable, to the Christian a miracle.

When working with prisoners one is constantly amazed at their spiritual insights. Despite their failings as individuals, I think their suffering and the awful circumstances of their lives give them a clarity of thought about God and our faith that is not easy for us to find. One man in jail told me a story recently that gave me a new take on miracles. He was visiting the Holy Land and was at the mountain where Jesus fed the five thousand. Two sisters were with him. One said, “Isn’t it wonderful how Jesus was able to take those five loaves and two fishes and break them into enough food to feed five thousand people.” The other said, “No, no, it wasn’t like that at all! It’s amazing that all those people took food from their packs and shared it with each other so that all had enough to eat!” But, said my friend, either way you look at it, the feeding of the five thousand is a beautiful story of God acting in the midst if His people. Since then I have realized that it less important to know exactly what happened at that time and more important to see miracles as visible signs of God working in our lives.

Although we did not read them this morning, two passages from this week’s readings help explain Jesus’ mighty deeds. In chapter 10 Jesus sends out the disciples to assist him to, "Proclaim that the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, and cast out demons (Matthew 10: 7-8)."

But many did not accept this message. Jesus denounces those cities that did not turn toward God, "Woe to you Chorazin! Woe to you Bethsaida! If the mighty deeds done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes... I tell you that it will be more tolerable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom than for you (Matthew 11:21-24)." Jesus’ mighty deeds are meant to usher in the Kingdom of Heaven through repentance, that is through turning our whole life towards God, and through acts of compassion.

We can apply these thoughts to the three miracles in today’s reading.
Jesus has been asked by the leader of the synagogue to lay his hands on his daughter, who has just died, so that she may live. On the way to his house, we hear the first miracle of the woman who had been bleeding for twelve years. The emphasis in this story is on Jesus’ compassion for her suffering. Out of shyness, perhaps, or embarrassment, the woman has quietly come up to touch the fringe of Jesus’ cloak. Jesus turns to her and says, “Take heart daughter, your faith has made you well.”
Instantly, the woman was made well. Her faith has relieved her suffering. Her salvation foreshadows the wholeness available to us in Jesus Christ.

Jesus now comes to the leader’s house and shoos the crowd away, “For the girl is not dead but sleeping.” The crowd laughs at him, as any of us might do, raising someone from the dead? impossible! for the crowd does not see Jesus’ ability to bring new life to his people. Jesus enters the girl’s room and raises her up. Is she really dead or just in a coma? In either case we have a beautiful story of how God brings new life to those who have faith in Him.

As Jesus went on from there, he comes to two blind men who cry out in heartfelt prayer, “Have mercy on us, Son of David, have mercy on us!”
The Son of David is the Messiah, the one who carries on God’s plan for justice and relief from suffering and oppression. And so Jesus touched their eyes and said, “According to your faith let it be so.” Immediately their eyes were opened. Their faith, impossible without their prayer, has made them whole.

But, of course, the greatest miracle of all is that God sent us his only son, Jesus Christ to bring meaning to our lives and to make us whole, fully human, and that, after Jesus’ death, Jesus rose again to his Father in heaven, and that he is still with us today, especially in the breaking of the bread. In a few minutes we come to the Lord’s table. As we eat the spiritual food of the body and blood of Christ, we take on Christ but, most importantly, we commit ourselves to act as Jesus did, to heal, to reach out to the suffering, to feed and clothe the hungry, and to free the prisoners. If we do this Jesus will be with us always, even to the end of the age.

References:
Latourelle and Fisichella, Dictionary of Fundamental Theology, Miracles:
690- 709.
Augustine, City of God, Book X, 12
David Hume, An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding, Section X

(Bruce Williams is a Deacon at St. John’s York Mills Parish, Toronto, Canada.)

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The Beatitudes – by the Reverend Mary Lewis, Associate Rector

Sermon based on Matthew 5:1-12--The Beatitudes

The Beatitudes are called this because in the Latin translation each of the eight statements begins with the word “beatus”. Blessings of this kind were common in the Old Testament, and Jesus uses them to explain what characteristics are to be found in every child of God.

This week I am going to ask you to participate in this sermon a bit more than usual. And so I am going to invite you to rate yourself from 1 (very low) to 4 (very high) on each of the following qualities of the Beatitudes:

POOR IN SPIRIT:

I recognize my spiritual bankruptcy and my need for God. Because my relationship with God depends on God’s grace, I know I am incapable of earning God’s love on my own.

MOURN:

I feel the pain that sin, including my own, causes. I can let others know when I am hurting without embarrassment. I can weep like Jesus did.

MEEK:

I don’t have to be the strong one who is always in control. I can be tender and gentle. I’ve given control of my life to God, and I don’t always have to win.

SPIRITUAL HUNGER:

I want to know God and God’s will for my life more than anything--including my own pleasure, status or success. My heart truly longs for God.

MERCIFUL:

I can share the feelings of people who are hurting, lonely, or distressed, and walk alongside them in their pain. God has given me a sensitivity for the suffering of others and a compassion to help them.

PURE IN HEART:

I am completely honest with God and others. I don’t have to put on a false front or pretend to be something I am not. My life is marked with openness and integrity.

PEACEMAKER:

I work hard to keep channels of communication open with others. Rather than allowing anger and conflict to fester, I deal with them constructively. I help those around me work out their differences without hurting one another.

PERSECUTION:

I know for whom and for what I am living. And for this I am willing to suffer and (if need be) stand alone for what is right. I can take criticism without reacting defensively or feeling self-pity.

And so, a question which I put to you today is, “In this season of Lent, what are some things you can do to improve your lowest scores?”



(Much of the material for my sermon was taken from the Serendipity Bible For Personal and Small Group Study, 4th Edition, ZondervanPublishingHouse, Grand Rapids, MI (1998)

(The Reverend Mary Lewis+ is Associate Rector of St. John’s York Mills Parish, Toronto, Canada.)

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TEMPTATION - by the Rector, the Reverend Hollis Hiscock

Temptation forces us to make a choice. As human beings, we face that dilemma on a daily basis. Many are simple, most require little effort and a few demand our undivided total concentrated attention, like the main character in Christopher Marlowe’s 16 th century book - Doctor Faustus - who gave his soul to Lucifer or the devil. In exchange, the devil would be Faustus’s servant for 24 years. Faustus was tempted by the devil and forced to make a choice.

Marlowe probably was familiar with the account of the Temptation of Jesus from Matthew’s Gospel (4:1-11).

Here Jesus faces choices through a series of Temptations.

The main decisions revolve around, ‘what is God like?’ or ’what is the true essence or nature of God?’ For example;

‘Should God/Jesus feed people physically and buy their souls or loyalty?’ This would be like using a loyalty card to get points to be redeemed for prizes or rewards.

‘Should God/Jesus be like Superman or David Copperfield and perform feats of magic to dazzle people and thereby gain their souls or loyalty? This would be like Jesus jumping off the CN towers and landing in centre field during a baseball game at the Skydome.

‘Should God/Jesus have total bureaucratic control of the people of the world by taking away their free will to control their souls or loyalty?’ This would be like Jesus seizing control over all the Governments of the world and having them all doing what he dictated. May not be all bad.

Jesus rejects them all because God is not that kind of God.

God is love .. love is the essence of God .. God’s nature is love … unconditional love .. freely given.

Anything which does not conform to God’s love is rejected by God. That is why Jesus said, which we will hear later in Lent as we travel through Matthew’s Gospel …

That if we are peacemakers, we will be called the sons and daughters of God;

That if we forgive people when they sin against us, God will forgive us our sins;

That God has given us talents which God expects us to use for the betterment of our world;

And that God will suffer and die on a cross because of God’s love for us. Then God will rise from the dead, and at our death God will bring our souls into a special place prepared for us in eternal life.

End with my photograph of the Temptation of Jesus.

Jesus is led by the spirit into the desert or place of testing, and left alone. Yet he is not alone, He is surrounded by ‘ a great cloud of witnesses (angels). After fasting for 40 days, He is weak physically, shredded emotionally and emptied spiritually. Then the Devil (evil tempter). He is tempted. He weights the options. He rejects the evil one and remains faithful to God.

The ordeal is over. The supporting angels re-appear and minister to Jesus. They strengthen Him physically, restore His shredded emotions and fill Him spiritually to follow God.

The same thing happens to us. We are led to the test. We are always surrounded by angels (clouds of witnesses). We make our choices. If we decide to follow God, the angels come and minister to us, so that we can do what God wants us to do.

For that, we say - THANKS BE TO GOD.

(The Reverend Hollis Hiscock is Rector of St. John’s York Mills Parish, Toronto, Canada.)

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Quinquagesima Sunday – by the Reverend Mary Lewis, Associate Rector

Perhaps you have been watching some of the coverage of the 2006 Winter Olympic Games in Turin, Italy over the past two weeks, as I have. We can be so proud of all our Canadian athletes, especially those who have won medals: Jeffrey Buttle, Bronze, in Men’s Figure Skating; Clara Hughes, Gold in the 5,000 metre Long Track Speed Skating; the Canadian Men’s Curling Team, Gold; and the Canadian Women’s Curling Team, Bronze. Each competitor has shown us that they had everything to gain by trying!

From the story from Luke’s Gospel which I just read, listen again to what goes on. Jesus’ disciples try to stop a powerless, marginalized person from coming to Jesus. But, the blind man follows Jesus anyway, because the blind beggar has everything to gain by trying.

Jesus’ healing of the blind man fulfills part of the program for his ministry, taken from the record of the Prophet Isaiah, and announced at Nazareth by Jesus himself when he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath Day and stood up to read, and the scroll of the Prophet Isaiah was given to him. You will remember...he unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written, “(The Lord) has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free. (4:18)

At the beginning of Chapter 18 in the Gospel of Luke, Jesus promised that God will “grant justice to his chosen ones who cry to him day and night” (18:7). And now we hear the blind beggar cry out to Jesus, “Have mercy on me!” Just as the disciples had tried to stop those who were bringing the children to Jesus, so, those who went ahead in front of Jesus order the beggar to be quiet. However, their efforts just made the man “cry out” all the more!

Then, at Jesus’ command, the blind beggar is brought to him. What does Jesus’ ask? “What wilt thou that I should do unto thee?” The man’s response is “Lord, that I may receive my sight”. Jesus’ response is equally direct: “Receive thy sight; thy faith hath saved thee”.

This time we don’t hear of touching, washing, or any other means of healing. Nor do we hear that Jesus violated the Sabbath by performing this healing. This time, the man is ready to receive God’s love. Immediately, the man regained his sight and began to follow Jesus. By doing this, the beggar has joined the company of Jesus’ disciples on the way to Jerusalem. And he followed Jesus, “glorifying God”, and all the people “gave praise unto God”.

Jesus healed by the power of God; the Spirit of the Lord was upon him, and “the power of the Lord was with him to heal.” So the response of the beggar and the crowd not only recognizes that Jesus acted by the power of God, but Jesus also announces God’s reign on earth. The pattern of all the people’s praising God because of the healing through the mercy of Jesus is itself a vision of what the reign of God is like.

When Jesus restores sight to the blind, he is figuratively fulfilling God’s work of salvation as foreseen by the Prophet Isaiah. Jesus is dramatically fulfilling the role of the one who would be a “light for the nations”. Like Jesus, we, his followers, are to be light for others. (Luke 8:16).

This is a miracle story, and it illustrates the theme of an individual having everything to gain by trying. The story shows that Jesus acted by the power of God. It declares God’s mercy on those who have been damaged or incapacitated by life and by human society. It reveals the power of pleas for God’s mercy--everything to gain by trying--and assures us of God’s readiness to respond to you and me when we cry out for mercy. And so we learn that Jesus has the ability to grant insight and faith sufficient for any challenge we may face.

N.T.Wright, in his book titled “Luke For Everyone” says: “Luke is telling us, in advance, what Jesus will accomplish in his death. In his death, Jesus will take on himself the blindness and despair of the world. There is so much, still, that we don’t understand; so much in the world--and, indeed, in scripture--that remains hidden from us. Luke is telling us that if we go with Jesus, Jesus will take the full weight of that evil on to himself--indeed, that Jesus has already done so on the cross, so that the things we still face don’t need to frighten us.” We have everything to gain by trying.

You and I have to remember that we have already received so much. When we believe and trust in God’s power to heal and restore, that should make us praise God even was we go forward into the future, knowing that we have everything to gain by trying.

(The Reverend Mary Lewis+ is Associate Rector of St. John’s York Mills Parish, Toronto, Canada.)

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Vestry Sunday - by the Rector, the Reverend Hollis Hiscock

Today is the annual meeting of Vestry here at St. John’s York Mills. VESTRY means US, the people who contribute our money and other resources, time and talent to fulfill the mission and ministry God has entrusted to us.

We describe ourselves as ‘ an active community of Christians loving and serving the Lord (Jesus Christ), our neighbour and each other’. That is a huge goal to achieve, some may say ‘almost insurmountable’ . Yet, we hold it up constantly to remind ourselves of why we are here.

We need that reminder , because we are trying to be a Church Christian community in a world climate which is more windy than calm, more cloudy than sunny and more frozen than hot.

We may feel like this saying - when you are up to your waist in alligators, there is no time to remember that you are here to drain the swamp.

  Sometime we may feel that we are up to our waist in alligators, and they are swirling around us in our parish, in the wider Church, in our local neighbourhood, in our province and country or on the international scene. At such moments, (no matter how difficult it may be) we do have to remember ‘we are here to drain the swamp’. Our real purpose is to worship God and serve God’s people (including each other).

Our Vestry reports will bear witness to our work ‘in draining the swamp’. You will be given enormous insight into the many positive, inspiring dimensions of worship, programs, outreach and other activities which we do for God in this parish and elsewhere. At the meeting, we will also be given information showing that on our 2005 operating budget had a sizeable surplus, for the second consecutive year, and that our ‘Building for the Future’ goal of 1.2 million dollars is virtually paid off.

Yet, with that fantastic news, we should not become complacent. A friend of mine use to remind his parish that ‘when you have a surplus of money, it means that God wants you to do more’.

If that is true, what is ‘the more’ God wants us to do here at St. John’s.

Part of the answer may be in the Gospels read today in this Church. I said GOSPELS, because we read a different Gospel at the 8:00 am service than at the other 2 services.

We heard at this service that wonderful story of the friends who found a creative unique way to bring a person to Jesus. They could not get close to Jesus because of the crowd, so they dug a hole in the roof of the house and lowered the man down to meet Jesus.

We, as a Christian Church in Toronto, have to make ‘holes in roofs’ to find creative and unique ways to bring people to Jesus. In this past year, we have opened the roof for some people through GOSPEL VESPERS. We call it ‘worship in a lighter key’ because, in particular, we want to attract people who have had no relationship with God or who want a ‘lighter’ worship to connect with God.

This week, I would encourage you to identify a friend, relative, neighbour or colleague, and bring the person to GOSPEL VESPERS next Sunday.

The Gospel at the 8:00 am service was the story of the sower who sows the seed. We are like the sower. At all times, in every situation and under all kinds of conditions, we have to be constantly ‘sowing’ the seed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ’.

This Lent, which begins in 10 days, we are sowing the seed of Matthew’s Gospel in a big way. PASSPORT TO EASTER, developed by a number of people here at St. John’s provides daily readings, a commentary and questions to help us learn more about the good news of Jesus Christ, and to grow our relationship with God. We have scheduled meeting times when we can discuss what we are leaning and what it means to us.

We printed 100 copies . I hope we will need a second printing. Next Sunday, we will commission those who are participating. Buy your copy after the service. Give one to another person. I know one individual who bought 10 copies to give to a Bible study group from another Church. We are sowing the seed.

At our Vestry meeting we look back at 2005 and forward to 2006 and beyond, so I want to end with a blessing.

I found this blessing on a card received by our daughter, Allison Lynn, and our new son-in-law Gerald Flemming following their wedding this past week.

Numbers 6:24 – The Lord bless thee and keep thee.

3250 years ago, God recommended that Moses use this Old Testament blessing to bless the people as they continued their journey which would eventually lead them to the promised land. Similarly, our Vestry meeting today symbolizes the continuation of our journey leading to our promised land.

So I end with that ancient blessing ..

May the Lord bless you and take care of you;
May the Lord be kind and gracious to you;
May the Lord look on you with favour and give you peace.
The Lord promises that if we pronounce that blessing in the Lord’s name, I WILL BLESS THEM.
We can consider ourselves BLESSED by the Lord.

(The Reverend Hollis Hiscock is Rector of St. John’s York Mills Parish, Toronto, Canada.)

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Epiphany 4 – ‘5 STAGES OF ABSOLUTION’ - by the Rector, the Reverend Hollis Hiscock

Last Sunday at the end of our worship, many of you spoke to me with the hope that the coming week would be better for me than the previous one. Your words of encouragement inspired me enormously. Thank you.

Tomorrow, Canada gets a new Government. We do not know what to expect. Here are my predictions. On Tuesday, the sun will still rise in the east and set in the west. Spring will arrive, give or take a day, on March 21 st. All of us will break one of God’s commandments before February 28 th .

I may have little or no influence on Government policy or practices (thank God). I cannot change the daily journey of the sun, nor can I arrange to have spring arrive in February or April.

But … my last prediction - All of us will break one of God’s commandments before the end of February – I can address.

The easy part is to say - ‘Don’t do it’. Don’t sin. Model the 2 great commandments which we read earlier.

If we all did that, we could cut the confession of sins out of our service, and shorten our worship.

Chances are that will not happen. We will sin; we will repent and seek forgiveness; and we will receive forgiveness.

That is part of the Church’s 5 steps plan to forgiveness. We call it - ABSOLUTION. Priests and Bishops pronounce the Absolution at almost every public worship So it must be very important. It appeared in the first English Prayer Book in 1549 and every Anglican book since. I do not wish to imply that Anglicans are the only Christians who sin and have need for Absolutions. I’m certain others do likewise.

Our Absolution prayer can be found on page 77 (BCP).

• Addressed to God and reminds us of God’s promise. In the Book of Alternative Services, the invitation states that we can confess our sins confident in God’s forgiveness. A modern day hymn writer penned the words, ‘upon a cross on Calvary, Jesus took away my sins’.

2. ‘Have mercy upon you’ - God’s mercy has no limits. Helen’s grandmother use to say, ‘If you are big, be merciful’. God is extremely merciful because God is extremely big. The hymn writer, Frederick Faber, wrote, ‘There’s a wideness in God’s mercy like the wideness of the sea. When he wrote these words in the mid 19 th century the sea seemed much wider than today. Today Frederick would probably apply it to space travel, and write, ‘There’s a wideness in God’s mercy like the wideness of universe’ (may need a new tune).

As Jesus reminded us - We have to be merciful to ourselves and others as God is merciful to each of us.

• ‘Pardon and deliver you from all your sins’ - Jesus pardons and delivers each of us from our sins because Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead. The human birth at Christmas becomes the divine birth at Easter.
• ‘Confirm and strengthen you in all goodness’ – this is acknowledging that God’s grace or power is being given to us so that we can be ‘good people’ .. following the 2 great Commandments.

Isaiah (40:21-31) expressed it this way, ‘God gives power to the faint (weak, tired), and strengthens the powerless’, and .. those who trust in the Lord for help will find their strength renewed’ …. to be ‘good people’.

In the Gospel (Mark 1:29-39), what does Simon’s mother-in-law do after she was healed from her illness?

‘She began to serve them’ .. strengthened to do good.

Same is true for us -- we sin .. we confess .. we receive absolution or forgiveness .. we serve God and others.

• ‘Bring you to everlasting life’ – notice God will BRING us to eternal life (not SEND or DISPATCH us. Like the shepherd finding the lost sheep, picked it up and carried it back home .. so at our death, God will pick up our soul and bring us to that special room prepared especially for each of us by our Lord, Jesus Christ.

This is such a reassuring image of our loving God.

These are the 5 stages of Absolution -

1. God assures us of forgiveness if we are sorry for our sins and are faithful to God;
2. God has mercy on us;
3. God pardons and delivers us from sin;
4. God gives us the strength or power to lead the good life;
5. God will come and bring us to everlasting life.

Let us say together the ABSOLUTION, changing the word YOU to ME to make it more personal..

(The Reverend Hollis Hiscock is Rector of St. John’s York Mills Parish, Toronto, Canada.)

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Epiphany 4 – ‘The utter, absolute authority of God’ - by the Rector, the Reverend Hollis Hiscock

Some weeks are easier than others to prepare sermons. Sometimes there are too many messages and thoughts swirling around the preacher’s mind to know where to concentrate.

This has been one of the more difficult weeks for me to prepare a sermon. Here I am on Friday morning still wallowing in the wilderness of my mind looking for my inspiration.

Usually I am trying to eliminate thoughts and ideas for sermons, today it is the opposite.

I guess in political terms, my mind is somewhat like Monday’s election results … my mind is like a minority Government … no clear certainty.

St. Paul wrote that the ‘daily care of the church’ was a bigger burden than he could carry sometimes. This week I could sympathize with Paul. There were days this week when I felt that being Rector of this parish was a bigger burden than I wished to carry.

It was at that moment in my sermon writing I began to read Olivia’s summary of the Bible readings contained in the bulletin.

About This Week’s Reading: Running through to-day’s readings is the theme of authority – the utter, absolute authority of God. Unlike human authority, the authority of God is for our benefit, seeking our highest good. To stand in awe of this authority is the beginning of wisdom.Olivia Lee….

I reflected for a long time on her words, and asked myself if my life was based on ‘the utter, absolute authority of God’.

I concluded that it was. The reason why I am here, not only living on this earth, but as Rector of the great urban parish is because I belief that my life is directed by ‘the utter absolute authority of God’. And the reason why you are here today is because you base your life on ‘the utter absolute authority of God’

I can see some of you recoiling from that notion. Yet it is true. Somewhere deep inside each of us, we have decided that God is the first commandment in our lives. Love God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength. Love God with your whole being.

God’s authority, writes Olivia, is not like human authority, which may be self serving, negative, destructive, judgemental and nasty. To apply ‘human authority’ to the political area, it has been said that the role of the opposition party is to replace the governing party, using whatever means necessary.

But ‘God’s authority’, says Olivia, ‘is for our benefit, seeking the highest good’. This means each individual, each group, each parish, each institute that wants to achieve ‘the highest good’ must place itself, herself or himself under the authority of God. God must be the centre of our decision making and actions.

The highest good for Stephen in the New testament was to stand before the mob who were

throwing stones at him to kill him was to say, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. Then he knelt down and cried out in a loud voice, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them."

Jesus –Father forgive them, they know not what they do.

Jesus, speaking to His disciples separated the body and soul. The body can be hurt and killed by humans. Humans cannot touch your soul. However God can destroy both your body and soul. Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather be afraid of God fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

This is the same ‘highest good’ philosophy contained in the old rhyme – ‘sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me’.

Well, we know words can and do hurt us, especially thrown at us by friends and people we care about. If we give in to that hurt we are under ‘human authority’. If our lives are under ‘God’s authority’ then we may be in the place described by Olivia’s last sentence, that is, ‘to stand in awe of God’s authority is the beginning of wisdom’.

Our choice -- follow ‘human authority’ or ‘God’s authority’. Each person must decide. I realized once again this week that I have chosen ‘God’s authority’ over ‘human authority’. I want my highest good in my life. I want wisdom. I want God to be the centre of my existence.

To help us, follow the RULE OF LIFE (BCP 555)

(The Reverend Hollis Hiscock is Rector of St. John’s York Mills Parish, Toronto, Canada.)

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The Baptism of our Lord/Epiphany – by the Reverend Mary Lewis, Associate Rector

Because we’re not actually celebrating the Sacrament of Baptism at this service, I’m going to do two things in my sermon this morning:
1)  I’m going to begin by drawing attention to the importance of the Gospel of Mark for us;
2) and then I’m going to focus specifically on the account of Jesus’ baptism
as it has given to us in this Gospel.

The Gospel of Mark is the shortest of the four New Testament books which tell us about the life and teachings of Jesus. It’s widely thought to be the first gospel that was written; and because it explains many of the Aramaic words (Aramaic was the language which Jesus spoke) and Jewish customs, scholars suggest that Mark was writing it for the benefit of Gentiles or non-Jewish Christians.

Mark wanted to tell about Jesus and to encourage those who read his gospel
to believe in the power of Jesus to rescue them from sickness, demons and death. Mark also wants to remind you and me that the new life of faith is not an easy life, and that we must follow Jesus by serving other people and being ready to suffer as Jesus did.     

The Gospel of Mark is a thoroughly modern story in its form. The action starts in the fourth verse, which tells us that John the Baptist (Jesus’ cousin)
showed up in the desert and told everyone: “Turn back to God and be baptized!
Then your sins will be forgiven”. From all Judea and Jerusalem, crowds of people went to John. They said how sorry they were for their sins, and John baptized them in the Jordan River.

However he understands it, John perceives baptism to be the main reason why Jesus Christ came into the world.

John tells us that, compared to Jesus, he isn’t good enough even to stoop down and untie his sandals. (To untie sandals was what servant did in a household.) In this way, John is shown to be a model of humility.

Now, you and I need to remember that John and Jesus were both devout Jews.
They shared the same scripture; they worshipped the God of Abraham and Sarah; and they were both preaching a baptism of repentance into the forgiveness of sins. John said: “Hear the glad tidings of God: your sins have been forgiven! The one coming after me will make this abundantly clear. Your sins have been forgiven! Turn and live like forgiven people! Drown your sins in God’s mercy! Reform yourselves!”

So, you see, we are told to repent...and the reason for this is so that we may receive the reconciliation which is offered to us.

For Mark, John the Baptizer is a vital link between Israel and the church; between Jews and Christians; and between Judaism and Christianity. And for you and me, John the Baptist is also a vital link between the Old and New Testaments.
This story is the good news about Jesus Christ, who is the Son of the God of Abraham and Sarah.

And John is the voice in our wilderness, crying out with joy that the Lord of Israel’s forgiveness has come, and that it is crucial for us to live  as if this is so.

In his Gospel account, all Mark tells us is that this Jesus comes from Nazareth,
a town in the region of Galilee. And it seems that Jesus submits to John  instinctively. And, the result is that the Son of God is baptized in the River Jordan.

Here we have to stop and think, for a moment, about the naturalness of Jesus’ baptism. If baptism is into forgiveness--which is what I have said before--if baptism into forgiveness means that baptism is the condition for God’s forgiveness, then why on earth would Jesus Christ, Son of God,
seek to satisfy such a condition?

On the other hand, if baptism into forgiveness means that  baptism signifies forgiveness--attests to, expresses, aligns with, and seals what already is--
then isn’t baptism completely natural for the Son of God who comes to
“give his life a ransom for many”--as an act of personal identification with God’s glorious will to redeem?

Now, the picture of Jesus’ baptism is quite graphic: the Son of God comes up out of the water; the Holy Spirit comes down upon him; and God the Father speaks tenderly to him. Jesus sees, and hears and feels it all!

Can you see that this particular baptism invites Father, Son and Holy Spirit?

In addition to WATER, the only other aspect of  baptism, throughout Christian history, is that it is done “IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER, AND OF THE SON,
AND OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.”

Do you think that Mark is suggesting that in this particular baptism of Jesus
lies the essential meaning of all  baptism?

Mark has written his Gospel for people like you and me who struggle to be faithful disciples of Jesus. Marks knows that what we need more than anything for our discipleship is being sure of belonging in a binding relationship with God;
not in a relationship based on the constant threat of “if you do this, then you will be redeemed.”

Mark’s purpose in writing about the baptism of Jesus is to convey who Jesus is.
Jesus needs to know who he is, but so do his disciples. As the Messiah (The Anointed One) is immersed into God’s covenant of mercy, the church that follows Jesus is also  immersed.

As Jesus learns of his Sonship and how much God loves him, and the pleasure that he gives within the heart of God, so you and I learn about ours, too.

In the thundering whisper of Jesus’ identity, we hear the truth about ourselves; we are “Beloved sons and daughters,with whom God is absolutely delighted.”

And this is exactly what the church gives to each of us in baptism:  the truth about ourselves, the bedrock of our identity, the sole foundation for discipleship,
our only reliable hope in the midst of despair.
“You--you, personally,--are God’s child, beloved and pleasing to God. This is your definition; this is who you are; your truth amidst all lies; living proof that you ultimately matter.”

(The Reverend Mary Lewis+ is Associate Rector of St. John’s York Mills Parish, Toronto, Canada.)

E-mail me with your comments.

Epiphany Sunday– “Feast of the Epiphany” “Giving our Giftedness--our gifts, to God.” by the Reverend Mary Lewis, Associate Rector

Today here at St. John's we are keeping the Feast of the Epiphany. Today we have heard the story of the three wise men, who were led by a star, and who brought their gifts to give to the Christ Child--their gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. Taking example from these wise men, I would like to focus in my sermon on us giving our giftedness--our gifts, to God, because each of us has a set of gifts that we can give to God.

What are the gifts which God has given to you? They are your talents, your aptitudes, your abilities, events that have happened to you. These have shaped you, your family, your health, your everything. Your gifts are the sum total of all the resources that God has given to you. Your gifts are not just genetic abilities and natural aptitudes, although these are part of your gifts. Many of your most precious gifts are qualities and resources that have been developed in you over time.

It is true that God has given everyone here today an abundance of gifts. So I ask you to think right now--what are the gifts and resources that God has given you?

Mary Schramm has written a book titled "Gifts of Grace". In her book, she suggests that there are five steps in ascertaining and using your gifts.

The first step is to discover your gifts--and you nearly always discover your gifts in relationship; you rarely discover your gifts in isolation. For example, we discover our giftedness while at work: gifts for organization, leadership, cooperation. In a good marriage, a spouse is forever helping you to discover your talents and how to use those talents more effectively, from the time you are first married until you die. You are forever growing and changing, and a good partner is one who helps you to discover yourself and what you want to do next with your life. Friends also help you to discover yourself. They know your interests and resources and the changing circumstances of your life, and they help you to discover and expand your giftedness. I believe that it is very important to keep learning about, and using, your gifts at each and every stage of your life.

The second step is to accept the gifts which God has given you. This is the art of maturity--learning to accept the gifts that God has given to you and not given to you. A key indicator is how jealous and envious you are of other people and their gifts. If you are jealous and envious of other people's giftedness, or if you feel inferior, chances are you have not really accepted your own blend of gifts that God has given to you.

The third step is to enjoy your God-given gifts:  to take pleasure in them--to appreciate what God can do through your life. For example, if you are an artistic person--a painter, a sculptor, a photographer--you get a great deal of pleasure from creating a piece of your very own artwork.

The fourth step is to develop your gifts. Like all gifts, your gifts need to be put to work, to be exercised, to be matured. Nothing in this world becomes stronger without hard work and the investment of your time and energy. Just to rely on native talent and to avoid the hard work of developing that gift will lead you nowhere.

The fifth step involves all of the steps....and it is to surrender all your gifts to God. This means to give all of your gifts to Jesus Christ. That is what was wise about the wise men in our Bible story today. Their wisdom wasn't merely giving their material gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh, but it was the gift of their total selves to their journey to find the Christ Child. Their trip took a long time, and they were totally devoted to the mission of finding Jesus, making use of all of their resources to do so.

I believe that wisdom for you and for me is giving all of our gifts to Jesus Christ. If we don't, we will use our gifts for our own benefit...just to glorify ourselves. But you and I are called instead to glorify God, and to praise God each day for all of God's wonderful works done in and through us.

Do you realize that, when you discover your gifts, use your gifts, and surrender your gifts to Jesus, you are doing the will of God for our life? Perhaps you have asked yourself:  What is God's will for my life?  Very simply, to do the will of God is to discover and use and surrender your God-given resources to make the world a better place, to be the kingdom of God in your own time and space.

Today is Epiphany Sunday. It is that Sunday in which we celebrate the gifts that the wise men brought to Jesus. And, indeed, this is when each one of us becomes wise:  when we discover the unique blend of gifts that God has given to us; when we have accepted those gifts; when we enjoy those gifts, develop those gifts, and surrender those gifts to Christ.

I pray that you will find fresh joy in this New Year through the gifts you offer this Epiphany Sunday to our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.  Amen.

(The Reverend Mary Lewis+ is Associate Rector of St. John’s York Mills Parish, Toronto, Canada.)

E-mail me with your comments.