The Anglican Church of St Philip's O'Connor, Canberra, ACT, Australia
Services on Sunday: Holy Communion 8am and 10am. Wednesday 10am
Priest:(the Rev'd) Rob Lamerton. Ph 6161 7334 Fax 6161 7322
e-mail stphil@grapevine.com.au
Wardens: James Kim, Roger Sharp, Doreen Odom
Download these notes in rich text format:
29June2008_RL.rtf
Readings:
Text of readings is available at
http://divinity.library.vanderbilt.edu/lectionary/APentecost/aProper8.htm
When we left for New Zealand last week, Sandy and I had been in touch with my half-brother, Paul, and Judith his mother by 'phone, letter and e-mail, but it was still uncertain how we would get on and how they would respond to our visit.
We need not have worried, for we were made very welcome as they picked us up from the airport and we went for coffee to talk. The next stage was to spend a whole day together, going back over the family history. Though there were some awkward moments, there was recognition of the given-ness of the situation and that, with the death of my father, this was the time to move ahead. The welcome was confirmed when we later returned to Auckland and spent our last two nights in New Zealand as guests of Judith and Paul.
In all of it I was aware of the grace of God's presence to bring good from a very poor situation of over 40 years ago!
Welcome! We were welcome!
Today's gospel is about welcome. Jesus said, "Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me."
This passage about "welcome" concludes the long address by Jesus to the ones who are called apostles. This is Jesus' mission address! Chapter 10 of Matthew begins with Jesus calling and giving the authority to the twelve to cast out evil spirits and to heal the sick. Then Jesus gives instructions about how they were to work. They were not to go to the Samaritans, but to focus their attention on the lost sheep of the house of Israel. They were to travel light and to find worthy people in the towns that they visited and base themselves there.
They were to stay where welcomed and to move on when not welcomed.
Jesus warned them to be aware. They were like sheep in the midst of wolves and they had to be as wise as serpents and as innocent as doves. Jesus warned them to expect persecution and division — even within families — but he encouraged them to let God speak through them as they were enabled by the Spirit of their Father.
As disciples, they were to be like their master (a hint that the church of Matthew's day was seeing the sort of persecution that had been faced by Jesus!). They were not to be afraid. God's purpose of bringing things to light would be continued through them; God was still a protector who cares.
The disciples were even to expect division as they proclaimed Jesus' word, but were to be willing to take up the cross and to follow him.
Finally, Jesus' address to his Apostles concluded with the words we read today: "Whoever welcomes you welcomes me." This reflects the pattern of the previous parable in this Gospel of Matthew. "As you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me." What is done for the least of Jesus' followers is done for Christ. To receive a prophet or a "righteous man" is to share his work and therefore receive the same reward. Those who welcome and receive the apostles were actually receiving Christ and the Father who sent him, and would share in the reward of the age to come.
As Jesus rounded off his talk to his apostles, those he was sending out, he reminded them that, just as they represented him to others, he remained united with them, present with them, to encourage and empower.
The ability to welcome is empowering and transformational! I think back to the trip to New Zealand. Our host said that we were brave to do what we did, to travel on a wing and a prayer. But their welcome completed the task! Had they not welcomed us, nothing would have been resolved, nothing new discovered, healing and grace incomplete.
I see my experience of the last week as a parable of what the apostles had to do. They had to go out in faith, knowing Christ was with them. Where they were welcomed, the opportunity for transformation was profound, as the love of Christ was allowed to flow.
Where there is no welcome, as Jesus warned, it is best to cut our losses and move on.
The mission of Christ calls us to go, to heal and restore, to love, forgive, to live justly, etc. But it also calls us to welcome, to be the source of encouragement and renewal of those who are of Christ's mission, our fellow Christians. In the first instance, to welcome is to enable Christ's mission by enabling and encouraging, guiding and directing, our fellow Christians!
In Hildegard's Ordo Virtutum, being performed here this weekend, the Virtues (presumably the virtues of those who surround the wayward Soul in the story) gently welcome, influence and restore, putting the Soul back on track. There are times when we need people around us, who will simply hold onto us and keep us going on the path God has for us.
All the other hand, those who give the welcome need to receive the message as the word of God, not just a human message. As Paul says in his first letter to the Thessalonians (2.13),
We also constantly give thanks to God for this, that when you received the word of God that you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human word but as what it really is, God's word, which is also at work in you believers.
So we are encouraged to welcome and to listen for the word of God in each other. This is where restoration and renewing begins as the mission of Christ continues!
This web site is designed and maintained by Linda Anchell. Write to:lindafrd@pcug.org.au
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