Sunday Reflection with Canon Robin Gibbons - January 7th 2021

St Michaels Church Begbroke Oxon

Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

It's often the little things in Scripture that catch my attention and lead to a very profound meditation, one word hits me sometimes, and off my mind goes, led I hope by the Spirit. I suspect this is part of my Benedictine training, lectio divina taking the Word into my depths and going with me in the day, to return as prayer or like now, writing a sermon or reflection.

I thought it prudent to begin with good old Job, I have often complained about the way we set out our Lectionary readings and in one sense this is n example, just a section taken from one of Job's long monologues. If at first you feel it shouldn't be there have another look. Doesn't it sum up the loud noises we keep hearing in the media? Turn on your `TV and just listen to the general drift, yes thank the Lord for the 'Captain Toms', but there seems to be an endless tendency to moan, on and on, how hard it is, how badly done by I am, how the past holds me back! I could go on, but won't because my intention is not to comment on anything specific but to suggest we have become, and are real moaners. The danger is to get stuck in a record of our own making, a lot like this version of Job, which alas I have heard in similar format so often these days;

'So I have been assigned months of futility,

and troubled nights have been counted off for me.

When I lie down I say, "When shall I arise?"

then the night drags on;

I am filled with restlessness until the dawn'. (Job 7:3,4)

Our question is what to do about it? We know that Job doesn't end like this, a lot more dialogue takes place and he changes somewhat, but what about 'our' misery, 'our' plight especially in this strange, disturbing time, where we are all suffering in one way or another?

I could easily trot out the usual, 'God is in it with us' theme, but I won't. Many people don't hear, or don't want to hear that the Holy One is with us. You and I believe in the promises of Jesus, and so have a slight edge on them, we believe and believing are prepared to dive into the situation and seek God there, but others do not have the tools, or the spiritual vocabulary to understand. What they need is good preaching, good proclamation, good solid practical neighbourliness and not necessarily in church, for sharing the Good News is our task, not simply the clergy.

Here is Paul hinting at the task ahead of us:

'To the weak I became weak, to win over the weak.
I have become all things to all, to save at least some.
All this I do for the sake of the gospel,
so that I too may have a share in it'.

( I Cor 9: 22, 23)

To me this is the practical aspect of love, to help others I need to understand where they come from, I too need to acknowledge my weaknesses, my finality, my frailty and then, and only then, open and naked before the Spirit, the treasury of blessings, I can ask for help, and am led to Christ, who I know but in my own weakness see before me in my neighbours. To really reach out and help, we have to become conduits, not simply channels, but people who can hold the Spirit's gifts for others to take. This requires of us the humility of being truthful and honest before the Holy One, in other words (back to Job!) letting go before God, letting rip, lancing the boil of anger, sin, frustration in ourselves.

If we do this are we simply exhausted empty people? No! Todays Gospel shows us what will happen, the Christ of our lives will enter in and in some way, bring us back to life, as we must also do for others.

As a coda I will share those few words from the readings which has given me such pleasure to pray over, here it is: 'Simon's mother-in-law' (Mk 1:30)

What this teaches me is to look for the many small hints in the Word that is our Gospel that take us into a richer, far more open, far less divisive world of Christ, that of the Kingdom, not the Church. What does that phrase mean for you? Many things I hope, but paramount is the fact the Simon Peter was married, probably had a family, and though he left them to follow Jesus, there is that reminder that he would get them back a hundredfold. I suspect Peter's wife was there all along dealing with his weakness. I'll leave it there. And a very last thought, those who preach and amass large fortunes from it (and that include those of us who broadcast or write spiritual books) might need to look again at the words of Paul and those last words of Jesus, what am I doing this for? If my first answer isn't for love of Christ and to proclaim the Good News, I need to rethink. Enjoy the readings, may they give you all much richness this week.

Thoughts to ponder

Thomas Merton

January 8, 1950 - Preaching God implies silence. If preaching is not born of silence, it is a waste of time. Writing and teaching must be fed by silence or they are a waste of time. / There are many declarations made only because we think other people are expecting us to make them. The silence of God should teach us when to speak and when not to speak. But we cannot bear the thought of that silence, lest it cost us the trust and respect of men (others).

Sonnet

St Peter by Malcolm Guile

Impulsive master of misunderstanding

You comfort me with all your big mistakes;

Jumping the ship before you make the landing,

Placing the bet before you know the stakes.

I love the way you step out without knowing,

The way you sometimes speak before you think,

The way your broken faith is always growing,

The way he holds you even when you sink.

Born to a world that always tried to shame you,

Your shaky ego vulnerable to shame,

I love the way that Jesus chose to name you,

Before you knew how to deserve that name.

And in the end your Saviour let you prove

That each denial is undone by love.

Fr Robin is an Eastern Rite Catholic Chaplain for Melkites in the UK. He is also an Ecumenical Canon of Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford. You can follow him on Twitter: @RobinGibbons2