Sermon at All Saints’ Church, Whiteparish - Sunday 3 September 2023
Jeremiah
15:15-21; Romans 12:9-end; Matthew 16:21-end
Let us begin with a prayer,
Father God, we bless and praise you that we can meet here this morning without fear of persecution knowing that you are always present; especially when we are assembled together as your Church. We thank you that you gave us Your Son, Jesus Christ, to die for us to redeem our sins and that we are forever forgiven. We thank you for the gift of the Holy Spirit and, in these current times of political and economic uncertainty and unrest, may that same Holy Spirit be there with us as an inspiration to us all in making and keeping the presence of God deep within us even when the going gets tough. Amen
[Seventy-eight/Eighty-four years] ago, on this date and on this day, a Sunday, the world was thrust into a conflagration that would last for almost six years and would leave millions (many innocent non-belligerents) dead – for today, [78/84] years ago, the United Kingdom and France declared war on Hitler’s Germany. The reason for the declaration was that Germany, which had already re-occupied the Ruhr and the Rhineland, and had occupied Austria and Czechoslovakia had now turned its attention on Poland which it had invaded two day’s previously. Hitler’s aim was to take the free city of Danzig (now Gdansk) and incorporate Poland into the Third Reich. Poland would cease to exist.
As we know, the occupation of Poland and the
subjugation of its inhabitants, especially its Jewish population, was something
which is painful to describe because of the horrific nature of the cruelty
inflicted, yet, having visited that country three times, I cannot ever get over
the kindness and hospitality of a people who have, not only during the Second
World War, but throughout a long and involved and violent history, been so
badly treated.
Looking back on all the sermons which I have
written since being licensed as a minister of the Church of England in 2013, I
find that this is how I started a sermon I delivered in this very church, and
to many of you present here today, six years ago – back in 2017. I went on to
discuss the difficulties of how many of those who suffered under the occupation
of Europe by the Nazis had in ever coming to terms with what they saw as God’s
abandonment of them and how forgiveness seemed so impossible. I also mentioned
a Holocaust survivor called Etty Hillesum and of how she implored Jewish people
to protect and keep God in their hearts above saving and hiding their earthly
possessions. In her view they needed to
protect and hide God from their persecutors in order to sustain them. The words of Jeremiah in our first reading
must have often been in her mind – utter what is precious and not what is
worthless.
When I gave that sermon the United Kingdom was
still a part of the European Community (albeit we had voted to leave) and
Ukraine was still an unviolated sovereign state (with the exception of the
Crimea). I thought it would be
interesting, therefore, just to reflect upon how things have changed – if at
all – since I delivered that sermon and see if we have learned anything at
all.
I mentioned previously that Poland is a very
devout Christian country – 96% of its habitants, I remarked, are registered as
Roman Catholics. At the heart of our Christian Faith, I reminded us, is the
important doctrine and concept of forgiveness, something which, for many, it
can be extremely hard to practice when applied to someone who has really hurt
us.
When I spoke six years ago, I spoke in the past
tense about the cruelty of the Nazis in their persecution and extermination of
those in the countries they occupied – especially Poland, citing the witness
born by Etty Hillesum. Little did any of us think that six years later we would
see a resumption of persecution and extermination of another Eastern European
people, the Ukrainians, at the hands of another large authoritarian power –
this time Russia led by another autocrat. After decades of relative peace we
now find Europe once more in a state of high alert and economic challenge as a
result of the territorial demands of another superpower.
What has been heartening has been the response
which many ordinary people have made in supporting and housing the refugees
from that war-torn country. I personally know many people who have taken in
refugees from that conflict and welcomed them into our village communities
within our own Deanery.
It is easy to get despondent when things work
against us. It is often easy to ask the
question – “Where is God in all this?”
“Why does he allow such things to happen?” “Why can’t he put an end to
this now?” …and the biggest question of all – Does God actually exist at all?”
These are not new questions and it is quite
alright for us to pose them. They have
been posed for thousands of years.
Indeed, we hear these questions posed in the Psalms, in today’s reading
from Jeremiah and also in our Gospel Reading when Peter cannot understand
Jesus’s revelation that he must suffer and die.
As far as Peter is concerned God can and will step in to prevent this
from happening without understanding that it must happen.
A couple of weeks ago we had the reading from
Genesis when Joseph met his brothers again. Instead of punishing them and
rejecting them for having sold him into slavery he rather teases them at first
and then ultimately forgives them because he realises that if it was not for
their bad deeds towards him – human and worldly actions - he would not have
been placed in the position he was in Egypt and able to do God’s work. Similarly, Jesus tells his disciples that he
cannot save the world from sin without having to go through the trial and
punishment already destined for him through the Cross. Peter sees it from a human, worldly
perspective whereas Jesus explains that it is a divine design.
I recently had an interesting theological
discussion with a good friend whose family seems to be going through a tough
time at the moment. The friend has a strong faith and whilst he may not
understand why he and his family appear to be “under siege” as he put it, he
acknowledges that his faith constantly reminds him to understand that God has a
plan and that the plan will not ultimately hurt us because God loves us. Evil
has already been defeated and will never, therefore, ultimately prevail. We
must keep telling ourselves that – “God loves us”; “Jesus loves us” but we must
accept him and not reject him. We must
believe that however much we or others may sin, however much we may go astray,
like sheep to quote the psalm, he will bring us back into the fold if only we
have the courage to believe and keep the faith.
I believe that is true on a global scale too. Whatever bad things happen, whatever bad
people seem to get into positions of power, God will eventually overcome those
dark powers for us. Paul talks about our fight against dark institutions and
powers. Jesus defeated death on the cross therefore death and evil will never
prevail although we will go through dark times of evil and despair. Being a Christian does not make us immune
from worldly wrongdoings but we do have the weapons to fight it – above all the
knowledge of God’s love for his people and our love for him and all that is
righteous.
Paul puts the attitude we are expected to have
have into a clear words in his letter to the Church in Rome as read out today
in our second reading and which I think helpful for us to hear again :
“Let love be
genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; love one another
with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honour. Do not lag in zeal,
be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in
suffering, persevere in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints;
extend hospitality to strangers.
Bless those who
persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who
rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another; do
not be haughty, but associate with the lowly; do not claim to be wiser
than you are. Do not repay anyone evil for evil, but take thought for what
is noble in the sight of all. If it is possible, so far as it depends on
you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave
room for the wrath of God; for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will
repay, says the Lord.’ No, ‘if your enemies are hungry, feed them; if they
are thirsty, give them something to drink; for by doing this you will heap
burning coals on their heads.’ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome
evil with good.”
Whenever I read these words I find this whole concept so lovely but yet so difficult. Which of us has not had enemies at some time? People who have hurt us or wanted to hurt us? People who have put themselves and their own desires first and foremost above the feelings and situations of others. Sometimes deliberately, sometimes unthinkingly – and which of us can honestly say that we have not, at some time hurt others ourselves? Perhaps a thoughtless or tactless word or action – a feeling of revenge or retribution against the other person who has hurt us? Gandhi once said to a Christian “It says somewhere in your Bible ‘…an eye for an eye’ but what use is that – when does it stop? – when the whole world is blind?”
Every Sunday, and hopefully on other days of the
week, we recite the Lord’s Prayer. We
are probably all so familiar with it that we rattle it off automatically; but
again, at the heart of it is that part which asks for forgiveness – just as we
are forgiven. Forgiveness is something
we can readily receive but which we must readily give to others – whether they
ask for it or not.
When we are hurt we suffer distress. We can have a
whole range of emotions - disbelief, anger, sadness, a desire for vengeance but
as Gandhi said what does that achieve but to make the whole world blind – Paul
puts it better – “vengeance is mine says the Lord”. Our role has to be to give room for God’s
support and love – through Christ, through the Cross and through the Holy
Spirit.
In a moment of silent prayer, is there somebody you want to forgive, somebody who has caused you pain and suffering; if so mentally recite the name of that person and leave that name at the foot of the Cross and let God, through Jesus, take on the burden.
Amen
MFB/103/31082017/189/18902092023
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