Joseph's Faithfulness - Annie Saunders Sermon for Advent 4

May I speak in the Name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, in Love

Amen

Today I want us to think about faithfulness.  What does it mean to be faithful? The word faithful derives from the noun for faith and means to believe or have faith in God or another person or a cause. To be faithful means to be a person who is loyal, reliable, trustworthy. An individual who is steadfast, resolute, dutiful and dedicated. In addition to be a faithful person means to be great with or filled with faith in God one who is grounded in God or abiding in the Lord, living in Him and His Spirit. Our Gospel reading from Matthew focuses on the role of Joseph in the nativity narrative. As Joseph is the person in the account usually given a back stage role I want us to consider his faithfulness and how he can act as a role model for us.

Joseph is the solid silent type. Mary, Elizabeth, Gabriel and even Zacheriah all speak but even in Matthew's account - the gospel which includes Joseph - Joseph is silent. Often portrayed incorrectly as much older than Mary he is the figurine that gets pushed to the back of the crowded crib. In fact Joseph is the faithful one who holds everything together, is faithful to God, faithful to Mary and to Jesus and who stands firm as the leader in the family. Silent, quiet but an individual of action

What can we learn about Faithfulness from Joseph? Let's look at Matthew's text on the reading sheet. Joseph is faithful to Mary. We are told by Matthew that he is engaged to Mary but engagement in Jewish legal and religious culture was more binding than it is today. Although prior to marriage the couple did not live together or have intimate relations Jewish law considered them already man and wife. A woman found to be unfaithful in a betrothal relationship could be charged with adultery or even publicly tried and executed. And Mary is with child. So for Joseph this is personally and publicly a very risky situation and one with life long consequences too.

We can imagine Joseph's immediate feelings when he hears her news – outrage, anger, hurt, disbelief. We can tell that Joseph battled with his emotions and with himself – verse 19 tells us he decided to dismiss her quietly but the following verse says that Joseph had to resolve to do this. It sounds as if he went  through a process of resolution trying to deal with this very difficult and delicate situation. Also in our text we are told that Joseph is a “righteous man” and that he is unwilling to expose Mary to public disgrace.  By using the term “righteous”, Matthew is telling us that Joseph is a man of God who worships God fully and who keeps all the Jewish laws. So in terms of his public reputation, Joseph has a lot to lose – the situation makes him vulnerable. At the same time Joseph is obviously a kind man who cares for Mary -  he is sensitive to her situation.

But then – an angel of God appears to Joseph in a dream. The angel says:

“Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins”

Joseph wakes up and “he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him  ..”. He obeys God immediately. He doesn't need to resolve the situation anymore, he just obeys God. Joseph's response indicates he is very much a man of God, a righteous man – he immediately obeys the Lord. He is submitted to God – his ego and male pride don't get in God's way because Joseph is already faithful to God.

In addition to being faithful to God Joseph is also a man of great faith. He is asked to believe the impossible and once God has spoken to him via the angel he straight away believes God rather than his own rational mind. And Joseph has dreams. In time to come he experiences three more of these dreams in which God speaks to him. It seems then that as a man of faith who already knows and obeys God Joseph doesn't need a miraculous physical manifestation of an angel – God can speak to Joseph in his dreams and Joseph already knows God's voice.

God has confidence in Joseph – like Abraham the Lord knows He can trust Joseph because Joseph is a person of integrity; he possesses the same faith and love for God shown by Abraham and Moses – he is in fact a great man of faith, a leader and a role model. God called Abraham a father of many nations but Joseph is the human father God chose for Jesus, His divine Son.

So what do we find in Joseph that can help us to follow the Lord faithfully? First I want to point out two things: Joseph is faithful. And Joseph is ordinary and human like me and you. He isn't a rabbi or a priest with learning and authority but a carpenter or builder. He isn't affluent. He is human – he has the same passionate emotions and responses we would have in his situation. And he is caring. Your average Joe! But Joseph is open to God – not only can God speak to him in his dreams but the man immediately does what God instructs him to do, he puts aside his own feelings to serve God. Joseph listens to God. In fact he seems to be almost like a conduit for God, an open channel, a man who is both open to and listens for God's voice.

Joseph trusts God. He trusts that by God's grace and by God's faithfulness, all will work out according to God's wishes. When we consider Joseph's subsequent actions and his lifelong trust in God we remember Paul's words in Romans chapter 8. That all things do work together for good, for loving followers of the Lord who are called by God for His purposes, His plans. Joseph shows us a great example of how this living, faithful trust in God works.

Joseph is courageous. His faith in God allows him to meet the difficulties and dangers which face him in obeying God, the fears and apprehensions he must have experienced. Like Mary, Joseph doesn't know where God is leading him. Like us he doesn't have the whole picture of God's plan. But Joseph is big hearted and trusts God faithfully enough to go ahead and take the risks, both the personal and the life threatening dangers to come.

In conclusion, we can learn a lot from Joseph's faithful following of God. We can ask God for a little of Joseph's openness and his ability to listen. Perhaps we may want to pray for Joseph's amazing trust or for his bravery. What has struck me about Joseph is just how faithful he was. I've been praying for greater faithfulness generally. The other thing which has impressed me is that Joseph grew to be like God – loving, protecting, providing for his family, guiding Jesus as a child. As a person who tries to follow God and as a parent like Joseph, I find, probably like our Lord did, that Joseph is a role model I want to copy and be inspired by. So I pray for Joseph's faithful love for God and for his self-less care for others for all of us this Christmas.

Amen

Are you the One? Revd Ray's sermon for Advent 3

Are you the One? Revd Ray's sermon for Advent 3

Hearts Enlightened - Becoming Saints for God's World

Revd Ray's Sermon for All Saints Sunday
All Saints Sunday_

The Violence of the world and the Yearning of God - A sermon on Hosea 11: 1-11

Revd Ray's sermon on Hosea downloadable from here

Partners in Prayer - A Sermon by Annie Saunders 24th July 2016

-ST CHAD AND ST MARK EUCHARIST: SUNDAY 24TH JULY 2016: PARTNERS IN PRAYER


May I speak in the Name of Creator, Christ and Holy Spirit, in love. Amen


Howdy Partners! How many famous partnerships can we think of?

Tom and Jerry, Batman and Robin, Lone Ranger and Tonto, Frodo and Sam, Mary and Joseph, Sherlock and Watson. Abraham and God, Moses and God, David and God, Mary and God, Jesus and Peter … …

Partnerships take all sorts of forms and the partners aren't necessarily on equal terms, they can be based upon family relationships, marriage, friendship, service. And there can be more than two partners for example in a law firm or a doctors' practice.
Partners may live together or work together, be bonded together by law or service or by blood or love. The Bible is full of partnerships with God – we just identified some of the individuals who were close intimates, partners with the Lord. In prayer and in building His Kingdom on earth, we are also partners with Christ. I want us to focus on our partnership with God in prayer. First we'll examine our two readings. Then we'll consider – what is prayer. Then think about intercessory prayer and how we can be partners with God in prayers for others, for situations and for our world.

In our reading from Genesis, Abraham prays or talks to God about saving the people in the cities of Sodom and Gommorah. His nephew Lot and Lot's family are in the cities. Abraham is very persistent and virtually negotiates with God again and again.
In our New Testament reading from Luke the disciples are travelling gradually to Jerusalem and Jesus is teaching and preparing His followers for events which will occur once they arrive. His disciples ask Jesus, “Teach us to pray”. Jesus gives them His prayer which for us is like the blueprint prayer of our faith. Jesus then proceeds to tell them the parable of the persistent friend – the one about the bothersome neighbour who knocks on the door asking to borrow supplies in the middle of the night. The householder reluctantly gets up and gives his friend the bread he needs, basically to get some peace – he knows his friend will not go away otherwise.

Jesus then goes on to say, “Ask and it will be given to you, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened”. Jesus is instructing His followers and us how to pray, to ask God for things we need, for ourselves, for those we care about and for our world. Ask, Seek, Knock, like the persistent neighbour and keep on doing it, like Abraham. “Teach us to pray Lord” - this is how to pray.

Why? Jesus goes on to clarify the parable of the persistent neighbour – because God is our Father and like any good parent He longs to give us good things. Jesus uses the bothersome neighbour story as a contrast – God isn't like the reluctant householder – He waits lovingly to give us things, but we must ask and be persistent. Ask, Knock, God wants us to be involved, with Him in making good happen, in spreading love.

“Don't ask – Don't get” is the saying, meaning go ahead and ask – if you don't, you'll never obtain what you need. As I thought about today's readings and about prayer I had a realisation. For about five years, since they moved, I've wanted to go and see the Stanbrook Nuns now based in the North York Moors at New Stanbrook. They moved from Worcestershire to Wass in North Yorkshire and have established a first eco-convent. I miss my retreats at Old Stanbrook, I miss the friends I had made, especially Sister Philippa. These Benedictine nuns are the intellectual brigade – writers, photographers and artists but most famous for their singing and their prayer. I miss the blessings of their singing, I miss the power of their prayer and their goodness. And I suddenly realised I've never thought to ask God to help me to get up to North Yorkshire and see them. “I've never asked Him”, thinks me. So, although the same multiple obstacles remain – cost, difficult to get there, middle of nowhere, nowhere near to stay – I've asked the Lord. I'll let you know what happens.

So, what is prayer? To me, prayer is time spent in loving relationship with God. It's being with God, conversing with God, in some form, at whatever level. Basically – talking to our Creator who is within us, and outside us, around us. Prayer can be formal – or informal, spoken and silent communication. It can be deep contemplation or meditation, communicating without words. Prayer is about friendship and companionship – keeping company with our Lord. Jesus says, we are His friends, friends not servants. Of course, prayer is often difficult – the author Yancy says, “Turning up”, is enough, just being there with God's Spirit, even if it's just for a snatched half-minute of prayer.

Prayer is also about interceding for others and for situations in our world. To intercede means to place oneself in front of, to come inbetween them and their need or condition. This is exactly what Abraham does – he puts himself between the inhabitants of Sodom and Gommorah and his relatives and the danger all are in from the impending disaster. He intercedes for them with God.

God wants us to do the same – to intercede for other people – to come alongside them in their need. And to speak to Him about them or the situation which exists. Yancy says, God acts in response to prayer – that somehow, prayer sets God loose to act. Our prayers make a difference to other people and to our world – our prayers are part of building Christ's Kingdom of Love on earth. Our human strength is, we know, pretty feeble but Christ is our High Priest – He intercedes for us and for the people we pray for – and His strength is the ultimate strength, the power of Love.

So, we are partners with Christ when we pray. Julian of Norwich, the 14th century mystic and first female British author, identifies prayer as the main channel by which God continues partnership with us today.

Julian writes

“Prayer makes the soul one with God … For He beholds us in Love and would make us partners of His good deed and therefore He stirs us to pray for that which it pleases Him to do”

Basically, prayer and praying for others is a joint effort with God, a partnership of friends who work together in loving relationship to create good, to make God's Kingdom of Love. God and me, God and you, God and us, all partners in prayer.

So how do we pray for others? I'm sure you're ahead of me in this, I'm learning but in this partnership of prayer we are all constantly learning about how to pray. So I wanted to highlight a few ways I've found of praying for others or for a bad situation. Sometimes I light a candle at home and keep it burning as long as possible and I focus on the candle and speak to God about a person or about a crisis. Quick prayers at the bus stop or in traffic if you're driving, I've found helpful. And prayer beads or bracelets can help me when I'm quiet, just handling each of the beads and either thinking of someone or asking God to speak to me about a person or a situation. You probably know and find other ways of praying helpful – come and share your ways with me after the service. Probably the most helpful way of prayer is asking God who or what we should pray for - “what would You like me and You to pray for Lord?”

The power of intercessory prayer formed in relationship with God is immense. I want to describe it as like dynamite – but that's too destructive a description. And the power of prayer is far deeper than temporary exploding power. It's of the very essence of life, of how our world, our existence works, of how the God of infinite Love works.

Perhaps the most important need when we pray is being still and allowing Christ to enfold us in His Love – dwelling – even for a short snatched time, in Christ's love for us. And letting His awakened Being, His Love within us, move and flow, and together with Him letting that love and light flow through us, to a person or a bad situation which really needs it. Prayer is about He and me, He and us, together sending Love into the world and to others.

Let's pray

Lord, teach us to pray.
Immerse each one of us in Your Love.
Help us to pray your wishes, to hear your
desires for other people and to work
with You to send them Love.
Lord, teach us to pray with You.

Amen

Going Forwards Together with Christ - A Sermon on Trinity 5 by Annie Saunders

May I speak in the Name of Creator, Saviour and Spirit in the Name of Love. Amen

Today I want us to reflect again on the subject of going forwards together with Christ. Each of us is on a journey with God and together we are His Body, His church family of St Chad and St Mark. Together we are on the “Way” - the road with Christ, just as the disciples were in our Gospel reading, as Jesus sets off on the Way, the road to Jerusalem and His death and Resurrection. We travel together, as a community, as a church family with our Lord and we build His kingdom of Love, healing and justice as we progress with Him. Sometimes the vision, the call we answer together,shifts and changes, as God the Holy Spirit leads us forwards to new challenges to growth together. Our readings are both concerned with change, about going forwards and not looking back. How do these narratives relate to us? And in a week of momentous, historical change in our nation, I ask the question what does God want from us – how does He want us to be? As followers of our Lord, what is He calling us to do especially in our wider communities and as members of our nation? What is our role as a community, a Christ-centred, Christ-loving family, as we move forwards together?

Let's first examine our readings starting with the Old Testament extract from 1 Kings. First God tells Elijah to return to near Damascus in Syria – if you remember last week's reading – Elijah is a long way south in the southern country of Judah near Beersheva. He fled from Israel and Queen Jezebel's death sentence upon him. Now Elijah, having passed through despair and hopelessness and having heard God's voice in the silence, is instructed by God in where to go and what he needs to do -  and Elijah is ready. So he has a long journey ahead of him. God tells Elijah to anoint Hazael as King of Syria. And to anoint Jehu as king over Israel. In the historical context, God is asking Elijah to appoint kings who will go on to produce revolutionary change in Israel's history. And he needs to appoint Elisha as his successor. Long journies to travel, difficult and dangerous change to set in motion and his prophetic successor to find, call and train. Plenty of quite frightening change and challenge for Elijah.

Elijah eventually locates Elisha – who is ploughing when the prophet arrives. Elijah throws his mantle or cloak over Elisha's shoulders. This is a sign of calling because Elijah's cloak is of rich fur and only worn by kings and prophets – a symbol of the Israelite's chief prophet. Elisha asks to say goodbye to his family and friends first. Elijah agrees – concerned about what he's done to Elisha – in appointing the man as his successor. Elisha goes off and kills the oxen for the feast – his leaving do, if you like; he even uses the plough parts to build the fire to cook the meat. This is a symbolic action to show he has left his old life and cares behind. After the celebration Elisha sets out and follows Elijah. And he doesn't look back.

In our Gospel reading from Luke 9 Jesus sets out on the road to Jerusalem. This marks a crucial point in Jesus' ministry when he begins to journey towards His death and Resurrection and He sets off resolutely, with determination. When the Samaritans reject Him Jesus doesn't stick around – He moves quickly on to the next village to find hospitality. As our extract says “His face was set towards Jerusalem”.

While they are travelling Jesus is stopped on three occasions by people who each wish to be His follower. His response to the first is that, if he goes wherever Jesus does – he will be a nomad because the Son of Man has no real home. The other two men need to do final things at home but Jesus tells them to follow Him and proclaim the Kingdom of God. Basically, Jesus is saying “Don't look back” perhaps as Elisha did when he symbolically destroyed his oxen and ploughs for the feast, they too needed to act symbolically to leave behind their precious ways of life. To let go maybe?

Here at St Chad and St Mark we've been getting used to changes since Ray joined us around nine months ago. I feel that the Holy Spirit is moving us forwards, God is working in our community, in each one of us. It's not just “a new broom sweeps clean” - I don't think it's just changes Ray and we have established – there's more to it. What kind of changes in us can I see – with my partial, blinkered sight? I can see and feel more love, greater acceptance of each other, understanding, kindness. More openness, more joy. Why? Ray's leadership, yes, but I think it's about lots of prayer, it's about willingness to serve, it's about listening to God more. And an increased focus on our Lord. And it's letting go and allowing the Holy Spirit to work. Letting go, letting be, accepting, loving and being loved and feeling the love of God and of each other.

So what are the challenges Christ calls us to ? At the risk of sounding repetitive I'd say more of the same. More love, more service and even greater adoration and love for our Saviour, our friend. Actual changes – God knows; loving and supporting the people around us who are the most vulnerable. Building Christ's Kingdom of Love here and wherever we live and work. Being lamps of hope in our church and in our various communities, light, lamps through whom Jesus can radiate. A t-Light left burning at night in a darkened room is a delicate little flame but the light it gives can illuminate the room to banish fears, bring a sense of peace and welcome silence. And Christ's love and light shining through each of us and shining and burning at the heart of our community, together, here, is the greatest power on earth.

At present you and I have an immediate challenge to meet and one likely to continue to dominate the life of our communities and our nation for years to come. For several months we've experienced “Project Fear from the Remain side and the government and “Project hate” from the Leave side in the EU referendum debate. It's been unpleasant to say the least. And now we have huge change. Uncertainty caused by seismic change. Turbulence, shock, division. Divided nation. These are some of the words I've heard over the last two days from politicians, reporters and from ordinary people. The nation has spoken, the people have decided to leave the EU. Maybe it's a good decision, perhaps it's a bad choice. The EU certainly needs reforming. But I didn't like the tone of the campaign. Whatever our individual feelings concerning sovereignty, EU immigration or membership of the Union, there seemed to be unhealthy emphases on ordinary people's fears and the problems actually created by government adversity cuts and gross underfunding for services in some areas like the North East, like parts of our West Midlands. And in the middle of this campaign, a neo-Nazi terrorist gunned down one of our most passionately humane MP's, Jo Cox.

So, in this time of change we, you and I have a role and a new challenge to meet. Our communities at present are divided, our nation is divided. Our job as Christ's disciples, is to be a presence and if necessary, a voice in our communities, on-line and nationally. To be lights, lamps through which Jesus can bring His love and peace – healing, forgiveness, acceptance of difference, kindness, tolerance.

On our journey with Christ as a community, we move forwards, together. Like Elisha and like Jesus, we set our faces towards building His Kingdom of Love. And we don't look back – we let go of things past and let God's Spirit do His new thing, however He wants to work in us and through us, here at St Chad and St Mark. And as Christ's disciples, we act as His lights, in our communities, in our nation. What kind of people do we want our nation to be? You and I know the answer to this question – kind, just, tolerant, an open-hearted nation. With our Lord's help and guidance let's you and I be the love and light needed to help us all move forwards together.

I want us to pray St Francis' prayer together. Let's be quiet for a moment and as I read Francis' words we can pray them together to God.

        Lord, make us an instrument of Your peace.

       Where there is hatred, let us sow love.

       Where there is injury, pardon.

       Where there is discord, vision.

       Where there is doubt, faith.

       Where there is despair, hope.

       Where there is darkness, light.

       Where there is sadness, joy.

       O divine Master,

       grant that we may not so much seek to be consoled as       to console;

       to be understood as to understand;

       to be loved, as to love;

       for it is in giving that we receive,

       it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,

       and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

Amen

You are forgiven.......

Revd Ray's sermon on Sunday 12th June 2016 downloadable from here
Readings 2 Samuel 11:26-12:15 , Psalm 51 and Luke 7: 36-8:3

Annie Saunders Sermon for Trinity Sunday

In the name of the Trinity, Creator, Redeemer and Spirit may I speak in love.

As today is Trinity Sunday we're going to explore what many people find a difficult Christian doctrine. The Holy Trinity cansometimes confuse people so today's sermon is a bit meatier, slightly longer, a little voyage if you like. The Trinity is God - often described as three persons – “the Three in One and One in Three.” You could say it’s about aspects or parts of God. Most of all the Trinity is concerned with how we see God, how we perceive and then relate to the divine mystery which is God.

First I want us to quickly identify as many names for God we can think of. Call some out. As humans naming helps us to understand God.

(The names that were given included: Rock, Father, Christ, Lamb, Mother, Beloved, Spirit, Abba, Lord, Jesus, El Shaddai, Jehovah; later we added Wisdom)

So we have many names for God. 

So what or who is the Trinity? Put simply, it is the one God, a single Being of love who created the universe, our world and us.

Traditionally the Trinity is about the three parts or persons of our divine Being - we often say Father, Son and Holy Spirit; we could equally say Creator, Redeemer, Spirit. Each of these aspects of God is equal to the others and all three relate to one another in a dynamic communion, a shared love. Love shared within the Trinity and then shared outwards to love our world and us. Try and think for a second or two of the Trinity as a whirling cosmic dance in which each part or person of God is relating in love to the other - not in power or in domination but in gentle divine love. Each is part of the others and all are equal, there is no hierarchy in the Divine Trinity. All parts or persons are God.

I want to read a couple of extracts. In our Gospel reading Jesus refers to the other parts of God, the Father and the Spirit of truth and Jesus in his human incarnation related most to God as the Father. I’ll read Genesis 1: verses 1-2

“In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formlessvoid and darkness covered the face of the deep,while the wind from God swept over the face of the waters.”

This is also translated as “while the Spirit of God swept over the face of the waters.” The Spirit is God and was there when God created the world.

I’ll read Colossians 1:15-19. Paul is writing about Jesus Christ:

“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; for in him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible - all things were created through him and for him”

And at the beginning of John's Gospel:

“In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God”

Creator, Christ Redeemer and Spirit -, three parts, one God of love.

Of course God is unknowable - God is divine mystery. You could say God is unnameable. As God says to Moses in the burning bush on the mountain “I am who I am”. As human beings trying to understand God we use names for God and related to the names we form analogies and metaphors for God. An analogy is when someone is similar to someone or something else. God the Father is an analogy - God’s characteristics are like the best of human fathers. Humans create metaphors for God but they are human ideas. Often inspired by God - but if God is an unknowable mystery, then our names and descriptions of God as I said before,can be fluid. I think here of CS. Lewis and Aslan in the Narnia stories - Aslan who stands for Creator, Christ (and when Aslan isn't there bodily in Narnia) the Spirit. Lewis’s fiction. But it helps some people to understand something of God, something of God is revealed by him as part of that person's relationship with him. So let's try to free our images of God a little, liberate our concepts of God in the Trinity.

I come now to the feminine aspects of God.Traditionally the Trinity has been seen as exclusively male, Father, Son and Holy Spirit but this wasn't always so. In the Old Testament Creator God is described as possessing feminine and maternal characteristics. 

In Deuteronomy 32:

“You were unmindful of the Rock that bore you and you forgot the God that gave you birth”. 

In Hosea Chapter 11:

“God the mother will never forget her children”

So because God mothers the universe - creates life, creates love and creativity and is intensely involved with her creation, it is just as correct inmy understanding, to speak about God the Creator as Mother.

Again - we speak in metaphors - no names or concepts we create about God can measure up to God’s incredible mystery. But the symbol of God the Father has been over-literalised as a descriptive metaphor. Over the centuries the feminine and the mother part of God was suppressed especially after the end of the first century A.D. when the Christian church squashed women's ministry in the church. At this time men began to dominate with an all-male hierarchy of priests. And feminine and maternal images of God were suppressed. Time to gently reclaim them. Images of the feminine and mother aspects of God can help us to form a new understanding of how God might relate within the Trinity and with us his children.

Now I want us to take a quick look again at our Old Testament reading from Proverbs 8. Here we meet the female person of Wisdom, in the Greek, Sofia. Wisdom was a frequent image of God in the Old Testament. In Hebrew thought she is simply God. Because she is seen as filling our world and is present with and in us Wisdom has been closely identified with the Holy Spirit. In parts of the early Christian church Christ was identified with Wisdom Sophia and is referred to as Wisdom in our modern Adventservice. When I read the start of our reading, to me Wisdom calling at the town gate sounds very like the Holy Spirit. And then further on Wisdom sounds like Christ the Word - there at the creation of all as part of God.

“When he established the heavens I was there”

and then 

“I was beside him like a master worker and I was daily his delight and I delighted in all his creation.” 

So today I am saying that we have space to explore God in the Trinity -how we perceive Him or Her, the images and metaphors we use. Let's now take a little time together to explore. And we're going to do this using the icon of the Holy Trinity. It was painted by a Russian monk named Andrei Rublev, around 1411.

You probably know that an icon is an image - atool to understand God. We focus on it prayerfully, we don't worship the image. In a sense, as we contemplate the image, we look past it and perceive God. And this contemplation allows God to perceive us too. That’s how icons work.   How were icons made? Usually by a monk who prayed continuously as he painted. The monk was in constant conversation or contemplation with God. Layers of paint, layers of prayer. 

Rublev’s painting is known as the Holy Trinity icon. It is based on the story of the three visitors to Abraham and Sarah in the desert when the three visitors suddenly appear. The three beings are also referred to as “the Lord”. They tell Abraham that Sarah will have a child and eat the meal Abraham has quickly prepared for them, together, under a tree in the shade.Rublev omitted Abraham and Sarah because he wanted to focus the image on the visitors, the Trinity of God itself.

The figure here on the left is Creator God. In the middle is Jesus Christ and this figure on the right is the Holy Spirit. We can recognise them by the colours of their garments. They sit together around a low table with the chalice on it to symbolise the Eucharist. And it’s as if they’re in a circle with life and love passing from one to the other in a mutual sharing of divine love. Such gentleness – look at the hands – the gestures of one to another and look at the eyes – how they look at each other in such love. Note the faces – not masculine, but genderless or even with elements of the gentle feminine aspect of God.

Notice too, the circle of the figures isn’t closed -there’s space at the front of the table. Perhaps someone is missing maybe they're already part of the picture? There is space here for the observer, the one who perceives - the ones who makes up the Church, Christ’s body in our world. In other words – us - we are already part of the icon picture, part of this loving community of the Trinity of God. Me and you caught up in God's cosmic dance of divine love.

Just as Rublev was exploring the ideas of the Trinity so we can now sit quietly and gaze at his painting. Let's be silent and at peace for a few minutes. As we gaze at Andrei’s icon we ask God to encompass us, to enfold us in His great dance of divine mystery and divine love. 

Short meditation

We thank you God for your mystery and for your many names. Reveal your being and your love to each one of us. Amen