At first it was fine, I could manage my balance with a few side steps now and again. I even was able to go to the cafeteria and get my breakfast after a lovely night aboard ship. Then the pitch and yaw started, rolling side to side, the ship started its usual dance upon the open sea. We were told this was typical for a fine day traveling from Orkney to mainland Scotland last week. A fine day! Even the officers were sliding and holding on to furniture that was bolted to the floor. Then, my stomach started to pitch and yaw and I was sorry about the breakfast I had eaten while we were still in the inland waters. Our holiday in Scotland was a real nautical one, and included 9 ferries, each over an hour in time at least and while the rest of the family was watching the scenery, I was watching the seafarers making our journey possible. Funny how in these past few months my view has changed.
Our Gospel this morning, is a favourite for many reasons, not the least is because it is Sea Sunday today. On Sea Sunday churches all over the world come together to remember seafarers and pray for them, their families and those who support them. I think most of you know, that the Rev. Ronda Ploughman, formerly the associate of our parish, moved to the Mission to Seafarers Southern Ontario this past winter. Ronda was joined by Pastor Dan Phannenhour, who presided for us this summer while Bishop Terry was away, and they were joined by one more. Me, I joined the ministry team of the Mission to Seafarers Southern Ontario as my Diaconal ministry outside of the parish.
The seafarers we work with daily are wonderful hardworking men and women, quick with a joke, generous and eager to contribute and help out. Getting to know these people has given me a whole new perspective of what the disciples might have been like, especially Peter and the other fishers. They must have been strong and hardworking like the seafarers I know, I’ll bet they had a great sense of humour and were eager to please Jesus and participate in everything he said. Like in today’s Gospel.
First, lets acknowledge, that it was tragedy time in Israel; John the Baptist, their great prophet and moral visionary, had been assassinated by King Herod and everyone was stunned by this tragic, shocking event! As a nation, they were grieving, and so was Jesus, as John the Baptist was his cousin. And it was popularity time for Jesus. That is, his miracles and teachings had created notoriety and large crowds were following him like masses of young people followed Elvis Presley!
In Matthew’s gospel, we have seen Jesus do several miracles in a row. Jesus stilled the storm on Lake Galilee and this demonstrated his power over nature. Jesus then raised Jairus’ daughter from the dead which demonstrated his power over death. Jesus cured the sick, demonstrating his power over disease. He caste out demons, showing his power over the demonic. And in the previous Gospel story, he has just fed five thousand men plus women and children with five loaves of bread and two fish. In other words, the miracle of the walking on the water occurs immediately after all these other miracle stories in the Gospel of Matthew.
And Jesus, after feeding the five thousand, was trying to send the crowds home and so sent the disciples out in a boat on Lake Galilee, probably for their own safekeeping, since the crowds were everywhere. The Sea of Galilee is a large lake, eight miles wide by thirteen miles long. Eventually, Jesus went up into the hills to pray but meanwhile, a vicious storm came up on the lake; the waves were enormous as the disciples, able seamen, were rowing in the middle of the storm in the middle of the night. It was about three o’clock in the morning, and the disciples were frightened, terrified, by the storm. Suddenly, Jesus appeared to the disciples, walking on this rough water. The Bible says that the disciples were frightened, utterly astounded by what they saw, as if they were seeing a ghost. Their reaction wasn’t, “There is Jesus, just like we expected, walking on the water. He must be God,” No, they were frightened, shocked, and terrified by what they experienced, but with recognition that it was Jesus came faith and Peter asks Jesus to call him out, to call him to walk on the water with him, and Peter does. He does, until his focus changes and he loses faith. Haven’t you ever had this experience? I have. Just to show my kids they shouldn’t be afraid, I said I would jump off the 5 meter platform diving board. I was doing fine, as long as I didn’t acknowledge how high I was. And at the last second I looked down at the water and panicked and lost my nerve. Like Peter, I called to Jesus to help me (probably not as articulately as Peter) but my nerve was restored, I felt calm and peaceful (like the disciples) and was able to jump, hopefully with some grace, off the platform diving board.
The Seafarers who come to the Hamilton Centre have told us so many stories I would like to share with you. One group told us of a terrible storm crossing the Atlantic, this very spring. The storm caused some minor damage to their ship and as they limped into Quebec they had an accident with a cement pylon which caused major damage to their ship and they were docked in Quebec City for weeks as repairs were made. They considered themselves very fortunate. A sister ship had their first mate swept into the sea and never recovered.
The Mission to Seafarers stands with our men and women who work diligently to bring 90% of the goods we use and consume. Everything from the computer I used to write this sermon to the snacks I ate while writing it, to the clothes we wear here today. Our candles and musical instruments, chairs and microphones. 90% of all our good are shipped
Seafarers are men and women, yes we have run into a few women so far! And so far, the countries that most of our seafarers come from are Philippines, Ukraine, Russia, and India. Most have never been to Canada before so everything is magical and new and they are so thankful for any kindness we show them. We, the Mission, greet each vessel with a visit and give them a bag of chocolates! It is a treat and a sign to them, that we are there for them! They never get something for nothing! And thank you Ascension for donating a bag of chocolate. I can tell you that your bag of chocolates went to the seafarers of the vessel, Federal Katsura on Wednesday. Whenever we visit a ship, Ronda and I are dressed up in pink work boots and pink hard hats, the watchman usually announces to the whole ship “Seaman’s Club or Seaman’s Mission is Here!!!” and the crew come happily to say hello. Sure the chocolate helps, but it is what we represent that brings them out. They know that we are here for them, to serve their needs and support them.
For instance, one ship was abandoned by it owners. The crew had no provisions, no food – and no money or credit to get any. Mission to Seafarers Southern Ontario was there for them. Even though none of them were Canadian citizens, we helped supply them and took care of them until their situation was rectified.
We help groups of seafarers, like the entire crew and we help individual either onboard or on shore.
One female seafarer, a ship’s cook came to us. She was new to seafaring, with young children home in Ukraine that she was working hard to support. Although against her wishes, the Captain claimed he was putting her wages into a bank account in the Ukraine for her, which the seafarer had no access to. Mission to Seafarers Southern Ontario intervened and had the ship arrested, as this contravened Maritime Law. Seafarers are to be paid in cash in port. Mission to Seafarers was able to affect a resolution and our seafarer received the monies she was owed.
We aren’t always able to affect a resolution, sometimes we have to give consolation, like when a family member of a crew member has passed away and we help with grief counselling and travel arrangements, etc.
One day, a seafarers arrived at the centre to play pool and have some coffee and fellowship. He was happy as a lark and exclaimed how lovely and colourful our money was. He had gone down to Jackson Square and vicinity to change some American money. He pulled out a big wad of cash, colourful indeed…and marked on every bill.. Canadian Tire money. Our hearts broke for him. He had been had by some unscrupulous money changer. We weren’t able to get his money back, but we tried to help him through an awful situation and advised his Captain.
Our Hamilton Centre is the third biggest in Canada and we need your help. I’m using Sea Sunday, to invite you to consider joining us as a volunteer. We have all different roles for all different people! Currently we especially need people who can drive Seafarers between the docks and the centre (or to Walmart) and we really need hosts. Engaging people who will man our centre for a few hours once a week. Your job is to give fellowship, resources (we’ll give them to you!) offer coffee, essentially be our host to seafarers who come to the centre to play pool, use the wifi to talk to home and while other just hang out. We have a Volunteer Info Day on Wednesday, July 20th at 7 PM at our Hamilton Station, 651 Burlington Street, the North side of Burlington Street just east of Sherman Ave. See me after service to get any more details and phone number.
The spirituality of our seafarers is heard loud and clear. They say things to us, like:
“Thank you – now we can sleep because we talked to our families”, and “thank you so much – you made my day”. “We love the Hamilton Seaman’s club. It has everything we need. If we only had 20 minutes it would be enough”. Or, “there is not one more thing you could do to make it a better place”. Well, we know there IS one more thing to make it better, and that is YOU.
The laughs and tears are awesome, but by far the best moments to eavesdrop on their skype conversations are when you hear a child’s voice say, “I love you Daddy, good night” and the answer back is “I love you too”.
So to sum up today’s Gospel – it is about seafarers, boats bobbling up and down on fierce ferocious seas, a miracle, Jesus, and peace and calm within.
AMEN.
(Sermon preached by Bishop Terry Brown at Church of the Ascension, Hamilton, on Sunday, July 3, 2016. Texts: 2 Kings 5:1-14, Galatians 6:1-16, and Luke 10:1-ll, 16-29.)
At the end of our epistle from Galatians this morning, we find Paul exclaim, “A new creation is everything!”
All of Paul’s concern about Christian freedom, living by the Spirit rather than the flesh, being crucified with Christ, and living in loving community with one another despite differences and problems, is about New Creation. In Christ, we are called to be a New Creation, both personally and as a community. And this newness is ongoing and developing, a process, not an end to be acquired once in our lives and hung on to. We are called into a process of being made new every day.
For Paul, the opposite of being made new every day by the Spirit is being sunk in “the flesh”. The Greek word is sarx and might better be translated as human nature as it is subject to sin – sins such as greed, violence, lust, lack of self-control, cruelty, gossip and so forth, not just what we sometimes call “sins of the flesh” in English, sexual sins. For Paul it is sarx, flesh, that causes violent conflicts among people and nations. Nor is Paul saying that human nature is flesh or inherently sinful; that is a mistake of the Good News Bible in translating sarx as “human nature”. Human nature is created in God’s image, it is good, but it also sinks into sin, sometimes despite our best efforts. Paul often reflects on that paradox.
In Christ, we are called to live Christ’s death and resurrection and put away parts of our lives that embody sarx or the flesh. What is necessary to do this? For one, a deep abiding faith that Christ IS the answer, both to our own sin and alienation and to the world’s. In our weekly affirmation of the Creeds, in our participation in the Eucharist, in our private prayers, in the renewal of our baptismal promises, in Confirmation, we affirm and renew this deep faith. It is strengthened by silence and meditation and the beauty of worship. It is strengthened by mutual encouragement and by listening to one another, being willing to learn from one another, and by Christian service. The fruits of the Spirit – love, joy, peace, kindness, self-control, compassion, patience, etc. – enable the Spirit to grow.
My belief is that if we can somehow live this way, particularly in our parish, we will not need consultants on human relations and anger management. Some simple admonitions, based on Paul’s words here: be kind to one another and be patient. If we have erred, apologize. If someone has wronged us, accept the apology. Grow in self-awareness of how our behaviour affects others. Recognize those in the community who have special needs -- and, I daresay, it may all of us – and try to meet those needs, if in no other way, through kindness and friendship. Indeed, as we might cultivate a garden, cultivate friendship. (The difference is this garden has no weeds; all are flowers.) And every time we are tempted to speak a word of criticism, speak a word of encouragement instead.
Behind all these admonishments is the insight that Christianity is first of all a WAY OF LIFE, not primarily a set of doctrines or creeds, or particular ways of worship, or ethical precepts, or particular institutional structures and membership in them. We are baptised into Jesus Christ as a WAY OF LIFE, moving from sin and death to the NEW CREATION. And loving one another in Christ-like ways is the character of that Way of Life. In Acts “followers of the Way” was the very first name given to Christians, at Antioch. “See how they love one another!” was society’s perception and brought many to the early church. Hence, the importance of hospitality, ongoing and permanent hospitality, in our parish ministry and community.
The monastic tradition, which has greatly shaped Anglican spirituality, often saw the other as Christ. The beggar at the door, the leper, the person with mental illness, the sinner, the criminal, the stranger – but also one’s brothers and sisters with whom one worshipped, cooked, ate and worked – who might cause one the greatest aggravation – were also the Christ to be loved and embraced. My Sister friends tell me the greatest areas of challenge are the chapel and the kitchen, and that may be true for us too.
On my holiday, I thought a certain amount about parish conflict – not just ours but other places as well - and I thought back when I was a bishop and how I dealt with it then. Any conflict is a mission opportunity – an opportunity to let Christ work in those concerned, and ourselves. But that presupposes a common faith, a common desire to walk the Christian Way; and one does not walk the Christian Way alone. Nor does one push others off the road. Nor stop them from getting back on the road. Indeed, we are called to help them get back on the road.
I was bishop on an island in the Solomons, Malaita, that had a reputation, well earned, for being the most violent in the country. To the Maori film, which some of you may have seen, “Once we were warriors”, they would answer, “We are still warriors”. (Once I had to take back one of my clergy working in another diocese after he had chased his bishop with a machete. He calmed down and became a good priest. Or another priest who got angry with choir in the service and threw the altar cross at them; he has calmed down and is now a gifted scholar.) After a few missteps, one thing I learned quickly was never to lose my temper, as it only made matters worse. If I was angry, I had still to be calm and in control. Sometimes that required great patience, for example, if someone literally spat in my face. Often the violence was related to land or possessions and included a demand for money, “compensation”. Unhappy groups arriving on Saturday morning demanding compensation for some offence was a common occurrence. To the children, I often told the story of Archbishop Anthony Bloom: that when we have possessions and hang on to them and do not share, our hands form fists and we are ready to fight. We are called to have hands that are open and giving, not selfish and aggressive fists or the equivalent.
Today’s Old Testament lesson, the healing of Naaman the leper, reminds us that healing is an integral part of the New Creation and sometimes the answer, based on faith, is very simple. “Lord, speak the word and I shall be healed”. Any proper understanding of Christian healing is holistic – physical, spiritual, psychological, social, material – for we are all on the way to dying; even Naaman eventually died. If memory recedes and stress and anxiety increase, one answer is to find others who can do the work and rest, offering support and encouragement to those who can. If we have too many possessions, we can declutter, making life simpler and less stressful. As Pope Francis is fond of saying, “the shroud has no pockets”. And we are called to do whatever we can to bring healing to others. Again, friendship is crucial. And the quality of our own life in Christ.
The Gospel, the sending out of the seventy, reminds us that if we are genuinely participating in the New Creation as a community and individuals, it is worth taking out and sharing with others. Notice the simplicity with which it is taken out: basically through the lifestyle and relationships of those who share it. If we go out with complaints about one other, or gossip, or rivalry, whatever Good News we try to convey, whatever invitation we give, will be undercut by the reality of our divisions. Hence, we come back to our common baptismal faith and its obligation that we do our very best, together, to participate in God’s New Creation in Jesus Christ.
Preachers are often fond of the metaphor of the beautiful tapestry. The front of the tapestry, what we put forward to the world, our programmes, our worship, our building, our friendliness, indeed, ourselves, are often quite beautiful. But just as we go behind a tapestry and see all the threads going every which way, knots hanging here and there, untrimmed threads hanging down, and only a faint image of the front of the tapestry, sometimes the organization and personal relations behind the beautiful programmes are messy and complicated. That may be true of our personal lives also; it has certainly been true of mine at times. And we learn to accept that as the norm, stressful as it often is.
Some of you have visited China and may even have brought back embroidery that is done on both sides. I have an embroidery of a cat, framed in glass on both sides, and both sides are beautiful. Through some miracle of craftsmanship, both sides are the front of the tapestry. One side is as beautiful as the other.
Perhaps that is a better model for us. It is challenging and difficult but what is produced is long-lasting, encouraging and beautiful. As your parish priest, I am often more concerned with the back of the tapestry than the front; if the back is in order, the front will be beautiful. I would like the back of the tapestry to be as beautiful as the front. And we should all be working together on the back of the tapestry, with the same order and love that we want expressed in the front of the tapestry. The bishop who ordained me was very fond of the expression, “If you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem”.
I would add that we are also celebrating Canada Day today and I believe these are the values we would, as Christians, like our nation to have. There is much scope in government for the back of the tapestry to be very untidy – secret backroom decisions and the like – but we would like the same beauty there, between the front and the back.
So all three lessons today speak of our life together in the New Creation of Christ in the parish and beyond. Let us take those lessons to heart and pray that we may all grow in love and peace with one another and with all whom we meet.
