Epiphany 6

Jeremiah 17.5-10 – PSALM 1 – 1 Cor 15.12-20 – Luke 6.17-26

The Very Rev’d Bertrand Oliver, Dean and Rector

Sometime ago, I read the Barchester Chronicles, a six book series written by English author Anthony Trollope. The story line depicts life in the fictional Cathedral town of Barchester in the mid 19th century. In each of the novels, Trollope weaves into a fascinating picture the interactions between clergy and gentry, and the political and social intrigues that permeated the society of the time.

Amongst many of its plot lines, readers can follow the ongoing internal conflicts within the Anglican Church of England conflict between the ritualistic high-churchmen seeking to revive a much diminished catholic liturgical tradition and its social Gospel, and the low church faction led by the archdeacon supporting a much more vigorous evangelical bias towards personal salvation.

This narrative of unending vying for power, based on some of the issues of the day, was a useful reminder of the inevitable ongoing pendulum shift between opposing extremes throughout history.

This continues to be true at a time when Anglicanism and Christian churches generally continue to disagree on their ultimate view of the divine Truth, and especially true as we see an exclusive Christianity being used to support extremist political views in many places today. Human beings do not learn, and history repeats itself.
It also illustrated how decisions which would significantly impact communities often happened or were left to happen because of totally unrelated and often mundane personal agendas – financial gain, people likes or dislikes, or the return of a favour. The world can burn as long as I have what I want.

In the time of Jesus, the people of Galilee where he was born and exercised his earthly ministry, were reeling from the impact of the oppression exercised by the Roman occupier who controlled every aspect of their lives. Taxes were harsh, and for most people, making enough money to be able to feed themselves and their family was a nearly impossible task.

Many were on the breadline, while a few were feasting as the natural resources of the country were being taken to Rome.

The rich got richer, the poor got poorer, and the religious class of the time seemed to have chosen to side with the oppressor rather than the oppressed – adding to the pervading sense of despair.

Today, we heard St Luke’s version of the Beatitudes – which biblical scholars call the sermon on the Plain, not on the Mount as in Matthew. It takes place on the level, perhaps a symbol of equality in life – after Jesus had come down from a mountain.

You may be familiar with the different versions of this text, and if so you will have noticed that Luke is less poetic than Matthew, more direct in his reporting of Jesus’ words:

Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the Kingdom of God.
Blessed are you who are hungry now for you will be filled.
Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.

We may find it difficult to relate these statements with the countless images of poverty and distress that may come to our minds at this point – and yet deep down we do know that those who weep will eventually laugh, and so those who are hungry will get food. The Kingdom of God has doors wide open for the poor, both in the future but also in the here and now when we respond to the invitation to take part in making it happen.

Meanwhile, Jesus is clear about those who are rich and in power:
But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation.
Woe to you who are full now, for you will be hungry.
Woe to you who are laughing now, for you will mourn and weep.
Woe to you when all speak well of you, for that is what their ancestors did to the false prophets.

Woe, a word akin to a curse and which Jesus often uses against the wicked. Here Jesus is being prophetic against those who have plenty and continue to amass more on the back of the labour of those who have little or nothing – in the way that Luke consistently highlights in his Gospel, from the toppling of those in power in Mary’s Magnificat, to the many other encounters in which he challenges the privileged and ensures the weak is looked after.

To us, it feels like there is not much to argue with these words of Jesus, and yet there are many who today – in countries near and far – are using Christian scriptures to justify and bolster agendas that are exactly the opposite of what Jesus came to remind us, what is made plain again in our hearing here today.

This is bewildering for many and causing anxiety as well as uncertainty. In the world at large, it means that the word Christian has taken on a toxic connotation, turning it into a brand that few want to touch, as we see it subverted and coopted into ideologies that have nothing to do with the Kingdom of God. Some who would call themselves Christians forget that Jesus did not preach prosperity for a few, but the sharing of resources between all.

The early church, around the Mediterranean and the middle East, did not only grow because Christians spoke a compelling message of liberation, but also because they welcomed people across socio-economic boundaries into their worship and their banquets and were noted for their care of the widows, the orphans, the sick, the dying, the prisoner, all who had no place in a mainstream society which privileged wealth and power.

Early Christians followed those basic premises as summarised by Jesus: ‘Love God, and love your neighbour as yourself’ – a simple summary for authentic Christian living.

Today is the day of this Cathedral’s Annual General meeting. We will gather in person and online at the end of this service in order to review what has been in the past year, thank all those who have contributed in so many different ways to our common life, and elect new members to a number of leadership roles for the coming year.
2024 has been a good year for the Cathedral, and you can read all about it in the Annual Report which has been emailed to all on our lists, and is also available online.

You will read how, here in downtown Montreal, we are a community that strives to pray, learn and act according to the ways which Jesus taught, and to live up to the injunctions of the Sermon on the Plain.

With the resources with which we have been entrusted and the contributions of all who make this place their spiritual home, we maintain a cycle of worship which allows us to grow in our closeness with God in Christ. We pray for one another and for the world. We seek to support the needy and the oppressed and to return joy to the bereaved. And we strive to call out those in power to act justly and wisely in support of the Common Good.
There is always more to be done, and yet as your Dean I am very proud of our community and all that we, with the help of the Holy Spirit, continue to achieve together for God here even in these challenging times.

As we look at a world in which old certainties are being challenged and where our faith is being used to justify acts which are abhorrent to God, I encourage you to continue to live in the hope and practices that sustained early Christian communities, that in living out the words of Jesus in our own community and in our lives we may continue to provide to those who seek a place where they will be welcome, and where they will find Christian community here today.

Amen

Bertrand Olivier