Homilies
Have Salt in Yourself
Holy Spirit, take my words and let them speak to each of us according to our need.
I’ve been in this Ministry Area for three months now and I have received a lovely welcome in every single one of the eight active churches here. I’ve learned a few things about the Valleys too – people here are proud of their heritage and community. There is nostalgic longing for the glory of the church in days gone by. Many seem saddened by the dwindling congregations, the closure of churches and the lack of attention paid to it all by younger generations. And yes, I agree, all of that is sad but that’s if we focus on the negatives, the material things, and the losses.
You see we sit for a very limited period of time on a spinning ball of matter that has existed for eons before us and will continue to do so for many generations beyond us. Our view of time is subjective and personal. We see it in a linear way. What was, what is and what might be. But God? God is outside of time, He sees all things, at all times, in all places, all at once. Past, present and future.
I think today’s Gospel reading is a difficult one and like many others recently, seems counter-intuitive at first. But having read and re-read it this week, I think it speaks very well into our situation as a Ministry Area. (or any churches in a benefice or plurality)
When John tries to stop someone casting out demons in the name of Jesus, because they were not one of them, Jesus gently rebukes him and says ‘Do not stop him; for no one who does a deed of power in my name will be able soon afterwards to speak evil of me. Whoever is not against us is for us.’ You see, we can get so concerned with holding onto something we think is ours to own, that we fail to see the greater good being done in sharing with and celebrating others.
I have certainly (and not here) been to churches where you are ushered out of ‘someone’s seat’ because they always sit there. Or where families are sent to the ‘church down the road’ because all families go there. Even where parents have been asked to bring slippers for their children because they are interrupting worship by moving around noisily. And for want of a better word, this is GATEKEEPING. We have made ourselves appointed guardians of who is welcome or even worthy to join our church. It made me smile regretfully when I realised that in one of my previous churches, the ‘Everybody’s Welcome’ sign actually meant, everybody is welcome if you act and behave like we do. And that is another sword of Damocles, dangling over us, what is OUR CHURCH?
I often think about people of other denominations or faiths when they go away on holiday. Worship is such a part of their way of life that they wouldn’t even consider not going to church on holiday, a local one. A new one, a different one, yet a familiar one because of the liturgy, because of the style, because of the music, the actions, the worship as a whole. BUT, I don’t often see that in Anglicanism and I’m aware I am making sweeping generalisations, to which there will always be exceptions, but Anglicans seem very attached to their church, as the building. This leads to some kind of misguided possessiveness or ownership of the space and what can be done there or who can come in. Maybe even, ‘if it’s not done there, in that place, in that way, then it doesn’t feel like worship’. Am I right?
That’s not to say that we should do away with church buildings. They are beautiful and have a history that needs to be honoured. But they also are not THE church, and they cost a lot of money to upkeep. Money that is often given by the people who attend them. I have noticed here, however, in this church, that you have embraced this; some of you transferring from Llanhilleth or St Michael’s or supporting more than one church where possible. This is to be celebrated but our next challenge is how to help others do the same.
In the Gospel today, Jesus is calling us to look beyond all those things. To tear down the barriers, celebrate others coming to him and returning to God. It doesn’t matter where they come from, who they are or where they belong, it all adds up to growing the kingdom of God. If we, as humans in general, continue to gatekeep worship in our chosen buildings, to refuse to allow other ways of worship to flourish, in different places and with different people then we are the ones that Jesus is talking about. We are the ones putting the stumbling blocks in the way of the Kingdom of God and as such Jesus says it would be better for us to be thrown into the sea with a millstone around our necks than to live with obstructing the growth of the Kingdom of God. Now that’s a hard pill to swallow, when protecting something you love, means damaging it further.
Eight churches active in this Ministry Area. How wonderful would it be to see them full and being used by existing and new people, creating a new thing together. (As an aside and a little plug, we have a harvest supper coming up in Six Bells and a new meeting group for people and supporters of the LGBTQIA+ community who wish to worship together in a safe place. This will be in St Davids church, Beaufort. Not to mention, the newly established Messy Church in Blaina or the Community run Hard of Hearing Group)
In this day and age, Sundays are a family day. Sport often dominates it, either spectating in person, participating or watching it on TV with a group of friends. They have community. They belong together united by a common enjoyment. Why does worship have to be limited to a certain building at a certain time, or even with set words and actions?
In our diocese we are lucky to have Nicola, the Deaf Community Mission Outreach Worker. She is amazing to talk with. Watching her sign worship is beautiful, it is a whole-body experience- so much movement! I also have a friend who is a priest in Africa, who I met during his sabbatical at my college. He was such fun! So lively and happy. When he returned to his church he posted a video online from one of his services and he was dancing, with the choir, amongst the congregation in the aisles of the church.
You see, just because something is different, doesn’t mean it isn’t effective, or that it is wrong. Society is changing and the church as a whole is very slow to move forward. The bottom line is, if we always do what we’ve always done, then we are never going to reach others who don’t get that way of doing things and as much as we may not want to, we have to adapt.
That isn’t to say we should get rid of the way we do things now, but we should celebrate when our numbers grow through other means too. Perhaps a child who attended a stay and play group who later comes to messy church and returns with her own children. One thing that drew me to church as a young teenage was the feeling of having another family. (I went to Sunday School, became a Sunday school leader, joined the church choir, sang at weddings and made my own decision to be confirmed.) Belonging should never be underestimated, especially in our global village of today where easy access to and communication with the other side of the world has actually increased isolation rather than lessened it. How many of us actually know our neighbours well anymore? OR have regular contact with members of our extended families?
Finally for today, Jesus ends the Gospel today with a statement about saltiness. ‘Have salt in yourselves and be at peace with one another’ Salt, in the ancient world was used to preserve food as well as add flavour. Just as, in the same way we are called, as Christians to preserve the goodness and truth of God and to bring the flavour of Christ to the world through our lives. But when salt loses its saltiness, it becomes useless. It is a cautionary tale about preserving our distinctiveness as followers of Christ, not being caught up in the shiny, transient, attractiveness of this material world, lest we lose our effectiveness in drawing others to God by our own lives.
Keeping our ‘saltiness’ doesn’t mean avoiding conflict at all costs, but it does mean living in a way which promotes and celebrates harmony and unity. So, my challenge for this week is to identify and consider where I am putting stumbling blocks in the way of growing the Kingdom of God. That might mean examining my relationships with people. Are there any grudges being held that are getting in the way of reconciliation? Is pride, fear or jealousy stopping me from celebrating others’ successes? How can I build others up instead of tearing them down to make myself look better? How might we flourish better together? How can I accept that any success is a success for God?
When we celebrate the growth of God’s kingdom everywhere, we pursue harmony and unity and reflect the heart of God. For me, today’s Gospel reading is a call to live intentionally, to not be a stumbling block but to live with our eyes lifted and set upon God’s greater mission.