On Monday 14 April, clergy and laity from all over the diocese gathered at the Cathedral for the Chrism Eucharist with the affirmation of ministries and the blessing of oils.
During the Chrism Eucharist, three specific oils were prepared and blessed, ready for use in the year ahead. Using the oils of the sick, of baptism and the perfumed oil of chrism is an ancient practice in the life of the Church. The oils are used in many ways, often for the setting apart of people and things for a special place in churchlife. In addition to the preparation of the oils, during the service those involved in ministry rededicated themselves, renewing their ministerial vows as deacons, priests and bishops.
Photos
View photos from the service on our Facebook page (you don't require a Facebook account to view them).
Bishop Martin's Sermon
Thank you for being here. For being faithful. For all you are doing to lead and serve God’s church. These have not been easy times for the church, with a stream of bad news stories around safeguarding failures, financial challenges and ageing volunteers and congregations bearing down upon us. Our Collect speaks of ‘we who share in Christ’s suffering and in his victory.’ We know ministry will be hard at times, and these last months have certainly had their hard moments for us all.
So I want to begin by saying thank you for all that you do, and for all that you are as Deacons, Priests, Bishops and Lay Ministers. It is my joy and privilege to serve you as bishop and to share with you the Cure of Souls. What a calling that is! Amidst everything else it is our one simple job description, wherever we are. The care, the healing, the salvation no less of every soul who lives or works or visits our parishes. We can’t do it alone, it demands creative partnership working in the power of the spirit and in union with Christ. But what a calling we have! A recent survey into what brings spiritual growth among young adults highlighted healthy church Community as the most important factor for them. Thank you for all you do to curate and develop authentic and trustworthy communities of faith. We will all re-affirm our commitment to the Cure of Souls today.
In our Gospel reading we go with Jesus into his own community of faith, in the synagogue at Nazareth where he had grown up. Luke alone has this eyewitness account of that moment. As Jesus is handed the scroll of the prophet Isaiah and begins to read.
‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon me.’
The Holy Spirit is a constant presence in the opening chapters of Luke.
The Spirit which had moved over the face of the waters of chaos in Genesis, that had inspired prophets and kings, is everywhere in action at the beginning of this gospel. The Spirit fulfils Mary’s ‘Yes’ as she conceives a Son. It fills her cousin Elizabeth as the baby leaps in her womb. It guides old Simeon to the infant Jesus, and Zechariah , and his son John the Baptist. The Spirit descends on Jesus at his baptism, filling him we are told and leading him out into the wilderness to face temptation. Now, Jesus is filled with the same Holy Spirit, infused this time with the Spirit’s power, and begins his public ministry in the hardest place of all… Back home. Amidst the familiar dusty streets, and old familiar faces of Nazareth. Christ in ordinary, where everyone had known him as Joseph’s boy. Where Transformation was the last thing in anyone’s mind. There Jesus went to the synagogue as usual, took the scroll, and began to read,
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor.’
When he finished reading from the prophet Isaiah, he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. As St Luke tells it, you could feel the luminous intensity of that moment. ‘The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. Then he began to say to them, ‘Today, in your hearing, this scripture has been fulfilled.’
This is dynamite! Isaiah speaks of a future Messiah who will enter Jerusalem, take on the evil powers there, and be enthroned to reign in glory. Is Jesus, Joseph’s boy, claiming that’s him?! Well yes actually, and he will enter Jerusalem, take on the evil powers there, and be enthroned to reign in glory, just as the prophets said. But not quite in the way people had been expecting… And that is the story we will all proclaim this Holy Week. I wish you grace and strength as you do that in your churches, leading people to the Cross, and beyond. To the salvation and new life that comes from Christ alone.
Soon we will ask God to bless holy oil for our use: oils for anointing. The Greek word for Anointing is ECHRISTE, from which we get the word Christ, the anointed one of whom Isaiah spoke. We also get the word Christening, a beautiful word I think, which reminds us what happened at our baptism,
when we were anointed with oil and the Holy Spirit and washed with Holy water and the blood of the lamb. We were Christened, made one with Christ in his death and resurrection, to share for evermore in his suffering and in his victory, as our Collect said.
Suffering is so evident in our world and in our news. Many of you have known suffering in your own lives this year, and our hearts go out to the family and friends of John Paul Hoskins here at the Cathedral, whose funeral takes place this week. Jesus our crucified Lord is with us in the darkest bleakest times, whether we realise it or not. His suffering and death remind us of that unshakeable fact.
Emmanuel, God with us, is not just for Christmas. Dare we believe that? That as we minister to the sick and dying, the imprisoned and fearful we go with Jesus and meet Jesus in their eyes and through their lives. Dare we stand with him in his suffering, and in his suffering world today?
But we share in Christ’s victory too. This week reminds us that death is not the end. That evil and suffering will never have the last word. Jesus took upon himself the hatred of the crowds, betrayal of friends, unfairness of judgement, the pain and humiliation of crucifixion, without hurling it back. He took the very worst humanity and the devil could throw at him, even that sense of abandonment by God.
And so as God’s anointed Messiah he conquered the powers of evil, once and for all, right there in Jerusalem. There is no sin, no failing, no fear or weakness that we hold that he has not borne for us, there on the cross.
And so that tree of shame, became the throne of glory. His body broken in apparent defeat, would rise and reign in glory for ever and ever. That is the victory we share, sisters and brothers. That is the Good News we proclaim. That nothing.. nothing! can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
And so our Transformation journey continues in this diocese. I pray that you and I will know the transformation that comes from Christ alone. We long for the transformation of all things under God, for all of our church communities to be centres of spiritual health and vitality.
We will be applying for SMIBB funding from the national church to help us with this, and they’ve asked us to do a survey of the health and situation of every church. Its quite a task as you can imagine, and we want your help. We don’t want this to be just about numbers, we want them to hear from the people and communities behind the data. So colleagues will be coming to every benefice to listen and to learn from you as we walk this path together.
How do we best enable the Cure, the Salvation of Souls in every corner of the diocese? Where is the Spirit leading us today? Lets start at home, as Jesus did. Let the water of the God’s spirit flow, as Ezekiel prophesied, until it is a mighty flood, a river that cannot be crossed, bringing life and growth, leaves and fruit and healing wherever it goes.
May that same Spirit, released at Pentecost, flow afresh into every corner of this diocese, into every corner of our church, into the dry and hidden places of our own hearts and lives
What might that mean for you?
Lets be quiet for a moment. Close our eyes. And let the Spirit of the Living God fall afresh on us.
Lets finish together in prayer, saying together the words of the Collect:
Heavenly Father, who anointed your Son Jesus Christ with the Holy Spirit and with power to bring to the world the blessings of your kingdom; anoint your church with the same Holy Spirit, that we who share in his suffering and his victory may bear witness to the gospel of salvation; who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Amen.
