Dear Friends
One of the tragedies in our world is that many don’t see the inherent worth of the person standing before them. He or she bears the image of God, has a destiny greater than the angels, yet our world seeks to fear them, exploit them, to use them—after all, “wouldn’t they do the same to us?” So it becomes natural to try to trick them into giving something that they would not want to give—to charge a customer above the fair price, to take from neighbours something they won’t notice missing, to exploit the generosity of a friend while offering nothing in return. And they say to themselves in justification, “It’s a dog-eat-dog existance, this is just the way of the world.”
What is all the more tragic is when we Christians behave in this way.
There was one in Jerusalem not like this, one who had been promised that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. And for the aged Simeon, each person he met was of value, of worth, of dignity. They were not to be exploited by him but honoured by him as the potential Christ. And we are called to do the same: each person we meet is Christ, is an opportunity to recognise the image of God within—perhaps hidden, perhaps disfigured, but never obliterated.
And the Temple of God walks towards Simeon bearing in her arms “the brightness of [God’s] glory and the express image of his person,” (Hebrews 1:3) and the Elder recognises Christ. And he cries out, with words of such beauty that we pray them at every Vespers service,
Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace,
Luke 2:29–32
according to thy word;
for mine eyes have seen thy salvation,
which thou hast prepared before the face of all people,
a light to lighten the Gentiles
and the glory of thy people Israel.
And if we can do the same, if we can recognise in each person we meet the image of God and honour them all as bearing value, worth and dignity then when the Lord himself comes we will recognise him as the Light of the Nations. And as we stand in his presence he will recognise us as his disciples and honour us as heirs of eternal Life.
Let this be our life, our calling, our blessing for the world. And where the world would cheat we honour, and where the world would exploit we serve, and where the world would manipulate we love. And where the world would throw all its malice upon yet more victims we stand with the weak, the suffering and the oppressed for the sake of the Kingdom.
May we, being drawn ever more to Christ, come to recognise all the more Christ in each and every person and serve them as serving the Lord.
Come and see.
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Sermon
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, one God, Amen.
I walk, dear brothers and sisters in Christ, with Jesus of Nazareth as he journeys throughout Judea. I walk with him and I hear the teachings, I see the miracles. There is a crowd around and I feel joyful that I am part of a movement. And as we prepare to make the ascent from Jericho up Mount Zion, to the Holy City of Jerusalem, I prepare with others to declare him my King:
“‘Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord!’
Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” (Luke 19:38)
Yet when the powers of this age come to arrest him I run away, and when I am accused of being his follower I deny him, and when the King of Glory is crucified I can only watch from a distance. Having seen the miracles, having seen Christ, I remain blind, having heard the Gospel I remain deaf, having been presented with Life I prefer death.
I walk with Jesus of Nazareth as he journeys throughout Judea, and we come to a beggar, a blind man, by the road. Despite his blindness, he sees what I do not. “Jesus, Son of David,” he cries out, “have mercy on me!” And I am scandalised. I am walking with Jesus, listening to Jesus, am in the presence of Jesus and a blind man would interrupt my experience. “Be silent!” I curse him, “Do not disturb the Master.” His physical blindness, though, does not stop him seeing spiritually. “Illumine our hearts,” says the priest before the reading of the Gospel,
“O Master who lovest mankind, with the pure light of thy divine knowledge, and open the eyes of our mind to the understanding of the Gospel teaching.”
…
Read last Sunday’s Sermon, I walk with Jesus of Nazareth.
Archive of Past Sermons.
Services this week
Friday 2nd February
Discussion on the Gospel of Matthew, 8 pm
Online only
Saturday 3rd February
Great Vespers, 6.30 pm
At All Saints’ Hall, Eastleigh
Sunday 4th February
Matins & Divine Liturgy, 9 am
At All Saints’ Hall, Eastleigh
Online session is via Google Meet: please get in contact for the details.
Please join us: all are welcome, come and see.
Attending Church
We meet (temporarily) at All Saints’ Church Hall, Desborough Road, Eastleigh
SO50 5NH. Come and See.
Can I help you?
I am here for you, you need only ask. Is there a way I can support your life of faith? Get in touch.
Can you help the parish?
Yes, absolutely. Offer yourselves to the Lord: pray! Make available to him all your talents and ask him how he would like you to use them — listen for his reply.
Your prayers!
With love in Christ
Fr Alexander
[email protected]