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Fourth Sunday after Trinity
5th July 2009

Ordained for service

In our Gospel today (copied below) we hear the response of the people to Jesus in his home town, and it isn't exactly encouraging. It could almost be said to amount to "Who does he think he is"? They know him as one of them, and they know his family. They are both amazed by what he does, and unable to accept what he does because they know who he is. It is an interesting angle on the Incarnation: to be Incarnate, God took upon himself a particular identity: he was somebody's son, somebody's brother, somebody's neighbour's son, the local builder's son. In so doing, he experiences the possibility of rejection - in this instance through familiarity.

Now some of the clergy who were ordained yesterday will be returning to communities they know well. After the service of ordination they return to those communities. Does anyone there say, "Who does he think he is" or "Who does she think she is"? Not usually - because there has been a process of transformation, a selection, a training and a solemn and beautiful service in which something mystical happens; the Bishop or Archbishop lays his hands on the candidates' heads and ordains them. In its true sense, the word ordained means set apart for a purpose. The sceptical words of Jesus' contemporaries at Nazareth indicate a very significant truth - that people who are ordained are also human, with a human story; indeed you can read our Paul's human story in the magazine this month. Yet they are also set apart to fulfil a particular calling. Who do the clergy think they are? Well, human beings, but also people whose sense of call to be set apart in a particular way for the service of Christ has been recognised and tested and affirmed.

The experience at Nazareth might have made Jesus retreat into himself. Instead, he seemed to take it as a challenge and began to draw his followers into a sharing of his ministry and to send them out on active service. He put them in pairs; he gave them instructions and rules, a framework within which to function. Just as Jesus provided his followers with a framework for their ministry, so the Anglican church provides its clergy with a clear framework for ours and there are things that shape the ministry, such as Daily Prayer; there are things we have to learn to do and to be; and there is a structure which reminds us that we are not lone prophets going around doing our prophetic thing, but people who belong to a group under authority, who minister only by the call of God and the consent of his people.

Jesus told his disciples to wear sandals and not have two tunics. Well, we don't have that rule, but part of the outward appearance of ministry in a service like this is to wear what are called vestments. The colours of vestments give out a signal - relating to the identity of the minister and also the identity of the season or the act of worship. Today, on your behalf, we will present Paul with a red stole - the colour is identified with the Holy Spirit and with a journey that can involve suffering and death for the Kingdom of God. When Paul conducts a baptism, this is the stole that he will wear - a reminder that in our Baptism we are baptised into the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and we wear his mark upon us; and also that we can do nothing without the power of His Holy Spirit to lead us into the truth.

Amen

The Gospel according to St Mark, Chapter 6, verses 1 - 13 (21st Century King James Version)

And He went out from thence and came into His own country, and His disciples followed Him. And when the Sabbath day had come, He began to teach in the synagogue. And many hearing Him were astonished, saying, "From whence hath this man these things? And what wisdom is this which is given unto him, that even such mighty works are wrought by his hands? Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James and Joses, and of Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?" And they were offended at Him. But Jesus said unto them, "A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house". And He could do no mighty works there, except that He laid His hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them. And He marvelled because of their unbelief. And He went round about the villages teaching. And He called unto Him the twelve, and began to send them forth two by two, and gave them power over unclean spirits, and commanded them that they should take nothing for their journey, save a staff only - no wallet, no bread, and no money in their purse, but be shod with sandals, and not put on two coats. And He said unto them, "In whatever place ye enter into a house, there abide until ye depart from that place. And whosoever shall not receive you nor hear you, when ye depart thence, shake off the dust under your feet as a testimony against them. Verily I say unto you, it shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the Day of Judgment than for that city". And they went out and preached that men should repent. And they cast out many devils, and anointed with oil many who were sick, and healed them.

© PCC St Martin's and St Paul's Canterbury 2008 - 2009