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The Fourth Sunday after Trinity, 27th June 2010

Called to serve

When I was a child, a husband and wife in our church felt a call to mission and went to train with the South American Missionary Society. They studied languages and learned the language of a tribe of South American Indians so that they could teach them to read and write and translate the Gospels for them. There was a valedictory service at the Church one evening at which the couple were invited to stand while a wave a prayer covered them. Aged about 9, I was deeply impressed by this, but also fearful. Was this really the extent of commitment that God required? Giving up your home and going to a strange country among people hidden in the Rainforest? It certainly seemed to set a standard of commitment with which I stood in awe.

In the Gospel today we find an uncompromising Jesus setting his face towards Jerusalem and giving short shrift to those who want to go with him but only after they have done something else: no you can't wait till your father is in his grave; no you can't go on a farewell tour: the time is now. But there are boundaries. The disciples James and John (nicknamed Sons of Thunder, remember), rather caught up in this, decide that an unwelcoming Samaritan town should be punished; but Jesus demurs, and on they go.

I don't know how long it took Paul, our Curate, to decide that he had a vocation to ministry. As we come to the last Sunday before his ordination to the preisthood, he is no doubt thinking about that journey and how it is reaching such a significant point. In my case, it was certainly a rather slow-burning affair which began when I took up church going again after a break of about ten years. For four years I had in many ways given my life to my job, working evenings and much of the weekend - but near the end of that summer term I had felt deeply hurt by the behaviour of our Headmaster - as it turned out he was in fact seriously ill. During that summer holiday I was struck down with a depression that caught me every morning: I had to get up and get busy in order not to just lie there and mope. Then one Sunday morning I put the radio on and caught the Sunday programme. I heard an item about a woman - I cannot remember where - who had been sent to prison for meeting with other Christians. I suddenly thought: I used to go to church, and I could to church whenever I wanted now and no-one would punish me - so why not? Even though I have never felt able to equal the commitment of that couple, I also knew that there was something or someone or some being that would never short change you on commitment: I had learned about him in childhood, I had lost contact with him recently; I wanted to get in touch again. It was however four more years before I packed up my life in Sheffield and went off to Salisbury to train for the ministry.

Our thoughts and prayers will be very much with Paul as he goes into retreat this week to have time and space to think about the step he is taking and that the church is taking with him - and we look forward to rejoicing with him next Sunday. A time to think about saying "Yes" to God rather than "hang on till I'm ready" - a readiness that is always postponed. And how lovely also today to be able to pray for 11 year old Josh and to witness his "Yes" as he is baptised and received into communion at St. Paul's today.

Amen