Being Human, Being Reconciled (Lent 1)

[This is the first of the mediations used during Lent at All Saints Ealing.  In place of the sermon, the congregation are invited to reflect upon a work of art from the National Gallery. The reflection is accompanied by simple meditative music. The reflection is inspired by the lectionary readings for the day and two books: Nicholas Holtam's The Art of Worship and Anne Richards' Unreconciled - Exploring mission in an imperfect world. The selection of accompanying music as well as commentary on it is provided by the Director of Music - Gina Kruger.]

Jan Gossaert, Adam and Eve, about 1520 (Courtesy of the National Gallery)

“Adam and Eve are everyman and every woman, realistic,

solid and muscular.”

Nicholas Holtam - The Art of Worship

We tend to think that there is only need for reconciliation when external forces have come into conflict. For example, one ethnic group commits violence on another or a parent disowns a child because of family shame.

But the Bible teaches us that lasting reconciliation begins in every individual. The starting point is a willingness to understand the internal rather than external forces that shape our humanity. We know that God has created us in his image (Genesis 1:26) and that he calls his creation “very good” (Genesis 1:30).  However, all too soon we forget that we are the custodians and not the source of human dignity and ingenuity. Like Adam and Eve, when we turn our backs on God’s law in pride, vanity or apathy we eventually awaken into painful consciousness - our human dignity has been marred.

But the story of salvation does not end with the expulsion of humanity from paradise. That is where it begins. Likewise in Lent we are called to begin again, to start fresh with the recognition that we are fragile, fallible and incomplete without God. In short we are un-reconciled.

"Almighty God,

by the prayer and discipline of Lent

may we enter into the mystery of Christ’s sufferings,

and by following in the Way

may we come to share in the glory;

through Jesus Christ our Lord."

The Collect for Lent 1

Music Before the Service: Chorale Prelude on 'Forty Days and Forty Nights' by J.S. Bach

Music for the Reflection: Improvisation on Forty Days and Forty Nights

The original words to this hymn (18^th century) have been altered through the centuries; Christ’s suffering in the wilderness was detailed in some verses which were later deemed unsuitable for public worship. This improvisation reflects a journey, beginning in darkness, and eventually giving way to redemption with the use of the major mode before returning to the hymn tune. The oboe was used by shepherds in the Middle Ages; it becomes in this case an aural symbol of solitude and restlessness.

Organ Voluntary:  Postlude by Anton Bruckner (1852)

In addition to his well-known symphonies, Bruckner composed sacred music. He set Latin Masses for Catholic use and also used Luther's translation of the Bible for Psalm Settings. This work is one of the few he composed for solo organ.

A potted guide to Ash Wednesday and Lent

PHONE HACKING: SCANDAL-HUNGRY READERS APPALLED!

The phone hacking scandal has left all of us with a bad taste in the mouth.  The consequences of this debacle are already playing out in a predictable manner. By and large the role of the journalist has been placed under the microscope in order to diagnose a hidden systemic source of wrongdoing. “How could this have happened?” we all ask in dismay.

If we are not scrutinising the journalists, our attentions are focused on the corrupt and exploitative practices of big business. I certainly believe that Rupert Murdoch and his henchmen(woman) should be held accountable. In fact, I feel very passionately that justice should be done. But for Christians the desire for justice is not enough. We are called in light of the ills of our world to constant self-examination.

Having worked in the media for more than 10 years I recognise one overwhelming fact about this network of businesses – no one plays to an empty theatre. Newspapers wouldn’t hit the streets if a willing public wasn’t buying and reading them. In fact, it is now true to say that no one would bother firing up the printing press if a rag only garnered a small audience. If there is no audience, there is no advertising revenue. If there is no advertising revenue, there is no newspaper. This is an equation that Rupert Murdoch and his team understand better than anyone else.

So we should not delude ourselves that somewhere a secret society of media moguls meets to set the agenda for governments and global trends. Moreover, we need to abandon the naive assumption that media strategists are supreme beings and somehow trick us into abandoning all intelligent thought when we come into contact with their propaganda - are we merely helpless pawns in their game of wealth, power and persuasion? If anything, this is the great delusion of our time if not a convenient means of avoiding any responsibility.

Jesus constantly calls on those around him to be self aware, to recognise their own complicity in the sin and injustice of their culture:

When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, ‘Let anyone among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her. John 8:7

Are we only prepared to give a prophetic voice to the injustice we witness or do we actually demonstrate a believable alternative to it? We may think we have found an authentic moral voice when in fact we are simply nursing our scandalised ideals. It is much more uncomfortable to accept that real change in the moral landscape can begin with us trying to live an honest (albeit flawed) pursuit of the Gospel.

I am a news consumer. Despite my best instincts I am sometimes tantalised by reporting that can only be described as malicious gossip. This is the very same type of reporting that makes millions of pounds for news corporations with whom I would not like to be associated. I am a news consumer. 

This letter to The Times, 8 July 2011 says it best:

Sir,

We hated the bankers, yet enjoyed the economic prosperity. We despised our MPs, yet made murky expenses claims ourselves. We are disgusted with our journalists but enjoy reading their exclusives. The British public has the freedom to be outraged by all these groups; individually we are disturbed by what we would have done.

Journalist rushes to the defense of the Church (Yes you read that correctly)

The relationship between the British press and the Church can be a fickle one to say the least. It cannot be said that the press ignore matters of Christian faith or the institutions behind it. This is of great value in the mission of the Gospel. It means that the Church's voice is heard in national debates about moral, spiritual and political issues. However, there is also a tendency to take a swipe at the Church whenever the opportunity presents itself. Very seldom, if ever, does the quiet but effective work of the Church make the front page. Rather it is a controversial pronouncement or an entertaining mishap offered up by the clergy that grab's the spotlight.

That is why I was very pleased to come across Mary Ann Sieghart's editorial piece in The Independent this week extolling the virtues of Christian life in the UK and the instution that seeks to sustain it. Take a read.

Shall we agree to disagree?

I have many weaknesses. One of them is that I like to be right. Like all human beings I am frequently wrong but in those situations I would prefer to be right about being wrong. And yes I know that the latter statement sounds ridiculous. But that’s the point isn’t it? Being right is so comforting, rewarding and dare I say self-satisfying. Being wrong is just embarrassing and awkward. It mostly requires an apology and the ignominy of tucking into a large slice of humble pie.

One of the great benefits of marriage is that this particular weakness is brought into sharp focus long before I can get comfortable with being right about being wrong. However, marital bliss also manifests a much more complicated scenario. I like to call it the “appropriate stale mate”.

Is it possible that both parties could be right? After all, we all actually accept that much of day-to-day life is greyer than it is black and white. We don’t spend hours debating if it is right to wear blue shirts rather than red ones or whether bacon and eggs rather than eggs and beans is more right for breakfast.

It seems that a conversation becomes a disagreement when it hits on an unspoken value we hold dear - the right to be heard, the importance of family, the rewards of hard work and so on. A lot of the time we aren’t even aware that we are championing our hidden value system, especially when we confuse what’s important to us with THE truth.  It’s almost instinctive to convince ourselves that “if I have the truth then I must be right!”

In the Gospels Jesus reminds us that the truth will set us free (John 8:32) but also, and very importantly, that HE is the way the truth and the life (John 14:6).  I find this can be a helpful litmus test. If I’ve painted myself into corner, I try (but sadly often forget) to go to Jesus in prayer and ask for the truth. Whenever I ask for truth I get it and seldom like the perspective it brings.

As I see it, the problem isn’t disagreement or even conflict (tremendous creativity should emerge from healthy debate) it is my stubbornness to recognise that there may be more than one approach/perspective/answer that is right. More troubling is that this kind of attitude will more likely inhibit rather than enable the Holy Spirit to work in fresh and unexpected ways.