Preached at St Paul's Cathedral, Dunedin at Evensong 3 February
Readings: Haggai 2:1-9; John 2:18-22
I’ve been heard on occasion to remark that the Holy Spirit has a sense
of humour; and tonight I want to affirm that.
A word of explanation: when I say the Holy Spirit has a sense of humour,
I don’t mean to suggest that the Spirit of God is human-like with emotions and
ideas like us; I don’t believe, for one minute, that Spirit is made in our
image. But, I find using the language of
humour to describe Spirit invites us to consider what is happening around us
from a viewpoint not confined by self- interests, ego and control. Saying the Spirit has a sense of humour
provides language to describe that mysterious, intuitive and pulsing force,
found at the heart of the cosmos, through which, when we are attuned, we find
wholeness, healing and abundant life for all.
In my experience, it is when we tune in to that surprising Spirit-space
of holy creativity and serendipity, we discover Spirit’s transforming fire,
light and love, which overturns our self-serving elitism and self-affirming importance;
Spirit beckoning, tricking and enticing us into a new horizon of life where
love, justice and peace offer a surprising and totally different framework for
humanity’s way of being within this world.
My short hand for that rather ‘winded’ explanation is that Spirit, God’s
Spirit, the Holy Spirit does have a sense of humour. Eight years ago, I had a full-blown experience of that sense of humour when, completely ready to settle in Sydney for the rest of our days, with our retirement home nearly paid off and having fallen in love with the beguiling Australian life-style, the winds of Spirit rippled across the waters – and cyber-space – drawing me here to Dunedin, where I have been so fully blessed these last seven-half years. Yes, the Holy Spirit has a sense of humour and I’ve learnt over the years, to listen carefully for those ripples of laughter and to trust their overturning power.
And tonight, as we gather in this beautiful Cathedral – members of congregations of the four inner-city churches with old, glorious and challenging buildings, I think Spirit is having another belly laugh. As I understand it, we are here tonight on the invitation of the St Paul’s Cathedral Vestry, which suggested a combined service between our four churches. In the Dean’s letter of invitation, he wrote, “When the suggestion [for this service] was made it was also pointed out that our churches shared some common challenges, not least being questions related to insurance, earthquake strengthening and the dwindling congregations of ‘mainstream churches ... Opportunity for some discussions across our congregations would be appreciated.” The Dean ‘s letter continued, “It was realised that these concerns affect other denominations and congregations but it was nonetheless suggested that we begin with a discussion among our four to see if we find merit in the idea.” And so here we are tonight in response to that invitation – a date chosen because it suited most of us ... certainly not chosen because of the readings set down in the Anglican Calendar for evensong on this day ...But, can you hear Spirit’s deep rumbling chuckle inviting us to address our present common challenges about beautiful historic buildings within the context of ancient readings, speaking about the Temple in Jerusalem – a magnificent and changing Temple – Solomon’s Temple built more than 900 years before Jesus was born; some 300 years later razed to the ground by the Babylonian Empire, then re-built after the Exile and destroyed again by the Roman Empire a few decades after Jesus died – and never to be built again – at least, not yet. As we consider our challenges and choices concerning shoring and insuring up against destruction, we hold these texts before us –– and, if we listen, we might hear echoes of where Spirit’s laughter can lead.
I imagine not many of us would have heard tonight’s reading without
other echoes resounding. For many, the
words of Haggai cannot be heard on their own without the magnificent music of
Handel’s Messiah reverberating in our
heads
Yet once a little while, the bass soloist sings, and
I will shake the heavens, and the earth, the sea, and the dry land; and I will
shake all nations. And, of course,
these words take on even more meaning in the context of recent earthquakes,
volcanoes and tsunamis, where the shaking of the earth, the sea and the dry
land, are very much our reality – and provide us with those common challenges,
which have drawn us together tonight.
The little book of Haggai comes out of the post-exilic period (that is, after
the destruction of Solomon’s Temple and after the return of the people of Israel
from Babylon). At the beginning of Haggai’s
prophecy, we learn of a difference of opinion between different groups. Some believed it important to rebuild the
temple immediately; others argued “the time has not yet come to rebuild the
LORD’s house” (1.2). Those differences
are the reality in times of change and chaos and the rumbling laughter of the
Holy Spirit is not guaranteed to be comfortable or welcome. In fact, some have been tempted to detect a
hint of menace in the mirth. For
certainly, there is no guaranteed protection from the forces of nature or the
weapons of empire. The earth and nations do quake; temples and cathedrals are
reduced to rubble and ruin. We’ve seen
it with our very own eyes. But is this
the work of the Spirit? I think not! For
our tradition does not teach that Spirit brings destruction and death – but
rather that Spirit hovers creatively over chaos, Spirit reveals the presence of
God, Spirit brings new life, healing and hope.
In writing his Gospel, John knew these traditions. By the time he wrote his Gospel, he would also
have known about the destruction of the second Temple – and that knowledge
shapes his telling of the good news. His
deeply theological Gospel, wrought within the newly forming church, centred on
the one known as the Christ – and it provides a transforming view. In his Gospel, John places the overturning of
the moneychangers in the Temple at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry – not the
end as for the Synoptic writers. Give us
a sign, the unconvinced religious leaders taunt as Jesus drives the merchants
and bankers from the Temple. Ok, says
Jesus ‘Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.’ ‘This temple
has been under construction for forty-six years, and will you raise it up in
three days?’ the incredulous leaders respond.
But, reflects John, he was speaking of the temple of his body – the place
where Eternal Word has become flesh – making its home with humanity and
bringing abundant life for all.
We, who are Christian, have taken John’s symbolic understanding of God’s
presence among us to speak of the Church as the Body of Christ. Each time we celebrate the Eucharist we “receive
what we are and become what we receive, the Body of Christ”. Another way – perhaps not even the final way
- of knowing and experiencing the Eternal Presence of God.
Yes, we do have many
challenges before us. We don’t know what
the future holds. As our faith ancestors discovered, God’s eternal presence is
not limited by the symbols we call on to remind us of that presence. God in the burning bush, God in the pillar of
fire and pillar of cloud, God in the ark of the covenant, God in the first and
second Temples – all have been just that, symbols of the presence of God. While yearning for a new Temple, Judaism has
continued to flourish without one. Let
us never lose sight of the fact that the buildings of First Church and Knox,
the cathedrals of St Joseph and St Paul are just that, symbols of the presence
of God.
We certainly face big challenges in the years ahead. But the words of the prophet Haggai continue
to ring true: “Take courage, says God; work [we might say - as
being the body of Christ – but take courage], for I am with you, according to
the promise I made you when you came out of Egypt. My spirit abides among you; do not fear.”
Friends, I assure you,
laughter is the one of the greatest antidotes to fear … So travel into the
future with courage, listening for that laughter – and hear what the Spirit is
saying to the Church. Amen
No comments:
Post a Comment