Sermon Archive
Inspiration, conviction, and Europe
Sermon preached by Clephane Hume at Evensong on 25 April 2004, St Mark's day
Ezekiel 1.1-14 ; Acts 12.25, 3.1-3
One of my most vivid memories from a visit to Venice is going out to the island of Torcello, to visit the church there. It contains, among other things, a magnificent triptych which is based on the book of Ezekiel.
It brings to life all the things mentioned in the Old Testament lesson, and much more besides. The depiction of the living creatures really does illustrate the glory of the Lord.
I had already been inspired by frescoes of six winged seraphs in other places, but the total impression of wonder at the portrayal in Torcello is definitely memorable and I was fortunate to have time to gaze. And a knowledgeable art guide to interpret for me.
In case you are wondering why I should wax so lyrical about a fresco in Venice, the link is that today is St Mark's day, although that has been translated to tomorrow, and so this is the eve of the saint's day. You can't go to Venice and not realise that there is a link. The lion of St Mark is highly visible, as the symbol of their patron saint. And there are further links to our new testament reading.
The Passage from Acts records the setting apart of Saul and Barnabas for work within the church. Missionaries at the beginning of their journeys. It's not easy to be a pioneer, to set up a service of any kind, when you have to convince those who do not know you, that you have something worthwhile to offer them. And when you may be penalised for speaking out, like Moredecai Vanunu, who I was interested to read, was welcomed out of prison into the care of Anglican clergy. Strangers coming with a message are not always welcome and although Saul and Barnabas were setting out together, they must nevertheless have felt vulnerable. Despite the fact that it was not their first experience of preaching and teaching - they had returned to Jerusalem after a time in Antioch, where they had been sent to encourage the young church.
Returning to St Mark. He is believed to be the young man who ran away when Jesus was arrested and the 'John whose other name was Mark' He was a disciple of Saint Peter who travelled with him to Rome, and as we know, author of the earliest Gospel.
But Mark did not only go to Rome. As we heard, he travelled with his cousin Barnabas, and with Paul, throughout Cyprus. He evangelized in Alexandria, and established the Church there, and founded the first Christian school, before being martyred at Alexandria on 25 April AD 68. So he must have know all about the difficulties of working in an unfamiliar environment and getting to know who holds influence and can therefore assist you.
His tactics might be something that would interest leaders of society today. For example, our politicians trying to convince us that they are doing things for our good, especially when they have to make changes in the light of ongoing developments.
We are now very close to welcoming new member states into Europe, which will change the face of the continent and bring us into closer links with former communist countries. The new countries have hopes and expectations, and will bring to us a rich variety of new things - ranging from music and arts, gastronomic experiences, to other church traditions.
They will also bring the history of occupation and oppression, and all the difficulties that that causes for a country learning to be independent. For people who have not been allowed to make decisions for themselves or to show initiative, need to learn to do both. Conversations with my colleagues in the Baltic states, and with Jaan in our link church in Estonia, have revealed the challenges people face in implementing such changes in behaviour, and in adapting to new ways of working.
In joining us, they will have to deal with price increases and a lot of fiscal changes to comply with European law. It is a rapid transition from gaining independence in the early 1990s to being part of a wider community. I hope that we shall truly welcome them and not just for the benefits that they may bring to us. (I gather from news reports this past week that dental care in Hungary is becoming popular for people here seeking cheaper treatment.)
Tomorrow is not only St Mark's day. It also marks the anniversary of the Chernobyl accident in 1986. Something which is not in our everyday thoughts. But something which causes a huge number of ongoing medical problems, both in the Ukraine and in nearby Belarus. Apparently there is a danger that the protective casing around the reactor may collapse, causing further problems. For the people who live nearby, the dangers are outweighed by the desire to remain in familiar surroundings. And that is a strong pull against change.
And as we can see from the news from Iraq, and from Palestine and Israel, people who feel strongly about the 'right-ness' of their position, can easily fall into dispute with one another. The ongoing resistance in Iraq is not what the fall of Saddam was supposed to bring, but it is not possible to predict how people will respond to your interventions. However helpful you believe your intentions to be.
Leaving our traditions and beliefs is just as difficult, so the early missionaries were brave in their convictions. No wonder we need something like Ezekiel's vision to give us an image of the glory of the Lord and the wonders to which our faith can lead us. The remainder of the chapter is equally powerful in its description.
St Mark obviously had conviction, so let us hope that we too can inspire others towards the change which leads them to the gospel message and eternal life.
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