Saintly Words!

During the first week of November we celebrate our sense of belonging with those who have given lives of faithful service to others and have trod the path of faith with love. We also remember those who we love but see no longer.
In the hymn ‘Give thanks for those whose faith is firm’ Martin E Leckebusch invites us to give thanks for those who have shown a firm faith in bleak times and who forcefully speak out. He also reminds us not only to give thanks for the saints of the past but also the ‘saints alive today’. (The full text of the hymn is included at the end of the reflection)

With this thought of the ‘saints alive today’ I wish us to focus on some powerful words. Powerful words do not always appear saintly on first reading they may even shock but sometimes we have to stay with those words and absorb them. The Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, when he addressed a special session of the Church of England General Synod in September 2020, gave such words.

They were powerful yet positive words regarding hate, he spoke with a deep emotion when he used the words ‘I hate’ ten times in the opening paragraph of his address. Yes, these words ‘I hate’ were positive because Archbishop Stephen expressed the anger, helplessness, pain so many of us have experienced over the last months. We have so often been told to be hopeful, positive, almost ‘always look on the bright side of life’, when really, we did not want to feel that way. It was as if we were being told to keep a collective ‘stiff upper lip’. Archbishop Stephen’s words can be cathartic, allowing us to express feelings we have kept bottled up. Anger is a healthy and appropriate response to COVID19, we need to feel it is alright to express hatred and anger and to draw strength from it and support each other through it.

Archbishop Stephen followed these words with words that spoke of peoples positive and loving response to COVID19. He reluctantly acknowledged ‘that although there is nothing good about Covid 19, good can come out of it, if we respect and love each other, and learn how to inhabit the world differently so that the spread of the virus can be kept under control’.

He ends his address with these words

Finally, I am sorry for the inevitable mistakes we have made along the way but confident in God’s mercy and of your own forbearance. I invite us now even in this strange synod to do no other than to boldly and humbly share the Gospel in deed and in word across the life of our nation. Therefore, I cry out and invite you to cry out with me: ‘Death, where is your sting? Grave, where is your victory? For I am convinced that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.’

What saints have done through the centuries and what saintly words today is to encourage us to do is not to cover up our pain, hurt and anger but face it head and cry out nothing ‘in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.’

At this time may we boldly and with confidence pray for the Church, the World and for the coming of God’s kingdom.

+In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

Out of the depths I cry to you, LORD; Lord, hear my voice. Let your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy. (Psalm 130:1-2)

Father, we bring before you all those who bare the pain and hurt caused by COVID19.
Waken us to the pain and hurt of others and that even at a distance we may be an instrument of your healing and peace.
Help us to reach out using all the avenues available to us to be that friendly voice that says you are not alone.
Send us to be that friend, to be the one that walks alongside those who are isolated and carry heavy burdens.
Strengthen us to use technology in creative ways so we can see, talk and be support to those distanced from us.
Give us courage to claim for ourselves the promise that nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Father we bring before with thanks those who have offered us assistance over the past months.
In the silence of our hearts we bring before you
Our family and friends
Our clergy and all within our church
And all those who work with the health and social care services.
We also pray for decision makers that they may work for the common good.

The Lords Prayer – Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and for ever. Amen.

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Fill your hearts with joy and gladness,
Sing and praise your God and mine!
Great the Lord in love and wisdom,
Might and majesty divine!
He who framed the starry heavens
Knows and names them as they shine
Fill your hearts with joy and gladness,
Sing and praise your God and mine!

Praise the Lord, his people, praise him!
Wounded souls his comfort know.
Those who fear him find his mercies,
Peace for pain and joy for woe;
Humble hearts are high exalted,
Human pride and power laid low.
Praise the Lord, his people, praise him!
Wounded souls his comfort know.

Praise the Lord for times and seasons,
Cloud and sunshine, wind and rain;
Spring to melt the snows of winter
Till the waters flow again;
Grass upon the mountain pastures,
Golden valleys thick with grain.
Praise the Lord for times and seasons,
Cloud and sunshine, wind and rain;

Fill your hearts with joy and gladness,
Peace and plenty crown your days!
Love his laws, declare his judgements,
Walk in all his words and ways;
He the Lord and we his children,
Praise the Lord, all people, praise!
Fill your hearts with joy and gladness,
Peace and plenty crown your days!

May Christ who makes saints of sinners,
who has transformed those we remember at this time,
raise and strengthen us that we may transform the world;
and the blessing of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit be with us all. Amen

Martin E Leckebusch’s hymn
Give thanks for those whose faith is firm
When all around seems bleak
On God’s good promise they rely
So while they live and when they die
How forcefully they speak
The strong who once were weak

Give thanks for those whose hope is clear
Beyond mere mortal sight
Who seek the city God has planned
The true eternal promised land
And steer on toward that light
A beacon ever bright

Give thanks for those whose love is pure
A sparkling precious stone
They show by what they say and do
An inward beauty warm and true
For God’s concerns they own
God’s love through them is known

Give thanks for saints of ages past
And saints alive today
Though often by this world despised
Their hearts by God are richly prized
Give thanks that we may say
We share their pilgrim way

Derek Akker