For the second time in June I was able to visit Benefield as Reader led Matins, it really is one of my favourite services alongside that of Evensong. This week has been full of strong powerful urges to pray for loved ones and dear friends. Funny how a sermon carries into the following week...
Here is a copy of the text:
Benefield sermon 20/06/21
Psalm 107.23-32
23 Those who go down to the sea in ships •︎
and ply their trade in great waters,
24 These have seen the works of the Lord •︎
and his wonders in the deep.
25 For at his word the stormy wind arose •︎
and lifted up the waves of the sea.
26 They were carried up to the heavens
and down again to the deep; •︎
their soul melted away in their peril.
27 They reeled and staggered like a drunkard •︎
and were at their wits’ end.
28 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, •︎
and he brought them out of their distress.
29 He made the storm be still •︎
and the waves of the sea were calmed.
30 Then were they glad because they were at rest, •︎
and he brought them to the haven they desired.
31 Let them give thanks to the Lord for his goodness •︎
and the wonders he does for his children.
32 Let them exalt him in the congregation of the people •︎
and praise him in the council of the elders.
Mark 4.35-41
35 On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, ‘Let us go across to the other side.’ 36And leaving the crowd behind, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. Other boats were with him. 37A great gale arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped. 38But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke him up and said to him, ‘Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?’ 39He woke up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, ‘Peace! Be still!’ Then the wind ceased, and there was a dead calm. 40He said to them, ‘Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?’ 41And they were filled with great awe and said to one another, ‘Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?’
This is the Gospel of the Lord.
All Praise to you, O Christ.
May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in thy sight, Oh Lord, my rock and my redeemer. Amen
Last time I was here we considered the psalms - and I love it that the psalm and reading are paired so well today. Jesus in Marks gospel is the living embodiment of prayer being answered, answered in a way that the apostles were stunned to witness. When prayer is answered so swiftly we are right to be amazed and stunned into silence; then praise, thanksgiving, rejoicing, and the whole gambit of emotions us humans are want to express.
We have one prayer that centres us and covers everything. The Lord’s Prayer. The Prayer course is based on this gift of a prayer and it discusses the couplets in detail and sharpens our focus on what’s packed within the stanza; it’s a good course. We can sometimes say this prayer by rote, it’s a familiar habit. For me I have to read it each time I recite it because it slows me down and makes me consider what I am reading.
My dyslexia has given me that unexpected gift. I don’t read like most of you who will read a sentence chunk and processes quickly what the sentence is ‘saying’ my brain only reads and processes one word at a time, so understanding what each word is saying and then lumping them all together takes longer...my brain processing function is sort of savouring each word like a fine wind and making up its mind about what it means, whether there are woody notes, or cherries - you get my drift - there is a brief debate going on as it weighs up the responses. But the benefit is I get to savour the words and the detail each word is expressing. When we say things by rote as a matter of habit, if we are not careful we can loose the meaning and intentions of writer and the spring boarding of responses for us the readers of prayer.
Prayer is a most powerful gift. We have pages of liturgy to choose from. All words centred in Scripture, and much taken from the Psalms. For some it is the pattern of familiarity that comforts and anchors us when everything around us is in turmoil. Again for some that is good, because they have turned to the familiar for comfort and praise. But prayer is not a static passive activity. It is at the very centre of our faith. When we say yes to God, we have opened the door to a relationship. God has invited us to engage in a physical activity, prayer. Prayer is just that, a response to an invitation to engage, physically we have to do something. We can answer that invite in many different ways. We can be still and be silent in prayer (probably the most difficult thing we can do) because our busy, frantic minds whirlygig away with the 1001 ideas and lists of jobs to do. Or we could do something practical, care, help, bake, dance or sing. Don’t ever underestimate that prayer of doing something for someone else, however small that task may be, if it is done in love, kindness and thought for that other, well is that not prayer? Balance as ever is always needed, doing kind acts and quality prayer time is imperative if we are to nurture relationship. Prayer is conversation with God. We don’t always hear the response. Sometimes we have an immediate reply as the apostles amidst the storm, it can be felt as a warm glow within us when something clicks when we understand how a prayer was answered in an unexpected way. Or we recall how an outcome for something was not seemingly answered but on reflection we can see another viewpoint and our perception is changed.
Recently on BBC radio 4, Archbishop Stephen Cotterell spoke powerfully on prayer as a physical activity. Finding another way was the key….and the Archbishop of York looked to Henri Nouwen to help bring a different practical kind of prayer to our airwaves the other week.
This other way of prayer, and a way to pray might not suit all of you. If it doesn’t suit then that is good, because it means you have tried it and know you need to find something that works for you. We are going to pray now using the Archbishop Stephen’s words:
”…Jesus says, ‘For everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.’ I invite you now to join with me in knocking on that door in confidence that God will hear our call. Sometimes it’s difficult to find the words. So it’s helpful to rely on some memorable ways of bringing your concerns before God. Sometimes , we need to make prayer more physical, to express in external signs and symbols the internal longing and desires of our hearts.
The following strategy is based on what the Dutch theologian Henri Nouwen called ‘opening up our tightly clenched fists’ to pray. You take your closed fist, and gradually open it up, to receive the blessings and wisdom that God longs to give each and every one of us. In this way, your hands open before God, your hand itself can be a basic pattern and reminder of how to pray.
So I hold my clenched fist in front of me now.
Now stretch I out my thumb. We begin with thanksgiving – count our blessings. Thank God for today and for the good things in our lives. For Christians this includes the resurrection of Jesus who destroys death and sin. We thank God for new life, for the hope brought by vaccines and medical care, and the relief felt by many as restrictions become more relaxed. (brief pause)
Then I stretch out my index finger; the finger we use to point. So we pray for direction in our lives, for the decisions we need to make, the things for which we are responsible. We pray for direction for the world and its people, for all those who are facing uncertainty and anguish, that they might find their path through the darkness. (pause)
I now add my middle finger, the tallest on my hand as we pray for those who have power in the world: for our Church leaders, for the Queen and her ministers, for other governments, and for local leaders. We pray that they are guided by justice, peace and truth in their decisions and leadership. (pause)
My ring finger is the weakest finger. It can’t do much on its own. We pray for the people we rely on: our friends and family, the people we depend on and those that depend on us. We pray for all those in caring positions, give them the strength they need to support others. (pause)
Lastly I stretch out my little finger and pray for those who desperately need help: the sick, the poor, the weak, the vulnerable, the bereaved and those who face violence. We remember those who have died, in particular within our own church family; and the families of Bobby Turton and Tony Hayward. May the Resurrection bring hope to the hearts of all who suffer. (pause)
And finally we lift both our hands to God in thanksgiving, and pray for our own needs. (pause)
Collect
God our saviour,
look on this wounded world
in pity and in power;
hold us fast to your promises of peace
won for us by your Son,
our Saviour Jesus Christ.
Let us bring our prayers together in the words Jesus taught us…
The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come;
thy will be done;
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation;
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
the power and the glory,
for ever and ever
Amen
There is a footnote to this. I met a dear friend yesterday for coffee, we chatted we hugged, we gave thanks for being able to meet and the gift of friendship. She had heard a sermon on this in her parish, the outcome was enlightening. Jesus was calm in the storm because He was calm within. That made us think. Jesus as our creator God had made the storm and knew the eye of the storm, the centre, Himself as centre, was at peace. We can learn a lot from the eye of the storm...
Peace be with you friends. <><
Caroline :)
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