Loving God, strengthen us by your Spirit, and make us worthy of your call, Amen
‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.’ Luke 4 v18-19
It is now nearly 33 years since a bishop first put me in charge of a parish. In the Anglican tradition, priests receive the 'cure of souls' which describes what a priest is meant to do; that is to share with the Bishop the care of the souls, the spiritual aspect of people’s lives. Of course, bishops largely delegate that role to the priest, but technically speaking Bishop John is in charge here, and the rector takes care of things when he isn’t around. That’s why the Bishop’s Chair, where the Bishop sits when he comes to the parish, (as he will in April), is where the rector sits on other occasions.
The parish where I was appointed in 1989 was situated on a post Secord World War blue-collar housing estate in a town called Aylesbury in the Diocese of Oxford. This passage from Luke’s gospel was the set text for my service of welcome.
At the time this priest was young (well 30), quite green and very enthusiastic. The belief in the congregation was that if anyone was needed to pray aloud, administer communion, as well as a host of other tasks; well that was the priest’s job.
One Sunday we discovered that someone had forgotten to light the candles before the service. It soon became apparent that people (including one of the two Wardens) were trying to bring this to my attention, by pointing to the sadly unlit candles. However, the new priest in charge firmly shook his head and eventually, someone came forward and lit the candles. It was at that moment that it became clear to me that if we had to go through the whole service with no candles alight so be it. It is likely that my strong view that ministry is what laypeople and clergy do together was honed during my four-year stint at St Peter’s, Quarrendon. That yes, there are specific roles for clergy, and others for laypeople, like Wardens, Treasurers, to name just a few responsibilities, but that the overall task of ministry, in all its many forms, is one that is always shared by lay people working with their priest in charge.
Today’s gospel passage from Luke describes Jesus entering the synagogue in his home region of Galilee. It is important to remember that Jesus the pioneer of our faith (as he is referred to in the letter to the Hebrews), along with the disciples, were faithful and observant members of the Jewish faith. So when in his home region on the Sabbath going to the synagogue was what Jesus and the disciples did together. By this time Jesus was recognized as a teacher, and as the text tells us: ‘He began to teach in their synagogues and was praised by everyone.’
So it is no surprise that on entering the synagogue Jesus might be asked to stand up and read from the scriptures. There was no Revised Common Lectionary in those days; rather there would have been scrolls of the law and prophets. Again there were no set readings for the day, Jesus would have been handed the scroll which had been given to him by one of the leaders in the synagogue and Jesus then choose to read the passage from Isaiah which is at the centre of our gospel passage.
‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.’
Those words are the words which were read at my installation in April 1989, and which have been with me for the last thirty-five years as a priest in charge, in Aylesbury, in Reading, at the Mission to Seafarers and the last 20 years here at the Church of the Epiphany.
Over the last 33 years whenever this passage comes up in the lectionary it causes me to reflect on the words from Luke’s gospel. They have been always with me and my hope and prayer is that they have always influenced the ordained ministry that has been my vocation and working life. As we reflect on these words again today it seems to me they continue to resonate, inform and direct me in how we work together for God in this place.
Now I’m almost 63 and therefore not so young but still quite green and sometimes enthusiastic. I’m still learning what it is to be a priest in the Church of God, a spiritual leader.
One thing is for sure; these words are implanted in my mind and within my soul. For Jesus calls all of us to be people of faith who strive to bring good news to the poor.
As the prophet Isaiah said it, and as Luke reminds us:
‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.’
Amen
