This Sunday our Church celebrates the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. The Gospel is John 3: 13 – 17.
The television programme “The Repair Shop” screens on TVNZ1 on a Friday evening.
During the programme some of Britain’s most skilled restoration experts breathe new life into much-cherished family heirlooms that are dropped off by members of the public, who reveal the personal stories behind the items.
Items can include silverware, ceramics, leather goods and wood items.
Amanda Middleditch and Julie Tatchell are known on the programme as “the Teddy Bear ladies” and are renown as teddy bear and soft toy restorers.
A couple of weeks ago, the “Teddy Bear ladies” met with quite an elderly woman who had brought with her a quite damaged doll. The exact details elude me; however, the gist of her story was that she had been given the doll at a young age by her father.
The doll was now missing a finger and a couple of toes; the doll’s eyes no longer blinked, and a portion of the stuffing had been knocked out of the doll.
It was the comment that the elderly lady made about the doll as she handed her doll over for repair that brought me to attention. She commented, of the doll, “it has been damaged by love!”
Wow!
What a wonderful description of the mystery of Redemption which we celebrate with the feast known as “The Exaltation of the Cross”.
Today, I suggest, if you are able, to spend five minutes sitting, kneeling or in a physical posture comfortable for you, in front of a Crucifix and in rhythm with your inhaling and exhaling breath recite quietly, “damaged by love.”
The image is by the Ukrainian realist painter, Nikolai Ge. Titled ‘Le Calvaire’ it is part of the collection of art works at the Musée d’Orsay, Paris.
Our Second Reading today is an extract from the letter of St. Paul to a gentleman named Philemon.
The letter takes up no more than a page in the Bible I use.
Philemon was a first-century Christian and a slave owner who also hosted a church in his home, most likely in Colossae.
His name means “affectionate” in Greek, and, from all we know about Philemon, he lived up to his name.
Paul had led Philemon to faith on one of his visits to Asia Minor and had stayed in Philemon’s home when in that region.
The book of Philemon is a personal letter from the apostle Paul to his friend Philemon whom he calls a “dear friend and fellow worker” Paul appeals to his friend on behalf of a runaway slave named Onesimus.
Onesimus had somehow connected with Paul, who was imprisoned in Rome. Onesimus became a believer, but, because he was the property of Philemon, Paul sends him back to his owner with a letter.
The fact the Philemon owns a slave we know he is a person of means. The word we might use today is ‘affluent’. There is realisation that persons of means are not excluded from hearing God’s Word and believing.
The relationship between Paul and Philemon is clearly warm and respectful.
While Paul never criticizes Philemon for owning slaves, he gently reminds him that Onesimus is now a brother in Christ and that truth should now define the relationship.
It is quite probable that Philemon freed his returned slave, as he heeded Paul’s instruction that, under the covenant of grace, both master and slave have equal standing in the body of Christ.
My secondary schooling took place at St Patrick’s College, Wellington.
The college sat on the corner of Cambridge Terrace and Buckle St.
Just across from the cricket ground known as the Basin Reserve.
At the end of the college, there sat what was known as the “Buckle St Soup Kitchen”.
Managed by the Sisters of Compassion, this soup kitchen provided food for the less fortunate people of Wellington city.
And, as a Young Vinnie, one of my tasks was to assist the Sisters and staff at meal time.
It was awful; dishevelled, unkempt, smelly men would turn up. Many reeking of cheap alcohol, some with a bottle of meths hanging from their coat pocket.
They would gobble down their food and leave hurriedly to find the best spot across the road at the Basin Reserve to doss down for the night.
I said, a paragraph ago, ‘it was awful’. It was awful because I had not experienced a Church like this.
Church was always neat and tidy. Outside, the lawns were neatly mown, the edges trimmed. Inside, the pews always were aligned correctly, books stacked neatly, flowers rested in bright brass flower stands. There was a lingering smell of incense and candlewax.
As a family we dressed in our ‘Sunday best!’ Persons were well behaved and spoke with consideration for one another.
The words of Jesus from today’s Gospel (Lk. 17:13 – 14) hit somewhere around the solar plexus
“When you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you, for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”
The key word here, for myself anyway, is the word “invite”. My dictionary tells me that the word ‘invite’ means to ask somebody formally to go somewhere or do something.
The initiative lies with the host.
Consider for a moment how many of our Church buildings ‘invite’ the poor, the crippled, the lame and the blind?
Our Church architecture presumes you are fit and able. Many of our Churches have steps into the building and steps to and around the sanctuary.
How many of our Churches provide sign language as a regular option?
To receive Holy Communion, most churches require the recipient to walk to the front!
When designing or remodelling a church building ask the poor, the crippled, the lame and the blind, and the deaf!
Consider how many of our faith communities ‘invite’ the poor, the crippled, the lame and the blind?
