I trust you will forgive me for a little indulgence this morning for I have decided to share some reflections of my life in ministry. I’ll endeavour to keep it modestly timed, but no guarantees.
For myself it’s hard to keep it separate from my personal life journey.

I see the roots of ministry reaching back into my earlier childhood. Like many baby boomers I grew up in a large and vibrant local parish community church, around which much of peoples’ life centred.

EARLY ROOTS

My parish church was St. Matthews Ashburton, last Thursday having been that Saint’s day 21st September each year.

Three experiences emerged in that early life that I believe have shaped my life and ministry.

Like most children at that time our parents taught us to pray by saying prayers with us as we got into bed. Probably, as many found that need diminishing in their teenage years, for me it didn’t but continued in earnest to the point of being fascinated by the experience of meditation and contemplation. I was drawn to the experience that many of life’s great mystics devoted their life to.

As a young altar boy I can recall a moment during one Sunday service kneeling at the steps before the altar, and as the priest consecrated the bread and the wine, thinking if I was ever to come to know truth, it would ultimately be found here in the eucharist.

The third experience is best described a few years after ordination. I recall visiting a friend’s place and telling them I had decided to travel to Canada to do some Chaplaincy training in a Psychiatric hospital. They had a neighbour with them who, while being very committed in her own faith, questioned me on why I would want to do that in a psychiatric hospital. From an early age, I had always tried to understand what made people tick. Although I had been trained in college for ministry. I had come to realise that theological theory was hardly adequate for engaging pastorally with people.

THREE PARISHES

Travelling to Canada for that intensive chaplaincy training was one of the greatest decisions I made. The training was invaluable, but I also met Jane and quickly married her. I have regarded ministry as a partnership. She has shared, supported encouraged and very patiently listened to my many theories before I have thrust them upon you people.

Our first parish was a pleasant rural community in Canada, followed by our suburban ministry at St. Augustine’s Mentone .Finally we came here for what I call this inner suburban parish. Three different experiences but each rich in potential ministry.

A DIMINISHING CHURCH

There is so much I could say about each of these but I want to highlight one major point.
From the boom years of the post war years, where many parishes enjoyed an abundance of people and activity, there has been a steady decline.

I have often spoken of the great exodus from the church that broke open through the late sixties, then really gathering momentum in the seventies and the rest is history. Here in Australia, the census tells us that those who called themselves Anglicans diminished from the high forties as a percentage of population at the turn of the last century, 33% in 1966, to the 13 in the recent census. These numbers were even less when referring to those who attended.

Decade after decade our leaders have regularly reminded us that if the trend continued the church would ultimately become non-viable.

 CHALLENGING TIME

Needless to say, the last half century has been a challenging time for the church.

Constantly we have faced challenges, questioned many things, tried new approaches. Each succeeding Archbishop has presented his new mission program, but the trend has not been arrested.
The gap between the church and general society has widened to the point whereby the church sits on the edge of society.

SECULARISATION

A simple explanation is easy to identify. The emergence of a secular lifestyle. Education and affluence, both of which developed significantly after the war, has had a profound influence on our lives.

Education opportunity developed greatly and informed most people of far more comprehensive understanding of life. Affluence enabled us to utilise the new knowledge to develop a whole new world.

You may think I am being negative, but in fact I am not intending that.  I would want to emphasise that this trend fits clearly within the context of the world going through changes to a degree unknown of before.

CRITICISM

As a result, only some people are finding nurture in the church, and I do know this nurture is genuine for I still find it myself. So many are now seeking other pursuits for fulfilment as they find their questions and needs not being meet.

The new global world has altered the playing field, to use another metaphor for life, so that new and bigger questions lay before the church us awaiting a boulder response  

The globalising world is calling for a new vision of unity, and co-operation.

If God is truly cosmic and Christ is the full revelation of the divine, then this same universal spirit, we call the Holy Spirit must have been working out its purposes in all traditions. 

The future will require all humanity to respect one another while noting our differences. We are not enemies but fellow pilgrims, seeking the spiritual truth. This is perhaps the biggest lesson I have learnt and will shape the next stage of my life.
 
A NEW MISSION
I am planning a good sabbatical year to clear the mind and refresh my energies to prepare for this next state of life. I want to find a meaningful way of contributing to the building of a better world. Heaven on Earth as we say in the Lord’s prayer.
 
LESSONS LEARNT
Have I learnt much over the years. I hope so.

You must build trust

Two very early examples taught me this.

In a parish, I had been assisting for a few months while training in Canada, I had just finished with the youth group and realised I hadn’t bought anything for Jane for our wedding Anniversary when I spotted the beautiful yellow roses on the Altar. I figured that now Sunday was over no one would be needing them. Even though I carefully took just half a dozen from each vase the eagle eyes of the ladies quickly picked up a thief had been around. It took some time to rebuild any semblance of trust they may have had fin me

The second followed a the first vestry meeting in my fir. I was asked if we were happy with everything in the vicarage. I commented, yes, its great. But I had expected a swimming pool.
On the Sunday morning, a warden who hadn’t been at the meeting, approached me with a rather stern looking face to express his concern that I was expecting a pool. I had to reassure him it must have been my Aussie humor. It took twice as long to earn the men’s trust.

I soon learnt I had to be far more decisive:         
         
In this same small rural parish there were three churches with no more than 300 in each village. The houses were well spread out. Sadly, in one village a family had suffered the tragic suicide of a teenager. They were a big family with many aunts and cousins etc. I knew it wasn’t going to be an easy visit. I wondered If I should wait until I thought it would just be the immediate family present.
 I set out on the night time drive.

When I was almost there I talked myself into believing it would not be profitable visiting that night and turned around on the highway to head home. I had gone only a few klms. when I realised I was being silly. So I turned around and resumed my journey to the family.

You’ve guessed what I did. I resumed my self argument to put it off until the next day, so did another u-turn. As I now recommenced the journey to the vicarage, I realised I could at least visit another parishioner who lived just where I had been doing my series of u-turns . Two ageing sisters lived along this country highway where I had been doing my series of  u-turns and drove up their laneway.

As I pulled up at the front of the house and opened my car door two great headlights turned on at the back of my car. It was the police.

They wanted to know what I was up to, trolling up and down the highway.  I tried to suggest I was the priest come to visit two parishioners. They pointed out that there were no lights on in the house. As honest as it was my explanation that the two ladies were blind and didn’t need any lights on in the house.

They took all my details etc, checked that my car wasn’t on the stolen list, said they would be in touch with me and insisted I move on. As I drove home with my tail between my legs I did wonder was I cut out for this role.

Get your Diary right

The years went by and there were always more lessons to learn. I do recall coming home from a meeting in the city and stopping at Southland for a few minutes to wonder around, clear my mind and buy a few incidental things I needed. Just as well we had mobile phones. The office called me to say there were people at the Cheltenham cemetery waiting for me. Fortunately, they were very forgiving when I finally arrived.

Work on names

Diary and Names are very important, get them right. I was approached by one of daughter Heathers school friends from to marry her and her fiance. I took the details. I knew him from the school. We all called him Dougie, I didn’t even know his name was Mark.

​A few weeks before the wedding she called to ask could she and Dougie catch up with me to discuss the details of the wedding. We arranged the time. Shortly after I checked the folder and saw I had Jess and Mark. Panic hit, I thought I had double booked and it was only a few weeks to go. I called Jess to see if should had any flexibility with time. Why Panic, I knew once Heather found out I had messed up her friend’s wedding with all her other friends going to be present, I was going to be in real trouble for a very long time. Imagine my relief. It was as great as at any time in my life when I realised, Dougie was Mark. Even to this day I still shudder when I think of that one.
 
THANKSGIVING

Yes, it would have been 45 years next February since I started out on this ministry journey. I have have had a lot to learnt. These were a few that came to mind.

Despite the church dwindling in numbers over those years, It has not minimised the rich experience I’ve had, for I’ve often said, you can really only deeply engage with one person at a time. That has been the heart of my approach, every person is sacred. I have been privileged to share life in a unique way with many, many wonderful, faithful and inspirational people.

I trust I have ministered faithfully within the restrictions of my competencies.

I am ever so grateful for the many treasured relationships Jane and I will carry memories for the rest of our life. I began speaking of the roots of ministry, worship, prayer and care early in my life. I have been fortunate to have been able to build a life around these core spiritual gifts.

As I have given so have I received in greater abundance from you people. Thank you for joining with me today as I take this opportunity to give thanks to God for daring to call me to walk in faith with all of you.

Try and try again, is a motto that is applied to many fields of endeavour. No doubt parents are constantly passing this message onto their little one. Sports achievers are imbued with this mentality. We could think of numerous other examples. If we apply it to behaviour and relationships do we find it as regularly practiced. According to the gospel today, probably not.
 
Peter asks the Lord how many times must one forgive another if he has sinned against you. He proposes, seven times as a reasonable approach. Jesus views it differently, in my word he says try and try again, other words, seventy times seven.
 
LAW AND ORDER
 
Law is fundamental to an orderly society. It is black and white. Step over the legal limit and you pay the consequences. Have you ever received a parking ticket even though you came back just a few minutes late to find a parking officer writing a ticket, and unbending toward you pleas for mercy. From parking tickets to ………… the law rarely displays forgiveness.
 
What a contrast to the call to forgiveness proposed by Jesus. From where does the difference arise?
 
LAW
 
Laws of behaviour are set with little personal knowledge. They are established for societal general purpose. To implement them you merely need a relatively restricted vision of life. Crossing the line of the acceptable is relatively easy to detect. Being detected is a problem as the axiom, yes do what you want, but don’t get caught.
 
Yet law is so important to society that from an early age our preoccupation with them is ingrained in our mind. So ingrained is this mentality that for most of us we are ready to judge the behaviour of others. People can easily slip into a critical, judgemental mentality.
 
PSYCHOLOGY
 
From a different perspective we might develop a different approach. Psychology understands the make-up of the human mind in a far more comprehensive way. It doesn’t have as obvious means of assessment. It requires more subtle perception, self-knowledge and imagination.
 
It requires an openness of mind to see the less obvious. The mind is often spoken of as conscious and unconscious. The conscious is merely the tip of the iceberg, while the unconscious is so expansive with less known realms of our experience, yet a depth of life that has far more impact upon what we do of feel.
 
When a psychologist counsels a person, their view of that person is broad and deep, couched in an attitude of overall acceptance so that they can therapeutically work with the darker, problematic areas of pain, fear and anxiety, experiences that would easily or regularly result in unacceptable social behaviour.
 
SPIRITUAL PERCEPTION
 
Jesus would have been alert to these sociological -cum-legal and psychological perspectives, but even further his vision was of a spiritual nature that held all of life as one and without limits. He saw with the purposeful eyes of the divine. He encouraged the growth and development of all people, by way of the renewal of our mind.
 
The building of society is by encouraging people to love their neighbour as themselves. The good and the bad or the wheat and the weeds were all necessary to be considered in the context of the overall purpose of establishing his Kingdom. To fulfil his mission all failure needs to be forgiven and worked with as we discover the potential for good within the problematic.
 
It requires, patience and a broad vision as part of a compassionate heart.
It requires the willingness to forgive 70 times 7 x 7 x 7

Last week we recalled Jesus prophecy that he would soon suffer and be crucified and rise again. He challenged his disciples to take up their cross and follow him. This all sounds morbid, but when viewing this through the divine eyes typical of Jesus, it is actually a doorway to the fulness of life. The brokenness of life, is transcended and the pathway for all things to be reconciled is opened.
 
GOSPEL
 
If Jesus eyes are piercing our created reality to the divine, it is usually through the greatest challenges of our life. And it reveals the deepest of truths. Our reading addresses one of life’s greatest challenges. The experience of being lost: It consists of three different perspectives.
 
INDIVIDUAL VICTIMISATION
 
We often reflect upon the issue of homelessness in our day. Sadly, the homeless stand as an image of the person who has lost everything and ends up being isolated in, living in their own little world. The stereotypical label is that they are devoid of all the required skills to have coped productively in our society; work, relationships, and family, finances etc.
 
To have the opportunity to spend time talking with such a person, it’s not uncommon to learn that they are merely the victim of life, where certain things have gone against them, maybe with no fault of their own. There are other examples where the challenges of life leave people desolate, alone and lost, broken marriages, laid off, natural disaster, war
 
One of the lost out of the other 99 that are doing quite well enough.
 
Life has many examples, and Jesus had a special heart for the victims of life and saw it always as an opportunity to reach out to such a fellow human to offer a helping and reassuring hand. An author, David Augsburger talking about relationships, used the term of ‘heart to heart’ union to speak of the Jesus like call. It’s the quality of such union with others which has the power to energise one another to begin the journey to recovery. Jesus mission was very centred upon the lost.
 
INTENTIONAL ISOLATION
 
The passage we have just read proceeds to highlight an alternate example of the lost. Society usually regards imprisonment as a means of dealing with a different type of societal lost. People who have broken the law. Ultimately the worst are often subjected to the most severe isolation. Solitary confinement. We would also regard these people as lost.
 
But the example Jesus presents is different from that of the first type I have spoken about. He is addressing the problem of the person who is in their isolated predicament because of their own behaviour, then searching out these lost is different.
 
Jesus presents a common societal practice of his day, where one approaches the person, engages in conversation, seeks other witnesses, to draw them back into the ways of the community. But while he is concerned about such lost people, he is realistic enough to know that sometimes people are lost because of their own behaviour and remain such because of their stubbornness.
 
Not everyone is open to reconciliation. In these cases one must step back and let the person remain the master of their own ways. It doesn’t mean you lose your heart for them
 
RESPONSIBILITY
 
The passage finishes with a specific saying.
Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.
 
My reading of this passage in this context, is that Jesus is granting us the responsibility to work through these very complex relational issues. They are not easy
 
UNION
 
But there is a basic guiding principle when we are dealing with any relationship and particularly the lost. All people are equal. To be in tune with the Christ like approach then our attitude must regard others as equal and sacred. It is so easy to regard ourselves as superior when we are seeking to help and support others. Paul knew this when he declared, there but for the grace of God go I.
 
CONCLUSION
 
Our passage grasps the importance of Jesus vision in the final word..
 
‘Again truly I tell you if two of you agree on earth about anything you ask, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am among them.’
 
There is great spiritually grounded power when two hearts and minds come together in union, there is Christ in their midst.
 
New life flows, even for the formally lost.

I have one month more of work, plus one month of holidays, then retire. The dreaded number of 70 has arrived. As I adjust to the new life ahead I have wondered what I might do. One thought that came to my mind was to think of where I might find a Coral evensong that I could occasionally attend.
 
My mind took me back to my teenage and early 20’s when my Church regularly held Sunday evensong. Then I received Derek’s phone call, so here I am for at least one valued experience. I have been ordained for 44 years now having been raised in the boom years of the 50’s and 60’s.
 
THE DECLINE
 
What has been highly characteristic of this period of Church life has been the steady and consistent decline in church membership. It has been challenging and stimulated many questions, not only for myself but across the Church. Many suggestions have not arrested the decline.
 
On reflection, I do not regret that, for ministry - lay and ordained is about faithfully walking in whatever the circumstance.
 
A NEW WORLD
 
On the other-hand, throughout these same years the change across world has been as enormous as any change. The world is now stiflingly global. I am not unhappy, for these years have moulded and refined the human  outlook. I have taken seriously the challenge of globalisation.
 
It cannot be stopped, but it can be shaped. I look forward to making my contribution in the years to come. (I’m planning for 20 good years with my fingers crossed.) Over the years of ministry my once conservative approach to faith has changed. I now refer to myself as progressive for Christianity in the globalised world, must be addressed for the sake of the Church and the human race.
 
REVIEW
 
In case you wonder where I am heading, let me return to my initial dream of finding the opportunity to worship occasionally in the reflective mood of Sunday Coral Evensong. How do we hold both very traditional practices of worship together with some of the most contemporary?
 
KEIREN JUPP AND PETER FLANAGAN
 
I have found in my search to understand the emerging shape of the world over the last decade one helpful book. It is a sociological survey by Flanagan and Jupp, called Sociology and Spirituality. In tracing the broad range of spiritual experiences in which they identified people participating in.
 
They summarised five categories.
 
Three outside the church...

1. The Asian traditions
2. The New Age type experiences
3. The Wholistic movement

 
Then two inside the church...
4.  The Innovators (Meaning the newer contemporary versions), and last but not least,
5.  The Reclaimers (They were people who continued to feed upon the traditional practices.
 
CONFUSION
 
I’m sharing this picture because with the globalising world we are living in a time of great confusion. There is a great deal of conflict between differing approaches. This fragmenting world is placing the world in a precarious state of affairs.
 
INTEGRAL
 
I have personally gained, learning of the vision of numerous writers who believe the global community requires, not necessarily uniformity, but respectful dialogue between the many jig-saw like parts for an expansive understanding.
 
Raimon Panikkar is one such contemporary mystic theologian, who has written significantly on the Christian vision of this one world of God. Living in such unity is the planets future hope. On the other hand, the gospel encourages us to see the such unity in diversity, is the path to the Kingdom on earth as it is in heaven.
 
CONCLUSION
 
I return to the Jupp Flanagan sociological survey. There may be many other movements of the spirit, whereas many no longer find a place for the traditional. Panikkar’s integral vision affirms not only new movements, but the importance of some continuing the traditional practices, such as Coral BCP Evensong.
 
It has something rich to be moulded into the future call of the spirit.

I met up with an old friend recently and as we chatted about times past, we mentioned various people we had known. On the mention of one person, he commented that the person had been a real seeker for meaning. Such a description speaks of the spiritual hunger that stirs the human soul.
 
The arousal of such inner depths might remain relatively mysterious, but it won’t let go. In the hurley burly of daily life it will find a way to stir a question, arouse a feeling, entice a review, or spur an action. To ignore its call is to lose an opportunity for the fulness of life is to grow in the totality of our being.
 
This spiritual journey is the foundation of all experience and it is a lifetime journey.
 
Life itself, places us in many stages, with each stage, presenting different perspectives from which we must tackle its quest. From infant, to teenager, adult and aged, each stage has a godly purpose offering the opportunity to mature by feeding our spiritual hunger.
 
It’s this hunger that keeps us moving forward, the questions not necessarily the answers, for the answers eventually need to be reviewed and re-expressed.
 
CEASAREA PHILLIPPI
 
As the disciples trekked the journey north to the village of Ceasarea Philippi, the silent walk and times of quiet conversation were eventually broken by the attention catching question of Jesus directed to his small group of followers.
 
‘Tell me, who do people say I am?’
 
Were they taken aback, possibly but for them it was also a question they would no doubt have wrestled with.
 
JESUS PERSONALITY
 
On meeting Jesus it was hard not to begin questioning.
 
He was one of those extraordinary personalities whose reputation had spread far and wide. Most were wondering who he was, for he spoke with eloquence and authority, he healed the sick and cleansed the possessed, ultimately raising the dead. Of the disciples some in turn dared to speak, comparing him to another great figure, John the Baptist or even one of the great prophets, returned from the past.
 
What others were saying was important, but ultimately not as much as what they personally thought. Jesus regularly drew large crowds to himself, but mostly ending up by focusing upon those in front of him, often one individual, for that’s where the core of our spiritual search is found, right in our own very heart and mind. But who do you say I am, he challenges each to determine.
 
PETERS RESPONSE
 
It’s Peter who speaks boldly and loudly, perhaps on their behalf, ‘You are the Christ, Son of the living God.’ Jesus is delighted, a human mind has broken opened to a most inspirational insight.
 
A human mind has penetrated the mystery of creation. The divine is its essence. It dwells in our midst.
 
What perception, in figurative terms ‘rock like’, for nothing is more permanent, eternal than what we call, being, it is spirit, from which everything emanates.
 
DEAR PETER.
 
For this precious moment Peter, has the penetrating sight of spirit. But like the sun on a cloudy day, it might only appear for a short moment. The story of Peter is fascinating, but important. It maps the life journey for all of us. He has both strengths and weakness. He might have those glorious moments of insight, but so easily tumbles toward denial when challenged.
 
THE NATURE OF SPIRITUAL SIGHT
 
The nature of spiritual sight is such that it informs as well as challenges, for its purpose is human growth. It is designed to draw us toward what we see in our mind and we see what we are becoming. If we resist this pathway of becoming what we see, we turn others into idols.
 
Our world is full of the so-called super hero’s, celebrities, and idols. They remain false to the spiritual and remain stagnant. When we welcome growth, rather than becoming like the other, we are inspired to become ourselves.
 
Jesus would never have been so interested in what Peter saw in him, but rather he would have wanted Peter to become what he saw in Jesus.
 
This is the Christ in all of us. It is the universal expression of the divine. It is the spiritual journey.
 
THE NEW JOURNEY
 
I want to suggest that we are at a time in history, when we are being challenged to see the Christ in ways, humanity might not truly have perceived before. We have always spoken of the universal as the Christ.
 
In recent times we have been challenged by the belief of others who have declared their own perceptions of the Universal being. This presents a new vision for all. It comes with a challenge to re-ask ourselves that Jesus question.
 
Who do you believe I am?

The age-old adage of ‘fight or flight’ is a simple saying that highlights the volatility of our primary instincts. The instinctive root of our very existence always lurks in the background of our waking hours. Certain circumstances can trigger this primal depth and our deepest fears explode and take over.
 
DEALING WITH FEARS
 
How do we deal with fears that challenge our very existence?

Peters episode on the water was one example that illustrates how life’s circumstance can make us so vulnerable to instinctive fear. As a disposition of our mind, fear can rob us of our sense of wellbeing. It can blind us of hope, and rob us of belief in our competence and worth.
 
GOSPEL EXAMPLES
 
Today’s gospel presents us with a second example that highlights a common experience that places us vulnerably exposed to our primal instinct of fear. It’s the story of the Canaanite woman from Tyre and Sidon whose daughter has suffered what we would call a severe mental health condition. She referred to it as demon possession.

A precise description or definition of evil possession or mental health is not necessary for us to address the issue. Overwhelmed by fear is what it can feel like. We feel we have lost all control of our life. Whether like Peters possible drowning or her battle with a mental health like condition, humans must learn to address this deep instinctive challenge to our very existence.
 
Must we remain subject to such powers, or is there something we can do to address the vulnerability of our human existence?
 
THE STORY
 
Jesus encounter with the Canaanite woman offers some interesting insights. The disciples and Jesus travel through a foreign territory. A woman who has a desperately sick, demented daughter learns of Jesus being in the district. One assumes she has heard of his reputation.

​Any parent will know how deeply they are concerned when a child is sick.
 
There are many examples of sick children presented via our news media and one cannot help but be amazed at the extraordinary devotion and courage of parents who devote their life to their child’s wellbeing. It’s hard not to regard them as heroes.
 
This woman displays all such characteristics. We can imagine this has been a long and torturous journey for the whole family. She is desperate and approaches Jesus. Not a flight, but certainly a fight.
 
THE MYSTERIOUS TEST
 
What unfolds is a strange encounter, which often baffles. Seemingly so un-Jesus like. He appears aloof and with little compassion. His disciples encourage him to tell her to go away. He ignores her. She persists. He justifies his response by claiming he is focused upon people of the Jewish faith. This excuse is no deterrent for a desperate mother. Her fight continues by pushing to the front of the crowd and kneeling before him.
 
This is not a pious kneeling. Rather a flinging of herself before him. Maybe something like a dog jumping up on its master. Her deep instinctive fight bursts forth in its most honest and transparent explosion of emotion.
 
‘Lord, help me.’
 
Is this raw humanity driven by fear, where one’s soul is laid bare before all and sundry? Jesus sticks to his guns, and tests her in a search for something more. He declares, ‘It’s not right to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.’
 
Some commentators suggest that this is not as derogatory as it seems, but rather a Jewish saying emphasising the distinctive identity of the Jewish nationality. He is repeating the central purpose of his earlier argument.
 
HER FAITH REVEALED
 
Now her response brings to light an extraordinary insight of her perception that reveals she is not only a desperate parent. At the beginning of the passage, while being a Canaanite woman, she declares Jesus to not only be a Jew. She has come to recognise he is an extraordinary Jew. She addresses him as Lord. One who fits the identity of the long held Jewish belief in the coming Messiah, the Son of David.
 
The encounter reaches its climax, when she responds so insightfully, Yes, but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from the table. If Jesus has preserved his purpose of mission to be to the Jews. She has broken through this national boundary and revealed himself as Jewish like.
 
There is the touch of the universal human.
 
FAITH
 
If fear is an instinctive response from our most primitive depth, faith is greater, for it flows from the divine centre from where life itself emanates. And Jesus recognises this strength of life gushing forth within her humble desperation.
 
He declares, ‘Woman great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.’ And her daughter was healed instantly.
 
CONCLUSION
 
Fear is a condition that in some cases is valuable, but mostly, threatens to destroy our very humanity.
 
Last week with Peter attempting to walk on water and today the Canaanite woman faced with such a desperate and debilitating illness, we are shown that faith is an attitude that transcends fear. Fear threatens life, faith expands life.
 
A simple saying, declares, 'Fear knocked at the door, faith answered and no one was there.' 

All of life is a relationship, and we live in the roller-coaster journey of its emotional highs and lows. It consists of a great community of people involved in a dynamic exchange of involvement; pleasure and pain, sharing and withdrawing, dreams and regrets, clustering or isolating.
 
But this is only just the beginning, for people are nature itself. We are no different than the world around us. Everything is made of atoms and electrons, teaming with the quanta of energy and much more that science can tell us about. Philosophers and theologians will tell us that all is one.
 
HISTORY OF RELATIONSHIPS
 
Historians outline a simple story of the relationship between people and nature.  From earliest time the journey from subservience to domination is significant as it reflects, our behaviour, our attitude, our trust...

The dominance of God  
Initially in its earliest days humans felt inferior to nature. They associated the work of God with the grand characteristics of creation, storms, thunder, floods, fire and earthquake.
 
Partnership of Mutuality  
As time passed and the ways of people developed, they established a co-operative partnership with nature in the more predictable cycle of seasons, planting, harvesting and storing or hunting preserving to endure the chilling winter months. The notion of cooperative blessing developed.

Human Ascendency  
With the arrival of the Industrial Age, humans self-confidence increased as they explored creations resources for its potential and wealth. Concern for its care diminished. Virtually we came to regard ourselves as masters of our world.

The Great Debate  
Our once great planet is now deeply wounded. It has us arguing about its remaining capacity to be home to humanity. With humanity’s countless voices some are saying we should even look elsewhere for we have outgrown it and its time, we find an alternate planet.
 
The great marriage relationship between humanity and planet is precariously poised on the edge of divorce. Our relationship with nature tells us so much about ourselves and the divine.
 
NATURE MIRACLE
 
Today we read our second great nature miracle, last week the loaves and fishes, this week from Mark it tells us of Jesus walking on the water. It has another version of calming the storm at sea in the gospel of Luke.
 
These events are often spoken of as nature miracles. I want to suggest they cannot ultimately be explained. People tend to dismiss them or accept them. For this reason I believe their real purpose is for meditation. Whether literal fact or developed description they do reflect life and are really for meditation.
 
In meditation, Jesus became the voice of the Divine speaking of the relationship between the creator and creation, Creator and creature, creature and creation. This addresses the fulness of our relationality.
 
All is sacred.
 
THE CHARACTERISTICS OF OUR RELATIONSHIP
 
As we take the totality of life’s relationality then we need to know that we do not live in a passive context. All of life including our relationship with nature is a volatile dynamic. It has its ups and downs, its challenges and blessings its waves and storms.
 
It involves a balance between the blessing of its fruit necessary for our nourishment and survival, and the challenges of disaster. Feast and famine, fish and scarcity. The blessings remind us of its beauty and richness, the challenges humble us and remind us that the creation is bigger than us.
 
It’s actually the tension in this balance that provides us with the energy of life to keep us moving forward and growing. As I say life is relational, it is not static, but vibrant and dynamic. Life giving and nourishing.
 
THE VOICE OF THE DIVINE
 
So rather than picturing Jesus as a separate individual, he is more accurately to be perceived as the divine voice representing the mind of God in the totality of experience. Jesus presents the eternal mystery that embraces and transcends all that is.
 
So often one can return to the story of Elijah who sought refuge in the mountainous cave. How easy to be caught up in the terror of thunderstorms, earthquakes or harrowing fires. Elijah found the need to penetrate these challenges to be inwardly centred where all seemed to transcend the obvious with a sheer silence. A quality of life that was eternally divine.
 
This is the depth of ‘being’ Jesus was displaying to his disciples. Far deeper than the Sea of Galilee, the deepest Ocean, maybe Peter thought that for a moment. But its hard to stay there. However it is the place to rest in our inner being.
 
The depth where the truly faithful soul meets the divine, as if on solid ground. This is the journey of life. It is the journey which Peter dared to enter, but one that takes a lifetime to mature. There are many stumbling steps. From fear to hope – an approach to life of faith and trust. These are vital.
 
CONCLUSION
 
These nature miracles are inexplicable to our analytical minds. As I say, they are for meditative pondering. This is where they become soul food. Let ones soul be nourished in this truth, for this is where life’s ultimate gifts are being offered.

I heard an interview on the radio recently when the host commented to the guest, ‘So Christians still believe that Jesus was a saint’. I’ve never heard that one before, but what we do hear in our far more knowledgeable era are questions about the nature of great prophetic personalities, from Jesus, Buddha, Mohammed through to Mother Teresa, the Dali Lama, Nelson Mandela etc.
 
Certain figures stand out as of extraordinary character and we would like to understand their status in the midst of all others.
 
JESUS
 
When Jesus arrived in Palestine 2000 years ago, his life inspired questions about his extraordinary capacity, far beyond the common human ways, he roused the imagination of many to speculate on divinity.
 
A few sample verses….
 
‘No one has ever healed a man born blind.’
‘Who is this that even the spirits obey him.’
‘No-one can forgive sins but god alone.’
 
And while many were shocked so for many others belief in Jesus grew.
 
GOSPEL
 
Our gospel of the loaves and fishes today is one of the extremely challenging passages, for it describes an event which was best described as out of this world. Could such an event really be possible. The loaves and fishes story is a prime target of those who question the authenticity of what Jesus is described to have done.
 
I met up with some old school friends recently, and as we shared opinions on various topics, one friend responded cynically to one of my comments, ‘Sounds like the loaves and fishes to me Geoff.’ He was clearly unimpressed with my piece of information. The loaves and fishes is our topic today.
 
What does it tell us about Jesus? What do you believe?
 
For those who are inclined to dismiss the events authenticity I offer a caution. It can easily be misleading when we close down our focus to a simple portion of an event. Life is often far broader than we initially observe.
 
THE TWO SIDES
 
The story of the loaves and fishes is set in an interesting context. It tells us of John the Baptists death.
 
John was Jesus cousin, virtually the same age. No doubt they met often while growing up and probably knew each other well with a sense of one another’s strong devotion to God. John had publicly declared his mission to call all to repentance. He had spoken of another greater than he, one who was still to come.
 
For speaking out he had been killed.
 
Jesus is human. He grieves the loss of his close cousin and seeks solace in the privacy of the quiet wilderness. A man with a broken heart. His own humanity is the context of our story. Against this background we are lead on another journey.
 
Truly a human, but what more are we to glean?
 
JESUS THE TEACHER
 
The next thing that our story highlights is that he is a compelling, charismatic character. A teacher like no other, for people want to hear all that he might say. His wisdom we are told is like no other. The Jews did declare that no one spoke as he did. They follow him into the wilderness, intruding upon his personal reflection. For a considerable time he teaches them and as the day lengthens we see he is more than a teacher. He is compassionate.
 
A MAN OF COMPASSION
 
Presumably it has been a long hot day, they have attentively listened, and there is a distance to return home. If he knows his own human needs, then he is also aware of the needs of others. Whatever his mission was. Whatever he did, if it did not reveal love, then his mission was fraudulent, or like a noisy, hollow gong, as St Paul described, actions without love.
 
He was a grand and compassionate Social worker.
 
THE LOAVES AND FISHES
 
It is at this point that the account confronts human perception. He learns of the little boys offering of two small fish and a roll. Without attempting to fill in the details of how the event proceeds, for we cannot know precisely what happened. That is for prayerful meditation. We do know that eventually all in the crowd felt adequately fed.
 
The account implies that Jesus miraculously multiplied the small contributions offered by the boy. In our day many scoff at such a notion. Even though the world of science has enabled us to turn many things into something different.
 
The examples are limitless. Other than to say we live in an artificial world, of human making. We have learnt much through history and no doubt we will learn much more. Why wouldn’t we expect this? Jesus said, you also will do these things and in fact much more.
 
ASSESSING
 
Of course, Jesus life was constantly confronting people and challenging them to think about him and his trust in God. It’s good to see what we believe he could do. We need to know him.
 
ONLY HALF THE STORY
 
I want to suggest this is only half the story. Was Jesus only interested in having people ask who he was. I want to suggest he also wanted to ask a question of us. Did not the event also ask something about the crowd?
 
Who are we?
​What can we as a people aspire to?
 
Can we transcend the common and find that divine spark within, so that we will be inspired to do things we might not have believed possible. His impact upon the people ensured that they were all well fed. Who knows how, what was the miracle. Perhaps sharing amongst one another. I think he would hope that through his teachings and actions they were also fed in their minds to find ways of caring with others.
 
CONCLUSION
 
We need to take seriously Jesus challenge to us to think about who he was, but equally we must ask who we think we are. Do we emulate the divine spirit as he displayed?

​I’ve pointed out recently that Comedian Stephen Fry recently claimed he couldn’t believe in a God who dared to create children with cancer. It is a common human reaction to things we don’t like. It’s the ultimate blame game. We do know that our simplest means of understanding life is to fragment it into minute particles.
 
Consequently on a more social level we have a tendency to cluster with those we know and separate from the unknown. More specifically we readily apportion blame to the so-called unknown others. That is, we scapegoat the other as the cause of all wrong.
 
The long history of religion has been as guilty of this as anyone. The other is always the cause of evil.
 
THE PROBLEM OF EVIL
 
The problem of evil is one of the big dilemmas of theology. Questions like, ‘who created evil?’ Perhaps suggesting that God create evil like Fry suggested. Such descriptions are simple and can have a place for some understanding, but life needs a more comprehensive explanation if we are to get a little closer to the heart of the matter.
 
Just as ancient visions of God as an old man in white coat and beard have been challenged and re thought out, so have ancient visions of evil, as the two-horned devil or pitch forked Satan been re-thought. They were relatively primitive symbols to often people treated them as literal.
 
GOSPEL
 
Of all the scripture references I have found, today’s gospel is as helpful as any I’ve come across for understanding the nature of good and evil. Jesus parable of the sower sowing some seed, only to have an enemy come at night and spread weeds amidst the good seed sets the scene.
 
Contrary to expectations the farmer rebukes the suggestion of the work hands to remove the weeds. His warning is that if you pull up the weeds you will pull up the wheat as well. The implication is that the two grow together. In other words, it sounds like the two require the contrast to fulfil their purpose.
 
The good requires the challenge of the bad to grow well.
 
GOD IS ONE
 
Our beginning point is noting that God is one and supreme. Therefore, there is no place for an equal contrary force, such as the devil. Our second point is that God is good and therefore can only create that which is good. So therefore, we ask how do we get evil when God creates all things and only things that are good.
 
I suggest that God takes a great self-giving, self-sacrificing risk, as the ultimate expression of love, in which creation is externally formed as a massive and dynamic expression of fragmented reality. The attitude of self-sacrificial giving by the divine is spoken of in Philippians when speaking of Jesus.
 
'Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus;
Who being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing…'
 
I say an externally fragmented creation because internally there is a deeper reality of ultimate unity, for creation is really an expression of God. A unity in diversity. Creation has to be fragmented because that is the only way we can each be created as a unique expression of particular consciousness.
 
We are fragmented for the sake of being uniquely particular.
 
WILL
 
So the big question emerges as to what we do with this gift of unique consciousness. That is a question of our will. If we remain locked into our self-serving ego we remain fragmented and divided. The energy we stimulate becomes internalised and destructive. It builds a way of life that we call evil.
 
On the other-hand if we utilise our life for good purposes our energy or spirit is a creative life-giving one and it seeks unity with all else. It affirms life and builds the kingdom. But to make such good choices we have to face the alternative and reject the fragmented and destructive options.
 
The wheat and the weeds must grow together for without the opposite other the good wheat will not embrace the choice that seeks the life that flourishes.
 
COLLECTIVE
 
A further step is to understand that the human mind is collective. The more people make bad choices, the resulting destructive energy multiplies and creates a life force we call evil. Rather than being something that is separate from us, it is the destructive energies we so easily participate in. On the other-hand collectively we can display the Christlike mind of God and so build the kingdom of God.
 
SACPEGOATING
 
To create the notion of the devil in our collective mind is just another example of humans scapegoating the opposite so that we don’t have to carry responsibility for our failings. Evil is the human exercised will and its energy that works for self-serving destructive purposes.
 
THE GREAT VISION
 
On the contrary life is really the expression of the love of God, seeking to share that sense of God-ness within the willingness of all humanity. It is the most extraordinary gift to know that creations purpose is that we grow into God-ness, for we are made in his image. But just like the problem of evil, the journey is in our hands. The choices we make, shapes our experience.
 
We know the path is challenging, but it is the most glorious of all possibilities. God became humanity that we may share in Godness.