Psalm 51: Have mercy on me, O God, according to thy tender mercy:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3v9unphfi0
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Today’s Readings: 1 Corinthians 10:1-13; Luke 13:1-9.
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Let us pray.
Let us pray.
Almighty God
whose most dear Son went not up to joy but first he suffered pain,
and entered not into glory before he was crucified:
mercifully grant that we, walking in the way of the cross,
may find it none other than the way of life and peace;
through Jesus Christ, your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God now and for ever.
Amen.
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A Reflection from Fr. Simon
Two insights immediately jump out in today’s gospel reading. The first is that Jesus used memorable or current events to make a point to his hearers, and the second is there is still time.
This week, in a current affairs overlap of my own, I went with the Bishop of Fulham to meet Bishop Kenneth Nowakowski, the Ukrainian Eparchial Bishop of the Holy Family Eparchy in London. His cathedral is on Duke Street, just off Oxford Street and about 100 yards from the front door of Selfridges. There are four Ukrainian Orthodox parishes in the UK (and they look to the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, not Moscow) but Bishop Kenneth and his people are Byzantine Rite Catholics and he is the only representative bishop for Ukrainians resident here. They are in full communion with Rome. You can read more here, including details of their appeal.
The Holy Family Cathedral was originally a Congregationalist chapel and is an impressive Victorian structure built by Alfred Waterhouse. In recent weeks it has seen a stream of high-profile visitors, including the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall, and Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Even with some staying away post-pandemic, it has 2,000 worshippers each Sunday. Last year there were 200 baptisms. There are around 70,000 Ukrainians here in the UK and Bishop Kenneth says they are in hourly contact with their families in Europe, wherever they are. Two clergy who came to visit family have become stranded and are trying to bring their wives and children to safety; one family has made it to Poland, the other in the Czech Republic. He has described the invasion of Ukraine as ‘the day that we have been hoping would never come’ and is clear that this war is because the mere fact of Ukraine’s existence is a threat to what Putin wants to embed in totalitarian Russia.
It is deeply moving to see how this church is responding in the true spirit of Christian mission. Already it has mobilized sponsors to fund the conversion of two spaces: one in the undercroft to become a visitor centre, and another to serve as call centre, giving vital information and visa processing support. The phone, he says, has been ringing off the hook. Many of them are average, middle-class people displaced by war – classic refugees in the UNHR definition – and the crisis will go on, because they do not have anything to go back to. Homes and livelihoods ‘are being pulverized,’ he says. Today (Sunday) the bells of St Paul’s and Durham Cathedral will ring out at 4pm in solidarity with Ukraine. This has been happening in Lviv at 6pm each day, its mayor having been inspired that the St Paul’s bells were rung for Ukraine at the beginning of the war. It is the sound of prayer and an expression of unity.
The gospel reading we have for this Third Sunday in Lent (Luke 13.1-9) refers to two disasters: ‘the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices’ and ‘those eighteen who were killed when the tower of Siloam fell on them’. They are to be understood in the Old Testament mode, such as in Job or Ezekiel, as punishment for sin. Jesus does not get into a legalistic debate about whether one was more severe or ‘deserving’ than the other. Instead, he stresses how important it is to repent. Disaster and tragedy can happen at any time and in any way, so being at one with God is the best approach. And it is never too late for this.
There is still time. The parable which Jesus uses here is of the fruitless fig tree and the gardener’s plea to ‘Let it alone for one more year, until I dig round it and put manure on it’. The KJV is strikingly direct on this verse: ‘Let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it,’ which is surely one for Gardener’s Question Time. Remember that Mary Magdalene, the first to see the risen Jesus on Easter morning, mistakes him for the gardener. It is closely related that Jesus pleads for us ‘at the right hand on high’ (Romans 8.34) and this gardener asks for another year ‘and dung it’. For Lent must be a time of growth and self-realization. It is recognizing God’s mercy and our own responsibility to repent, return to the Lord with body, heart, mind and soul – and, in the words of Rowan Williams, to join in with what God is doing.
The Christian tradition does not shy away from or deny suffering. It is embodied there on the cross in the person of Christ, after all. It asks that we set our sights on the ultimate victory and resurrection from the dead. This, evidently, is the essence of Christ’s saving love. For now there must be solidarity with those who suffer, a counting of our own blessings, and a reminder that we know neither the day nor the hour. Disaster may befall any one of us, but returning to the Lord and his promises is there for all. Let us pray for this, for others as for ourselves, doing all that we can in the name of peace and building the kingdom here on earth.
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Organ Voluntary
Toccata in C minor – Halsey, played by Ger van Hoef:
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Today’s hymn
Jesu, lover of my soul:
NEH 383
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Music from Matthew
At the offertory today, Sophie will sing Panis angelicus in this celebrated setting by organist-composer Cesar Franck (which he set for tenor, cello, harp and organ). It is a Latin hymn to the blessed sacrament and points to the doctrine of transubstantiation. Because he worked in Paris most of his life (he was organist at Sainte-Clotilde, a neo-Gothic edifice completed four years after St Anne’s). Franck is often assumed to be French. In fact he was born in Liège, now in Belgium but then part of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands.
‘Panis Angelicus’ (op.12 no.5) by Cesar Franck (1822-90)
The angel's bread becomes the bread of men. The heavenly bread ends all symbols, O miraculous thing! The body of the Lord will nourish the poor and humble servant.
Jessye Norman (soprano), Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Sir Alexander Gibson (conductor)
https://youtu.be/w_IV2pJngAc
During communion, Sophie will sing the well-known aria Jesu, joy of man’s desiring from cantata no.147. Today’s performance is set to this English text, attributed to Robert Bridges. Here is a typically romantic interpretation by Stokowski.
Jesu, joy of Man’s desiring by J.S. Bach (1685-1750)
Jesu, joy of man's desiring,
Holy wisdom, love most bright;
Drawn by Thee, our souls aspiring
Soar to uncreated light.
Word of God, our flesh that fashioned,
With the fire of life impassioned,
Striving still to truth unknown,
Soaring, dying round Thy throne.
Through the way where hope is guiding,
Hark, what peaceful music rings;
Where the flock, in Thee confiding,
Drink of joy from deathless springs.
Theirs is beauty's fairest pleasure;
Theirs is wisdom's holiest treasure.
Thou dost ever lead Thine own
In the love of joys unknown.
Norman Luboff Choir, New London Orchestra, Leopold Stokowski (conductor)
https://youtu.be/S6OgZCCoXWc
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Annual Parochial Church Meeting
This year’s APCM has now been moved from 3rd April to 24th April, 12 noon.
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Children’s Church
We are hoping to restart Children’s Church within the next few weeks. However, we need new/old leaders to help out once a month or so. You don’t have to have children in order to help and training will be given. DBS checks will be arranged for you.
The children have always been a very central and lively part of the life of the Church here. We need you to step forward, not just for the children that we have but for those who are yet to come.
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Ukranian Resettlement
I know that many of you are thinking about offering space in your homes to refugees from Ukraine. We would not be very Christian if we were not, at least, thinking about it.
I am getting a lot of information on this but much of it is ‘we’re planning things and will let you know.’ There are so many proposed initiatives that I cannot explain them all.
The Camden meeting this week was very useful and especially the contributions from Yuri Poluneev, a Ukrainian living in Primrose Hill but now in Bucharest, trying to bring his mother to the UK and awaiting a visa. (There is an interview with him in this week’s Camden New Journal)
One of his comments was that this is only the beginning, and it will snowball in the weeks and months ahead.
Therefore, my instinct is that we do not need to rush in right now. Things will become clearer very soon.
I shall hope to be able to give you something clearer next week.
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Cooking for Ukraine:
Saturday 26th March: 7pm – 10pm.
SHARED SUPPER – Bring a dish or two to share, invite your friends and neighbours, and make a donation on the door.
Cash bar and Raffle.
Raffle donations will be welcomed.
Proceeds will go to Unicef’s UK Ukraine Appeal to support children and families.
Setting up: Anyone who can come at 6pm to help set up would be appreciated.
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Church Cleaning
Saturday 2nd April: 10am – 12 noon.
Many hands make light work! Please come and lend a hand for a short time as we prepare for Holy Week and Easter.
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Tai Chi classes
Beginning on Wednesday 22nd April at 12 noon, and every Wednesday thereafter.
Led by local resident, and friend of St. Anne’s, Jay Stuart, and accredited Tai Chi instructor.
Take a break for just 30 minutes each week to learn this ancient art.
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For your prayers
For the people of Ukraine.
For the repose of the soul of Pam Dormer, who died recently, and for her family and those who mourn.
For the repose of the soul of Adam Clayton, to be laid to rest on Friday.
For Chloe Rolfes and Costa Dinos.
For all in our Church family who are down with Covid at the moment.
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Vedro con mio diletto
What pleasure it will give me to see the soul of my soul…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yF4YXv6ZIuE
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