17th Sunday after Trinity. St Francis of Assisi 4th October 2020 Collect Ever-creating God, blessing this earth and all that is in it, keep us from the destitution of having nothing to cherish, and from the excess that cherishes possessions rather than those who are in need. We pray this after the pattern of Jesus and in the power of the Spirit. Amen. (Jim Cotter) Reading: Philippians 3:4b-14 If someone else thinks they have reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for righteousness based on the law, faultless. But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ I and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. I want to know Christ yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press, on to, take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 1 press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. Reflection on the Reading Reluctantly or otherwise, we have become familiar with the wearing of masks, a mild preventative against what has become a universal virus. External masks are obvious, but throughout our life we wear masks that are less obvious. From childhood to adulthood through adolescence we try on a variety of personalities or masks, changing our character in response to a mood or a particular environment. Even in old age we can find ourselves doing that too, through insecurity or fear of being judged or a weak sense of who we are. A social mask can feel protective, a sure defence in times of vulnerability. It can become easier to play a role than to risk being true to what we really feel inside. Paul expresses this well in our reading from Philippians. He had a number of masks available to him, including an Israelite, a member of the tribe of Benjamin, a Pharisee, a persecutor of the church and a man blameless under the law. For part of his life Paul was able to wear a number of these masks at any given time, but then something happened that meant he discarded them all because of Christ. Paul came to believe all these masks were rubbish in contrast to his faith in Christ, although he was not exempt from suffering he came to know the resurrection of Christ in his being this side of his own death. Life can be a fearful affair and we seek to hide from it by putting on the external and psychological make-up and hiding behind our chosen mask. Some people wear personalities like others wear coats. They hide behind their title, their position or their role in life. They gather knowledge and build pedestals with it hoping to perch up high safe beyond criticism and self-doubt. The temptation to do so is great and to a certain degree our culture encourages us to do just that. How often have you been asked after a preliminary introduction to someone at a gathering of some kind, 'And what do you do?' From then on you are defined by your position or role in the community or wider society. During my years of ministry I have often noticed the change in someone towards me once they discover I am a clergyman. They find it hard to believe that I am a human being like them. I like listening to a broad genre of music not just classical and church music. I can become engrossed in psychological thrillers and detective novels. I enjoy a glass of red wine, beer or single malt whisky (but rarely all in the same evening). I remember attending my first residential clergy conference when I was a curate and being approached by a hard- line evangelical vicar who quizzed me about my faith for ten minutes and then ignored me for the rest of the conference, supposedly because I did not comply with his standards of what it meant to be a Christian. The saddest thing though is when we start believing that the mask or masks we wear are truly who we are. We can get caught in the labyrinth of our own disguises - suits for work, uniforms for power, habits for the religious, collars for the clergy, labels and badges that add up to the equivalent of the coat of many colours. In the Genesis story God invited Adam and Eve to walk as companions in their nakedness. Being unmasked before the Beloved can be truly liberating the finding of a hiding place where it is possible to be our authentic selves without fear or rejection or judgement. If we can learn to see ourselves with God's loving and compassionate eyes, we may find freedom from having to pretend to others. For Paul it meant 'regarding everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.' A quiet invitation comes to us from the Beloved that can pierce our defences and remove the masks, 'Be still, draw near, and let me tell you who you really are.' I suggest this is what Jesus was talking about when he said, 'When you pray, go to your private room, shut yourself in, and so pray to your Father who is in that secret place.' This private space, that many have called 'the soul', is where we can take off our outward protective covering and open our hands to receive the Beloved's mercy and love. Simple words of love and need: for forgiveness, for daily bread; simple gestures of generosity to those around us, without the need to impress or to force another's gratitude. This is how Jesus tells us to find God and indoing so, to find our unmasked True Self, one gaze we need not fear to meet and only one who calls us by our true name. Prayer/Meditation Keep silent for a couple of minutes with the following questions in mind: What word or phrase resonates with or challenges you? How might you respond? Then. We pray for all clergy serving in deprived or violent areas of the world; all who are in personal danger for teaching the faith; may they be reassured and their service blessed he power of your love. Abba, Father, we belong to you. We pray for all who serve in positions of authority in this country and throughout the world; for all debates and international talks; may the power of reason you have given us lead us towards your truth and wisdom. Abba, Father, we belong to you. We pray for those we serve each day, and those who serve us; for relationships we find difficult, and for situations which tend to make us irritable; increase our generosity of spirit, and our delight in serving others. Abba, Father, we belong to you. We pray for the resentful, and for all who suffer injustice and neglect; for all in need as the result of natural disasters, war, famine or disease; may your love reach them through our care. Abba, Father, we belong to you. We pray that all who have died in faith may be welcomed into your eternal presence. We rejoice in all the goodness and generosity your love has inspired in so many people; for the way you encourage and guide us. Abba, Father, we belong to you. Amen. (Susan Sayers) Please remember in your prayers David Gardiner and his family following the death of Annesley his wife; the family of Margaret Pease Watkin , who died on Wednesday; also the family of John Williams of Brampton Bryan following his recent death. Diary October Monday 5th at 7.30: Annual Parochial Church Meeting (APCM) in St Barnabas Church, Brampton Bryan, followed by a PCC Meeting (COVID guidelines to be followed) Tuesday 6th at 11.00: Mike Catting attends Zoom Chapter Meeting Tuesday at 2.30: Brampton Bryan Church Committee at St Barnabas Church Tuesday 6th at 6.00: Mike Catling attends Zoom School Governors Meeting Wednesday 7th at 10.00: The Sangha meets in Adforton Church -an opportunity for contemplative silence on a guided theme Next Sunday 11th October - Harvest Services (without lunch or tea) at : Brampton Bryan at 11.15am Leinthall Starkes at 3.00pm Prayer to St Francis Praise to you, St Francis of Assisi, brother to the sun and the moon, to birds and worms, fire and wind. Your unconditional love of creation excludes no one. When you embraced the leper, anything left between you and your God melted away. In our habitual grasping, we have lost the joy of letting go. Whisper in our ear, Francis. Let us live your simple wisdom, and seek not so much to be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love. Thank you. Amen. (Mirabai Starr, St Francis of Assisi: Brother of Creation)