There’s something about being an Anglican… Maybe it’s the famous eccentricity of the English I don’t know But there’s certainly something unique about Anglicans… Here are some of my favourite examples; One Anglican friend –a life long friend, told me That as a child, he once asked his mother “Are we Christians mum” to which the mother answered “No son, we’re Anglicans” Whilst training for ordination I spent a summer as trainee chaplain in a hospital On one occasion I brought Holy Communion to an elderly woman in hospital Who looked me over with great suspicion and finally said “Where are you from young man?” “I’m from the Anglican Church” I said – un nerved She looked at me with even more suspicion “Aren’t you an Anglican” I asked, sure that the hospital records said she was “Certainly not” the lady told me with great indignation “I’m Church of England” My own son once told me about a primary school discussion with is friends about Churches It turned out his two best friends were Roman Catholics “Dad why can’t we be Catholics” he asked eventually “Why” I asked him “Angle-Lee-Can” is too hard to say” he told me This was s serious matter for a lad in grade four We decided – in the great Anglican tradition – to compromise And be Anglo-Catholics And finally – my personal favourite Is the Priest who always began the service –as indeed I do – with the traditional greeting “The Lord be with You” But who arrived one Sunday to find the long awaited new sound system Like this one here ! had been installed in his Church And – suspicious of it – approached the microphone gave it a tap, and said, instead of “The Lord be with You” “There’s something wrong with this microphone” To which the congregation of course responded on cue “And also with You” So much for my favourite glimpses of life as an Anglican… We will come back to the theme of life as an Anglican But first a few comments about the Gospel reading for this morning THE JOURNEYING GUEST The story begins with two travellers Journeying to the unremarkable town of Emmaus These are not two of the apostles But two from among the larger number of believers who had followed Jesus Only one of whom – Cleopas – is named So they are very unremarkable and ordinary While these two were walking along the road to Emmaus—we read Jesus himself came and joined them and began to journey with them But, Luke says “their eyes were kept from recognising him” Although they do not recognise their fellow traveller The two disciples on the road to Emmaus are willing to engage with him They are willing to share their journey And to begin a conversation—a dialogue—with the stranger on the road I remember once being in the main shopping centre in Frankston one evening Quite late at night I think it was over Christmas when the stores were open late And there was a young woman—an Asian woman Sitting in the shopping mall, in full view of the many passers by Hands over her face, weeping visibly and loudly Obviously in great distress And I watched as the crowds of people stepped around her As though she were not there at all And I realised that I too—would have to do one of several things Walk around her—Step right over her Turn back and go another way Or stop and engage with her in some way To return to the Emmaus story— The two disciples on the road to Emmaus Are willing to engage with the fellow traveller who Crosses their path as it were Even though he is not known to them Their eyes are held from recognising him And in doing so They have an encounter with none other than the risen Jesus himself So there is one important lesson for us here A willingness to engage—to make connections With the other: on the journey of life To stop And not to step over or around or turn away And there is a second, important—even crucial Theme at work in this story That is of great importance and relevence to us today How is it Jesus is actually recognised and made visible to the two travellers on the road to Emmaus ONE—As the Scriptures are interpreted for them, For we are told that, beginning with Moses and all the Prophets That is the Old Testament Jesus explained to them all of the things written therein concerning himself There is a process of opening the Scriptures And of discussing them along the way TWO – When they had reached their destination, The two travellers urged their companion to stay and share a meal with them And whilst at table, Jesus does four things He took bread He blessed the bread He broke it And he gave thanks for it All actions that un-mistakably recall the Last Supper And when he had done that, Luke says The combined effect of the Interpretation of Scripture And the sharing of the meal Was that Their eyes were opened and they recognised him We often miss or gloss over what happens next But it is of great importance that— Jesus vanishes the moment they recognise him For the two disciples on the road to Emmaus that day For Luke and his readers and indeed for us who are gathered here today The risen Jesus is no longer be physically present with his followers He will be longer present in person To explain to them in person how the Scriptures speak of him Nor to break bread in their presence But The message of the Emmaus story is that So long as they are willing to engage with him The risen Jesus does however continue to be present As the fellow traveller alongside them in an unseen and invisible way Whenever the Scriptures are read and interpreted in his name And whenever they gather together to break bread in his name So here we have two things in particular That culminate with the Emmaus two recognising Jesus Or perhaps more accurately That culminate with Jesus being revealed to them As present; The Explanation of the Scriptures And the Breaking of Bread or re-enactment of the Last Supper To return to the theme I began with These are two things that define us as Anglicans What we call - Word and Sacrament And it’s no accident that the Prayer Book Is arranged in such a way that these two elements are the two essential components of Anglican worship For it is in Word and Sacrament that the risen Jesus Is known and recognised and made visible among us Whenever we meet together Although—as in the Emmaus story from the Gospels It is the action of Jesus—the enacted word The breaking of bread That is the ultimate place of revelation And that is why as a priest I would urge you To listen to the sermon But to both listen and to watch carefully what happens on the altar when we come to the celebration of the Eucharist; I leave you this morning with these words From a hymn by James Montgomery Who writes, or sings, or is it prays; “Be known to us in the breaking of bread but do not then depart Saviour, abide with us, and spread Your table in our heart.” In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. |