• Easter Sermon 2013

    In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

    Early in the morning, in the cold early light of the day, some of us gathered to celebrate this Great Feast. Bishop Gregor lit the Easter Fire outside and then we processed into church to welcome the risen Saviour with hymns and confirmations and baptisms and great rejoicing. And afterwards we made our way to the Synod Hall for a splendid breakfast rejoicing in the good news that on Easter Day there are no calories in anything.

    I was reminded as we ate our breakfast together of an Easter celebration that took place some years ago whilst I was at college.

    It was the custom in that University Chapel for a great basket of Scottish Morning Rolls to be processed to the altar to be blessed. One of the rolls would be chosen to be the bread for communion on the altar and the rest would be put to one side and then these were shared as a breakfast after the service.

    One this particular occasion, I remember the University Chaplain choosing the bread roll carefully from amongst those offered to him. It was to become the Bread of Promise after all.

    He put it upon the silver paten. He said, The Lord be With You and went on to bid us Lift Up Our Hearts.

    It was easy to do. It was Easter and our hearts were all rejoicing.

    When he finished the Eucharistic Prayer, he carefully and devoutly took the Bread of Heaven in his hands and broke it carefully. And as he did so, I thought I saw a moment of deep prayer.

    He stood frozen to the spot and then a shiver appeared to go through him. It was as though the Holy Spirit has suddenly descended upon him.

    We waited a moment and then he said, “oooh”.

    We looked at him in anticipation. (more…)

3 responses to “St Andrews Debates”

  1. Allan Ronald Avatar
    Allan Ronald

    Delighted to learn that so much progress has been made at our Alma Mater (I graduated MA in 1971). Gaudeamus igitur, indeed.

  2. Zebabee Avatar
    Zebabee

    There were signs of change in 1999 when I departed from St Marys. Delighted that the progress has gathered pace over the years and is now so much improved.

  3. Rosemary Hannah Avatar
    Rosemary Hannah

    When I was there (I left in 75), it was understood that nobody in Gaysoc spoke about who else they had seen at a meeting – it was still not safe to be ‘out’ in public. That was at a liberal-minded University. Of course there were people who were out, some notably gifted. Indeed, thank God for it.

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