What is in Kelvin's Head?

  • Midnight Mass 2014 Sermon for Glasgow

    Where does the light of Christ most need to shine?

    A long time ago on the first holiday that I went on with a friend rather than my parents, I travelled partly by train, partly by boat and partly hitchhiking, to the Orkney Isles. And one of my strongest memories of being there was crawling through the narrow entrance of the great Neolithic Maeshowe cairn. Built probably nearly 5000 years ago, my friend and I sat in the gloom of the interior hearing that the whole edifice was aligned so that the light of the winter solstice sunset would shine down the narrow passageway and perfectly illuminate a stone in the interior.

    And of course, it still works. Nowadays people try to capture the same effect and spread it around the world using webcams.

    But what were those who built the cairn trying to say?

    The truth is, we don’t know. Was the sun itself the focus of what they were doing at midwinter or was the sunlight being caused to shine onto something stuck in some way on that stone?

    What did they want the light to shine on?

    Sometimes you see guidebooks of Manhattan with pictures taken of the sun setting perfectly behind the skyscrapers as though they had been built for that very purpose.

    And Great Western Road itself, outside this cathedral, aligned as it is, works just as well as any stone cairn at predicting the rise and fall of the sun.

    Will archaeologists in 5000 years wonder at our devotion in laying out the West End of this city to align with sunrise and sunset?

    Will they presume that what we built was aligned to the light?

    Will they wonder where we wanted the light to shine?

    Where do you want the light to shine this year?

    Once again we come to Christmas with a very public tragedy in our minds. Things hard to think about. Things difficult to contemplate.

    People do ask me whether it is hard to speak of the love of God when difficult things happen.

    Well, it is sometimes hard to find the right word but the truth is, the love of God coming to illuminate the darkest of times is what we always celebrate at Christmas no matter what year we are in and no matter what has happened. The light comes into the world. That is the truth we gather here to proclaim right at the darkest time of year.

    It is the truth which made the angels sing. It is the truth which made the heavens ring.

    God is come into the world and the fact that we celebrate that at night has always meant a lot to me.

    We gather at night to remind ourselves that the light shines in the darkness and that the song of the angels matters – for they sing of peace on earth.

    We gather at night to remind ourselves that God’s coming makes a difference and the peace-prayer of the angels is a song we can dare to sing for ourselves.

    We gather at night to remind ourselves that nothing is impossible with God, and the song of the angels is the song the world needs to hear.

    The song is “peace to God’s people on earth” and it is as catchy as Charpentier’s Noels that we are enjoying tonight.

    Where does the light need to shine this year. Do you know?

    I know that you do.

    You know the hearts and the places and the situations where peace on earth is needed most.

    And in gathering here in the night-time, the story of the light coming into the world, the song of peace on earth becomes our story, becomes our song.

    That’s why we do this.

    God came to Bethlehem to become someone who would weep with those who suffered and walk alongside them in their troubles.

    God came to Bethlehem.

    God comes to Glasgow.

    We know where the light needs to shine. We know places and people who need God’s peace.

    Don’t forget that Bethlehem and Glasgow are twin cities.

    Tonight as we remember the light of the world arriving in Bethlehem, ask yourself where you want the light of Christ to shine. Who needs to know God’s presence. Who needs to hear the angel’s song of peace.

    Whoever it is, remember them in this holy place tonight.

    Our gospel reading tonight reminds us that our first sight of Jesus, the babe in the manger was hardly the first time God cared about the world. What began there had a greater beginning – for in the beginning itself was the Word.

    God has always loved us. In the stories and songs of Christmas we get to retell and replay in our minds a narrative that also tells us that God already loves us.

    Go from this place tonight knowing that God loves you.

    In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

    And God came. Light shines. Love is real. And a peaceful world is a birthright and a destiny and a manifesto for everyone who draws breath.

    In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

    We know all about darkness. But the light has come. Love is here and love is real. For where there is human life there is love. And where there is love there is God.

    In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

    What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. Did not overcome it in Bethlehem. Will not overcome it in Glasgow. Will not overcome it in any place at all. Amen

10 responses to “So, let me get this right…”

  1. Andrew Page Avatar
    Andrew Page

    I think you have understood if correctly (or at least as fully as it can be understood).

    This just shows how confused the church has become, or how keen it is to tie itself into the proverbial knots to appease both progressives and traditionalists.

    Either way, this position is both absurd and intellectually unsustainable.

    Reply
  2. Kirstin Avatar
    Kirstin

    Kelvin can I ask what submissions you are referring to, is there a new one?

    Reply
  3. Joan H Craig Avatar
    Joan H Craig

    I think that, once marriage law is passed, current civil partnerships can convert to marriage by filling form, etc. Don’t think they said what happens if the couple want a religious marriage – or did I miss that?
    If our churches persist in saying no to marriage, wouldn’t it be better to do the blessing after they’ve converted their civil status – as in some countries where every marriage is a civil ceremony, and any religious service is done afterwards
    I hope everyone has completed the most recent consultation paper

    Reply
  4. Rhea Avatar
    Rhea

    I think that the church wants to have its cake and eat it too. It wants everyone to be happy, and this is probably the best way that it knows to do this.

    Is it ridiculous? Of course.

    Reply
  5. Kelvin Holdsworth Avatar
    Kelvin Holdsworth

    There is to be a new one. I’ve not seen it. I understand that the position that the Faith and Order Board is holding to is that “church teaching” is what Canon 31 says – that and nothing else and therefore we are doctrinally against change.

    Is that not the case?

    Reply
    1. kelvin Avatar
      kelvin

      So far as I understand it, the SEC has not moved in its position since the first response at all.

      The first response included this:
      Question 10: Do you agree that the law in Scotland should be changed to allow same sex marriage?
      The Canons of the Scottish Episcopal Church (Canon 31) state that the doctrine of the Church is that marriage is ‘a physical, spiritual and mystical union of one man and one woman created by their mutual consent of heart, mind and will thereto, and as a holy and lifelong estate instituted of God’. In the light of that Canon, there is no current basis for agreeing that the law should be changed to view marriage as possible between two people of the same sex.

      Reply
    2. Kirstin Avatar
      Kirstin

      The SEC’s last response was in line with what the current law was, indeed still is, this consultation asks a very different question. To which the answer ‘well it isn’t legal, so we can’t say’, (I paraphrase) can’t be the answer this time, can it?
      Of course Canon 31 also states it is a “lifelong estate” but had clause 4 added at a later date to allow for divorce and remarriage.

      Reply
  6. Rev David Coleman Avatar
    Rev David Coleman

    I was watching the evidence to the Westminster parliamentary committees the other day. In all these things, even from churches which are prepared to be tentatively in favour, or declining to be opposed, what is missing from all the evidence is the human experience of joy and delight that actually characterises a true and good wedding, of any combination of partners. How can we get across the compelling and converting happiness when processes take the form they do?

    Reply
  7. Rosemary Hannah Avatar
    Rosemary Hannah

    Is there any way of getting hold of the board – of ordinary church members getting hold of it and making it listen?? I mean I know my approach tends to lack in subtlety what it makes up for in directness, but then, well, it is very direct.

    Reply
  8. Kimberly Avatar
    Kimberly

    Rosemary, of all the many beautiful sentences you have written, that is the very very best.

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Previous Posts

  • Gender Audit Motion is proposed by Norma Higgot

    And debate begins. Nancy Adams: Welcomes audit. Draws attention to the qualitative aspect. She is the one female on the finance committee (which disperses grants). She does not bring only financial competence but different ways to perceive the problems. Women and men approach things differently. Argues for a closer look at the qualitative aspects. Asks…

  • Gender Audit

    Synod begins hearing the report of the recent Gender Audit. Elaine Cameron says we have done this because of what we think about social justice. It is also about the economics of mission.

  • Primus sums up:

    Says ther eis still not rush. Aware of an instictive reticence. Does not feel there is a gradualist movement into the Covenant. Says links between moratoria and covenant are not clear. OUr ability to be helpful to rest of communion depends on our abilty to enage with this in our own life.

  • I speak:

    Saying that I will be voting no.