At my ordination as a priest
37 years ago the Bishop asked me this question in Sheffield Cathedral: Will you give your faithful diligence … to
minister the Doctrine and Sacraments, and the Discipline of Christ, as the Lord
hath commanded?
I replied with the others: I will so do, by the help of the Lord.
This commitment came back to
me as I looked through the readings for Trinity 12 that focus on church
discipline. The reading from Ezekiel Chapter
33 reminds the prophet of his watchman role which connects with the gospel
passage from Matthew 18 with its instruction about fraternal correction in the
Church.
The reformed Christian
tradition of which the Church of England is part emphasizes discipline
alongside word and sacrament as foundational to church life. At their
ordination therefore priests and bishops commit themselves to teach, lead
worship and pastor the flocks committed to them.
Among other words from the
ordination service that stick with me – I read them every year before the
renewal of priestly vows at the Chrism eucharist with the diocesan Bishop in
Holy Week – are these: Have always… printed
in your remembrance how great a treasure is committed to your charge. For they
are the sheep of Christ, which he bought with his death, and for whom he shed
his blood. The Church and Congregation whom you must serve is his Spouse, and
his Body. And if it shall happen the same Church, or any Member thereof, to
take any hurt or hindrance by reason of your negligence, ye know the greatness
of the fault, and also the horrible punishment that will ensue.
As we heard warning in the first reading to the sentinel
priest Ezekiel their blood I will require
at your hand. Neglect of Christ’s flock purchased at the price of his own
blood is as serious a thing as you can imagine. It has made me a priest more
concerned to feed the sheep than entertain the goats. Not that it’s easy to do
so, to teach Christianity, let alone to minister
the discipline of Christ. It would be more attractive to prop up the bar at
the Green Man, not that goats are only found in pubs! And, if I’m honest, the
Green Man has no Harvey’s!
What is the discipline of Christ? How do I teach it?
Pray every day. Read your bible. Attend eucharist every
Sunday wherever you are unless very seriously hindered. Confess your sins. Give
your money to serve God’s work.
These five Christian duties are the basic disciplines
Christians are under which I announce to you irregularly. I also announce Feast
Days but rarely do I encourage you to fast on Fridays though I do so now. As
Sunday’s meal is resurrection festive Friday’s
simple fare honours Jesus who died for us.
We need these disciplines. They’re paralleled by our Muslim sisters and brothers
whose Five Pillars consist of knowing their creed, praying five times each day, giving to the
poor and needy, fasting during the month of Ramadan and making pilgrimage to
Mecca.
Oh that you and I had the fervour and discipline of
Islam!
Back to the scriptures! The
Gospel reading makes clear that discipline in the Church isn’t just from the
church pastor but fraternal, that is carried and promoted by all church members.
If another member of the
church sins against you, go and point out the fault when the two of
you are alone. If the member listens to you, you have regained that one. But if
you are not listened to, take one or two others along with you, so that every
word may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three witnesses. We are all involved in church discipline and
not just the priest. He of course is under a special discipline himself being
accountable to God through the Bishop. At St Giles we have a Churchwarden,
David Lamb, a lay officer of the Bishop, with me, sharing leadership and
oversight of our congregation.
If there are sick needing visiting, grieved needing
counsel, church members who’ve fallen away or whatever we all share responsibility for them, according to the Gospel. However,
according to the first reading and the ordination service, there is a special
responsibility that lies with the priest and to a lesser extent the
Churchwarden.
At my ordination the Bishop said these words from St
John’s Gospel Chapter 20 echoed at the end of today’s Gospel from Matthew 18: Receive the holy Ghost for the office and
work of a priest in the Church of God, now committed unto thee by the
imposition of our hands. Whose sins thou dost forgive, they are forgiven; and whose
sins thou dost retain, they are retained. And be thou a faithful dispenser of
the Word of God, and of his holy Sacraments; In the name of the Father, and of
the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.
Awesome words – what dignity,
what responsibility! Also behind my preference to be called Father John since
to imagine John Twisleton could do what a priest does is fanciful and
irreverent for I can change no bread
and wine or penitent heart.
Tomorrow I go to the
University of Kent with the 300 licensed priests of our diocese for our clergy
conference. Please pray for us, for me and for all who minister the Doctrine and Sacraments, and the Discipline of Christ. Pray
that we may believe in our priesthood and love our people.
May we truly believe Christ’s doctrine,
enter more fully into the awe of the sacraments and live more fully under the
discipline of Christ so we priests who minister in God’s temple…may say and sing
with our lips [what] we believe in our hearts, and show [that faith] forth
in our lives.
Today’s Gospel ends with a promise to all Christians
which has echoes of the ordination rite. Our Lord says whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you
loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Again, truly I tell you, if two
of you agree on earth about anything you ask, it will be done for you by my
Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there
among them.
Where Christians
are united, where they accept a mutual discipline of prayer, devotion to God’s
word, attendance at the eucharist, mutual forgiveness and sacrificial giving
the Holy Spirit can come in power among them. Part of that unity is obedience
to our leaders in all things lawful and honest, you to me and me to the bishop.
As St Paul writes in 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13 we appeal to you, brothers and sisters, to respect those who labour
among you, and have charge of you in the Lord and admonish you; esteem
them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among
yourselves.
Indeed may peace
be with us, respect for one another, priest and people, and agreement together
in a common discipline so that where two
or three are gathered in Christ’s name, he may be among us. We have heard
his word and approach the sacrament but let’s now take a moment to think of and
renew commitment to the five Christian disciplines I mentioned: daily prayer, reading our bible,
Sunday eucharist, confession of our sins and giving money to serve God’s work.
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