27^th June 2010. 10am Luke 9:51 I am a Pilgrim

When I was at school, as I think it was the same for most schools then, we started each day with Prayers, fairly formal with perhaps equally formal hymns, but they were hymns where the words stuck. One such hymn was –‘ He who would valiant be’ (based on Pilgrim’s Progress), and the words which have always stuck with me are the last three lines. ‘ I’ll fear not what men say, I’ll labour night and day to be a pilgrim’. For at school there was never any suggestion that we would live our lives except following in the footsteps of Christ, and that provided we did, nothing was impossible, we could achieve what we would. Of course many of us didn’t live up to those expectations, but I do know that the words have stayed with many of my contemporaries.

Tom Wright says that in this passage Luke is reminding us that Jesus had settled in his mind it was time to start his pilgrimage to Jerusalem,. Christ knew his earthly life was drawing to its close, he is on the beginning stage of his final pilgrimage

Which makes this passage so ideal for today as we prepare to baptise Isabel and Edward. For in baptism we all commence our pilgrimage of faith, a path which as Christ says may not be easy, but a path on which God will always be at our side In Baptism we are called to begin our spiritual journey, which is why parents and Godparents have such an important role.

Babies and very small children need teaching, guidance, they need encouragement in the early stages of this journey, this journey which brings them the promise of salvation.

So what does the call to follow Jesus mean to us here today? Is it something think about each day, or it is something we know deep in our hearts but which we rarely give much thought to. For this spiritual journey is something which lasts all our lives, we are never too young, never too old, the option of retiring from it doesn’t exist. We either believe God, follow Jesus, or we reject him.

In the Gospel reading time was running out and Jesus knew he still had much to achieve, much still needed doing. Which is perhaps why the passage seems quite unlike the way he normally spoke. He seemed impatient perhaps frustrated.

Jesus always had a clear sense of purpose. He always knew that his time was short, it wouldn’t be long before his work was complete, and that the fulfilment would happen in Jerusalem.

But even in this short passage people reject Jesus, the Samaritans because Jesus was only calling on them on his way to Jerusalem. Jesus moves on and meets someone who says, I will follow you wherever you go.. But there’s a problem there too he wants to follow Jesus on his terms not on Christ’s terms. Again, another man who wants to bury his father first and then follow Jesus.

These people are not actually rejecting Jesus, but they want to follow him on their terms, there are things they want to do first, and of course this still happens today. But when Jesus calls us he wants us to respond there and then.

The call to follow Jesus isn’t an easy thing. Perhaps it means being at odds with the world. Jesus isn’t saying we can’t do other things, that we can’t look after our families, what he is saying is that we must follow him at the same time, not put it off until later. I believe he is saying that we can enjoy life, the World Cup, Wimbledon, cricket, all those things which we enjoy doing, we are not called to live miserable lines, but to enjoy life, but to enjoy it firm in the knowledge of God’s presence in our lives, we don’t forget that, just because there are other things to do. We always know God is here with us.

And I believe all of us here today need to show the joy of faith to all young people, indeed to everyone, so that they, including Isabel and Edward, do not grow up viewing Church, Christianity as a long list of ‘Thou shall not do’, bur rather ‘thou shall do’ – you shall!

For our Christian journey calls us to love God, love our family, friends, neighbours, to love this wonderful creation God has given us, and through loving to protect. We shall help those who find this journey hard, and draw them into a closer relationship with God.

There will be times when the commitment may seem hard, when life may seem hard, but God is with us. The path may be hard but the reward of the promise of salvation, of eternal life far outweigh any hardships, the reward is God’s presence with us always providing us with love and protection..

I am going to leave you with some words by Brother Roger of Taize. Let us pray;

O Christ, give us the gift of looking towards you at every moment.

So often we forget that you live within us, that you are praying with us, that you are loving within us.

Your miracle in us is your trust and your forgiveness, always offered in that unique communion which is called Church. Amen