Words for Worship

Ministry Today

Text: Matthew 12.46-13.8

 

During the Second World War,

the allies fought

a series of battles

across Italy

in 1944.

 

These were to break through

the German Gustav Line

in order to seize Rome.

 

But as an outcome

the monastery

that surmounted

Monte Casino’s peak

became

possibly

the most famous the world.

 

For it had ultimately

to be destroyed

by allied bombing.

 

Yet it had a claim

To fame

before the 20th century.

 

It was during

the reign

of the Holy Roman Emperor

Charlemagne

when for a brief spell

the dark ages

were punctured

by Christ’s light.

 

Because it was in AD 529

that Saint Benedict

established his spiritual community

on the Monte Cassino mountain.

 

Now there had been

lone monks

and such communities before.

 

But this time

there was a difference.

 

For Benedict

made sure that

there would be religious

law and order

in his monastery.

 

And so he wrote

a series of guidelines

that he called his rule.

 

And it was this rule

that Charlemagne,

many centuries later,

exported across his domain

and was the seed

of a new more resilient

Christian spirituality.

 

Now in the reformed tradition,

we have always

looked slightly askance

at the monastic life.

 

This is due to our thinking

that it is an escape

from the world

rather than engaging it.

 

And that may be so.

 

Although if you watch

any of the documentaries

on telly

about monks,

you’ll see that it is far from

an easy option.

 

But whatever our view,

it should deflect us

from seeing

what the rule of Benedict

can teach any Christian community

not least

when a dark age

of non belief looms.

 

Since in his preface

he emphasises

what is need

for the cohesion

of a Christian group.

 

Namely the renunciation

of one's own will

and arming oneself

"with the strong

and noble weapons of obedience"

under the banner of

"the true King,

Christ the Lord".

 

His desire then

was to establish

a "school for the Lord's service"

in which the way to salvation

shall be taught,

so that his disciples

may "through patience

share in the passion of Christ that

[they] may deserve

also to share in his Kingdom"

If that then

was Benedict’s intention,

how did it play out his rule?  

 

Well, he starts

with the model of monastic life

as a family.  

 

Since the family

is the best analogy

we all have

of a loving, sharing

and caring community.

 

But it also is something else.

 

For the family is

additionally

the refuge

when things go wrong,

when we need to lick our wounds,

when we must

have someone say

don’t worry – you’re OK.

 

In a way then

the family is typified

by that Monte casino monastery

on the mountain.

 

For the community

that models itself

on the family is

ultimately

a fortress for protection

and reassurance

and companionship.

 

But it is also

a battle station

for our sorties out

into the world

with all its opportunities

, pleasures and sharp edges.

 

May we then

never forget that here

in St Luke’s,

we are nothing less

than brothers and sisters

one to another;

in other words

the very family of God.

 

In the summer

I visited once again

the monastery

at buckfasteigh

in Devon.

 

It used to be a quiet stop

when I was in the Navy

in transit between

Portsmouth and Plymouth.

 

But today

it is a huge visitors’ attraction.

 

Well, I was in its church

when it became time

for the monks’ prayer.

 

Partially to annoy

the rather officious usher woman,

I asked if I could stay.

 

And that I did

with about 40 others.

 

But what struck me

was how matter of fact,

the midday prayer appeared –

rather like an office staff

taking a coffee break.

 

Yet this isn’t too much

of a surprise

as Benedictine’s second principle

was the splitting

of the monastic day

into regular periods

of communal and private prayer,

sleep, spiritual reading,

and manual labour.  

 

For to quote it –

"that in all things,

may God be glorified".  

 

The next lesson then

is clear to us

in this our Christian family

in Brought ferry.

 

And that is

all of us must keep

within our day

not just toil and relaxation

but the spiritual exercises

of prayer, silence and contemplation

as well.

 

Put simply,

in our everyday round

there must be

the leaven of worship.

 

For the glorifying of God

is not just for Sunday

at 11 o clock

for one hour

but is for every occasion

we can lay our hands on!

 

Because that is the only way

to grow our harvest

for the kingdom

rather than being choked

or dried up

or defeated by stony ground.

 

By great foresight

on the part of

Lieutenant Colonel Julius Schlegel,

a Roman Catholic,

and Captain Maximilian Becker,

a Protestant,

a vast collection of scrolls

at Monte Casino

were transferred to the Vatican

at the beginning of the battle.

 

Yet why on earth

were so many precious documents

stored there?

 

Well, anyone who has read

or seen the film

of Umberto Eco’s strange thriller –

the name of the rose –

will get a clear idea

of what a monastery

was like in the middle ages.

 

Indeed, much of its plot

takes place

in the scriptorium;

the place where the monks

copied out scrolls

from the past.

 

Since, in the centuries

after Benedict,

intellectual work

took the place of farming

for monks.

 

And that is why today

some of the greatest works

of medieval art

are the illuminated manuscripts

made by them.

 

However, it is here

we have the best reason

why we too

must jealously guard

our congregation as family

and ever encourage each other

in worship.

 

Since, there was

a very good reason

why the monks

had to work hard

at the eye watering toil

of copying ancient texts.

 

And it was in those ages,

words were written

on animal skins

or vellum.

 

As a result these volumes

had a limited survivability

from rot and rats.

 

If then books

weren’t copied regularly

they were forever

lost and forgotten.

 

So too it is with us.

 

For if we do not preserve

this family spiritual fortress

by interlocking our relationships

it too will become history,

it too will decay

and it too will be forgotten.

 

If we do not keep

our holy community

lit with the worship of Christ

then we will be left

with no word to hand

on to those who will follow us.

 

Because, in essence,

the gospel only survives

by being repeatedly copied

into living memories.  

 

For, it is a provocative

but genuine fact

that the church is always

one generation away

from extinction.    

 

As a result of its strategic position,

the monastery of Monte casino

has been destroyed

five times

by various agents including,

Lombards, Saracens,

Napoleon and earthquake

as well as ourselves.

 

Yet in each occurrence,

it has been rebuilt.

 

And, for that reason,

its official website

ends a brief history

with a note of hope.

 

For it says –

After so many historical events,

Monte casino

may truly be symbolized

by a many centuries-old oak

, which although broken

by the storm,

always becomes green

and alive again,

stronger than ever.

 

That has also

been true

for the whole church.

 

Yet each rebirth

has required

the rebuilding

of the Christian family,

the preservation

of the practice of worship

and the diligent passing on

of the word.

 

So this day

as we strive

to call each other brother and sister

, as we endeavour

to bear the seed

of another multitudinous crop,

let us battle to do likewise!

 

For that alone breaks

the dark’s defensive line.

 

For that alone

seizes the eternal city of God.

 

 For that alone

is to have ears to hear!

 

 

 

Amen

 

Offering

 

HYMN…………..

 

 

 

Benedict - Family as a Fort