Sermon for Passion Sunday 29.03.20

The Revd Preb. Marjorie Brown

Household is a word we have been hearing a lot lately. It has a slightly old-fashioned ring to it. Census forms used to ask who was the head of the household, and it was assumed to be the man if there was one in the family. At my ordination service, the Bishop asked all of us, “Will you endeavour to fashion your own life and that of your household according to the way of Christ, that you may be a pattern and example to Christ’s people?” and we had to answer, “By the help of God, I will.” I was a little anxious about how I would fashion the life of my teenage children to be a pattern and example. It was all rather serious and terrifying.

But now the word household is everywhere because of the coronavirus pandemic. Special rules apply to the people in our household – we can touch them, eat with them, walk closer than two meters apart in public with them. While we are cut off from our neighbours and friends, we have extra freedom within our household.

For many people, this is a time of comfort and closeness with those we love, especially partners and children. There may be rather too much togetherness at times, but we are glad to draw near to these beloved people. For others, however, household relationships can be oppressive, even dangerous. And for a great many people, our household consists of just one person. Does the word still apply?

I believe that there is a better word to describe our home situation, whether it is a single person or a couple or a family, and whether we are physically present to one another or are connected in this time only by the telephone and internet.

I want to think about the work of some African feminists to help us consider this. A Nigerian anthropologist called Felicia Ekejiuba makes a distinction between a household, an economic unit which in traditional settings is usually headed by a man, and a hearth-hold. A hearth-hold is the extension of a mother and child bond. It is the gathering around the hearth or stove of the people for whose food security a person, usually is woman, is responsible. These people might be blood relations or not. They might be fully residential or not. But they are the people who are fed at that particular hearth. A patriarchal household might consist of several hearth-holds.

The Ghanaian theologian Mercy Amba Oduyoye builds on this concept in her thinking about the Christian Church. We are all part of the household of God – that idea comes through very clearly in the New Testament. But each gathered community that celebrates the eucharist together is a hearth-hold, a place where the people who have strong bonds with each other are fed. 

Our hearth-hold of St Mary’s Primrose Hill is dispersed now for a few months at least. We cannot be in each other’s company except remotely. We can only share the Body and Blood of Christ through spiritual, not physical communion. But that notion of the unifying hearth is one I take great comfort in at this time. You may have noticed that the temporary altar is set up in front of the chimney-piece in my study. I have gathered you at my hearth.

Today’s gospel reading is a well-known story about a particular hearth-hold. The family of three siblings, Mary, Martha and Lazarus, appear a number of times in the gospels. They lived in Bethany, a short walk from Jerusalem, and they were very dear friends of Jesus. He often joined them for meals. You’ll remember the time when Martha was fussed about getting the meal ready while Mary sat at his feet, drinking in his teaching like a male Torah scholar.

But now a terrible tragedy has occurred. Lazarus has died prematurely and his sisters spring into action. It is interesting that while both Martha and Mary are clearly drawn personalities with quite a bit to say, we never heard a word from the lips of Lazarus. His sisters speak with passion and urgency to Jesus, and Jesus himself converses, prays and cries out with a loud voice to summon Lazarus from the grave. But though Lazarus appears, he remains silent. 

In the following chapter 12 in John’s gospel, Mary and Martha give a special dinner for Jesus and Martha serves and Mary pours perfume on his feet. It is recorded that the resurrected Lazarus was present, but again he says nothing.

This strange silence has led some commentators to wonder if Lazarus had a disability and his sisters were his devoted carers. That would explain why they lived together in adulthood and were all unmarried, which was quite unusual in their culture. We can’t prove this one way or the other, but to me it is a very attractive idea.

A hearth-hold is the place where people are fed and cherished. It is the place where we are fully accepted and unconditionally loved, not because of our deserving but simply because we belong. A church community is a hearth-hold where all are welcome and all are fed by Christ from a single table. For now, that may mean a spiritual communion, but we are still one Body.

I hope that in this strange and anxious time of coronavirus lockdown, we are all able to give thanks for the hearth-holds that we belong to: our own home, our extended family, our church community. One day we will be able to gather again around tables with friends and relatives, and around the altar in St Mary’s Church to be fed by the bread and wine of Christ’s Body and Blood.

While we wait for that wonderful day, that resurrection if you like, we remain together in Christ. We cannot be socially distanced in our mutual love and prayer. So let us now join together in remembering one another before God.

Lord Jesus Christ, you said to your disciples, ‘I am with you always’. Be with us, as we offer ourselves to you. Hear our prayers for others and for ourselves, and keep us in your care. 

We pray for your world, united as never before in a common anxiety. Help us to put aside all trivial conflicts and disagreements as we work together to safeguard the vulnerable, feed the hungry, support healthworkers, and seek a vaccine against COVID-19. We pray especially for those living in parts of the world without first-class medical care.

Lord, in your mercy hear our prayer.

We ask for guidance for your Church as we respond to this situation. Although our churches may be locked, keep our hearts open to one another and to all in need. May our hearth-hold at St Mary’s remain united, trusting in your goodness at all times.

Lord, in your mercy hear our prayer.

We pray for the people who must continue to risk their health as keyworkers, in the healing and caring professions, in food production and distribution, in transport and street-cleaning, in teaching and childcare. We pray for our national and local leaders. And we remember, in a few moments of silence, any for whom we wish to pray by name……

Lord, in your mercy hear our prayer.

And we commend to your loving care all who have died, thinking especially at this time of those whose lives have been cut short by the virus. We remember those who are dying without the comfort of the presence of their loved ones. And we pray for all whom we have loved and see no longer.

Lord, in your mercy hear our prayer.

Lord, in these days of mercy, make us quiet and prayerful; 

in these days of challenge, make us stronger in you; 

in these days of emptiness, take possession of us; 

in these days of waiting, open our hearts to the mystery of your cross. Amen.