Sermon for Pentecost 2020

by The Rt Revd Rob Wickham, Bishop of  Edmonton

For the last 10 days, Christians from all over the world have been encouraged by the Archbishops to pledge to pray- to pray for Thy Kingdom Come. Across the Diocese of London, different people have been praying 24/7 for our shared life, that we might become a church for all Londoners. 

This is all very exciting indeed, and one which, I believe will offer substantial growth in the church, and also of our ability to speak of Jesus publicly.

The Archbishop said a few years ago that he had been with Pope Francis, and they had spent a blessed hour talking about the importance of prayer.  Get this… the Pope said that when we pray, we make room in our lives and in the world for mercy and grace.

I repeat, when we pray, we make room in our lives and in the world for mercy and grace. 

 These are very beautiful words indeed.  I wonder how we might do this here at St Mary’s?  Certainly our care for the local community, in particular for your young people is a  living room outside is a good example.  Well done everybody.

Rob Bell, the American evangelist, has created a series of films, called Nooma films.  In one of them, called Breath, he reminds us that prayer is as natural as breathing.  We breathe 26,000 times a day.  For in the scriptures, humanity is taken and shaped from the dust of the earth, and it is God who breathes new life into us. We are made of God’s breath.   We are awakened by the very breath of God- by the God who created everything, who went to the cross for our salvation and for our life. This morning we are reminded that Jesus, in John’s Gospel, breathes new life into the disciples at Pentecost, with the gift of the holy spirit- leading into a new and flourishing humanity, lived in the life of peace, forgiveness and grace.  

That when we breath, each breath, we are uttering the Hebrew name of the Lord God- Yahweh, the Hebrew called the Tetragrammaton-  YHVH or yod hey vav hey, the name which occurs over 6,800 times in the Bible.  So natural is the uttering of the name of God, so natural is the breath of the Holy Spirit, who breathes over the waters, and breathes into humanity to bring us life, who brings you life.  So, why not take a deep breath, as we come to think about this morning’s Gospel.  Breathe slowly, and not quickly, because we breathe quickly when we are anxious or afraid, and here we are safe. Literally breathe in the breath of God who created you.  So, breathe the name of God- Yod hey Vav Hey- until we make our final breath, whenever that might be, when we return to the dust.  Breathe.

Prayer is the most natural gift in the world- calming, peaceful and obedient to God.  That is not a babble of words, but a state of being.  Indeed, in our very busy lives here in London, prayer is required and a gift all the more as a way of giving God his rightful place in our lives- very fitting indeed in the week of a general election.

How much more, we are told, are we listened to when we pray?  God listens to us in our prayers, as he is enabling us to pray in the first place- as the spirit enables us to cry Abba father.  Prayer is God’s great gift to us for communication, and another glimpse of God’s great generosity in Jesus Christ.  Prayer makes us alive, makes us live, as we breath in the very essence of God as we pray.  For this reason,. of course, many contemplatives will begin their prayer sessions with calming breathing, as they begin to recognise that they, like Moses, stand on Holy Ground, and their duty is to stop and take note.

Our Gospel this morning makes it very clear that it is the duty of every Christian to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit in prayer.  Pray daily, and ask the spirit to work through us.  It is the duty of every Christian, not because God wants us to be all subservient to him, but because he wants us to enjoy his relationship and his love.  He wants us to be alive.  Our lives fuelled by prayer, and God’s personal interaction with us.  So, here at St Mary’s,  I urge you to pray.  Pray for the growth of this church. Pray that we are a church for all Londoners, to have encounters with Jesus Christ. Prayer for your clergy, Pray that you will listen to each other, and ultimately pray that you may breathe in God- listen to God as we discern and seek his will for our shared future together.  Pray and enjoy that relationship of peace that comes in the Holy Spirit, rooted in the gift of forgiveness.

Breath and pray- Yod hey, vav hey  Our bodies are designed to pray without ceasing, and we pray with each breath.  Now, St Mary’s as directed by the spirit of God, who enables us to pray and cry Abba father- breathe new life, breathe new hope.  It is time to breath. Yod hey, vav hey.