EASTER,
ANZAC AND ST MARK - 25 April 2004 – Bishop Owen Dowling
There are three things on the menu for today: a continuation of the Easter festival, Anzac Day which happens this time to be on a Sunday, and St Mark's Day. St Mark can be observed on either April 25th or 26th and the Lectionary has it observed tomorrow, but I want to draw it into a three course menu for today!
Bishop Burgmann, a distinguished Australian and church leader of the 1930's, 40's and 50's, and a much revered former Bishop of this diocese, used to make much of the St Mark - Anzac Day connection. So did his predecessor Bishop Radford, who was keen to build a national Anglican Cathedral here in Canberra on the site which is now the ACCC - the Australian Centre for Christianity and Culture in Barton. Radford had a rather disappointing response to his nation-wide appeal for the Cathedral which he was going to call St Mark's. Bishop Burgmann however, had a vision of a centre for Anglican study and theology and established St Mark's Library and Theological Centre on the site next door to the Cathedral site. St Mark's National Theological Centre is now very much a vibrant reality, and linked with the Charles Sturt University and the Sydney College of Divinity. There are more postgraduate students, I believe, in theology than in any other faculty in Charles Sturt and on-line programs of study which spreads St Mark's influence far and wide. We thank God for the Burgmann vision - to have a centre for theological study and reflection at the heart of our nation.
St Mark is a suitable patron saint I believe for our nation of Australia. Not only do we have the coincidence of St Mark's Day and Anzac Day. St Mark's gospel is rather a rugged account of Jesus, the strong Son of God, speaking plainly to us of a vibrant faith to which ordinary plain speaking men, women and young people of our nation are called. The Christ of St Mark's gospel is certainly not afraid to speak up strongly and to confront boldly. He is a passionate and urgent human being who disarmed the powers of Satan, spoke with energy, and even anger at times, and when confronted by the High priest's question at his trial "Are you the Christ?" said boldly and plainly "I am; and you will see the Son of man seated at the right hand of power and coming with the clouds of heaven." This is certainly strong language to put into the mouth of Jesus. Strong meat indeed! - as is Mark's description of the death of Jesus with two great and loud cries on his lips. One, the question "Why? Why have you forsaken me!" and the other - well we're not even told what it is. There is nothing to soften the picture. The Gospel ends on a note of awe with the tomb being empty, and a young man telling the women who went to the tomb to go and tell the disciples and Peter that Jesus is going ahead of them to Galilee - the place of ordinary working people, not the religious elite. "There you will see him," the young man said. Mark says that the women were seized with terror and amazement, and that they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid. End of story. The early church community added various endings to the gospel, not liking the way it ended so abruptly.
Mark was a young man, perhaps only a boy when he first heart about Jesus. Both he and his uncle Barnabas became leading people in the early church community, though not without a period of failure and the 'nervous nellies' on Mark's part, when he ran away from Paul and Barnabas's first missionary journey.
The traditional symbol of St Mark is the Lion - not because Mark himself was so strong, but because he bore witness to the one who was strong, the Lion of the Tribe of Judah.
Interestingly, there is reference to this early title of Jesus in the verses of the Book of Revelation, coming immediately before today's second reading.
In John's vision he sees a scroll seated with seven seals, and he hears an angel proclaim with a loud voice: "Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?" No one in heaven or on earth is worthy; John began to weep because, in his vision, no one could be found who was worthy to open the scroll or read it. Then he hears from one of the elders: "See the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals."
We know who this is. The Risen Jesus, the one who was pierced for us, takes the scroll from the heavenly president, God himself, and proclaims the living gospel to the world. People of every language and nation, in John's vision, are able to respond to this Gospel, and the people of the world - ordinary contemporary people like you and me, are able to respond to that Gospel and become a kingdom of priests serving our God.
Australia can identify with all this. An ancient rugged land, a people of young and adventurous spirit, a society now multi-cultural and multi-ethnic, but where there are not privileged classes or priestly castes (or at least not supposed to be). A nation not afraid to try out its muscle, not outwardly a religious nation, but one I believe, that can be attracted to the no-nonsense strong Son of God. We will find him, Mark reminds us, in Galilee, present in the midst of life and work - continuing to teach us to transcend human barriers and old world religious divisions with him. Dare we grasp the vision and become his twenty-first century followers? Dare we follow the Lion?
And this is my last Sunday as your locum. Gloria and I have been stimulated in our faith by being amongst you. It has been good for both of us to be in touch with worship in the Catholic tradition and share in that with you.
It
may not have escaped ;your attention, if attentive you have been, that the
reading today from
Revelation 5 suggests liturgical worship. The opening of the Gospel book, the incense
which represents the prayers of the saints, the great hymn at the heavenly altar
where myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands sing at full voice.
"Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honour and glory and blessing! Every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea all join in the song - yes, apparently even the whales and the dolphins, who by the way love music, and make their own.
And the four living creatures (representing the four evangelists Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) cry out "Amen" and the elders and all the priestly people of God fall down and worship.
That's what we like, I think, about the catholic tradition of worship in the church. Fully-expressed, full-blooded, bodily gestured worship and adoration of the risen and sacramentally present Jesus. The one who was dead and is alive again.
Let us not be ashamed of our faith - to make a strong mix of our Australian no nonsense, egalitarian identity, with the best of catholic tradition, colourful and full of light - the young and the old blended together as it is in our nation and continent, and as it should be in your church life, your witness, your worship and your varied and giving faith community.
Easter Season, Anzac tradition, St Mark and Jesus the lion - it's a powerful mix for us today!