Dear Parishioners and Friends
Some important and significant dates in the Christian
Church Calendar occur
during the month of May.
Thursday 1 - The Ascension Day.
Friday 2 - Saint Philip and Saint James.
Sunday 11 - The Day of Pentecost (Whitsunday).
Wednesday 14 - Saint Matthias.
Sunday 18 - Trinity Sunday.
Saturday 31 - The Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
The Church, on the Ascension Day, calls us to remember and celebrate
the
occasion when Jesus ascended into Heaven. He had told His disciples,
“I have come from God and I am going to God”. His friends were
startled and shocked when they realised that Jesus would not be with
them anymore, but Jesus explained to them that He needed to leave them
so that the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, could come to them. He would
fill them with power.
(The Acts of the Apostles, chapter one).
It is this remarkable event that we remember and celebrate on
the Day of Pentecost (Whitsunday), fifty days after Easter Day. The
Book The Acts of the Apostles (sometimes called ‘The Acts of the Holy
Spirit’) describes, in chapter two, what happened when the Holy Spirit
filled the disciples. Eleven frightened and confused men were
transformed. They became ambassadors of Jesus, challenging people and
building up the People of God.
The Church, on Trinity Sunday, calls us to remember and celebrate the
teaching that God is three Persons in one God. We recall that the God
whom we worship and serve is Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The
Catechism, on page 767 of The Book of Common Prayer, asks the question
‘What dost thou chiefly learn in these Articles of thy Belief?’ (The
Apostles’ Creed). The answer is ‘First, I learn to believe in God the
Father, who hath made me, and all the world;Secondly, in God the Son,
who hath redeemed me, and all mankind;Thirdly, in God the Holy Spirit,
who sanctifieth me, and all the elect people of God’. The Catechism
sees each Person of the Trinity working in a particular area, and each
fulfilling a special function: THE FATHER is the Creator, who made the
world and now sustains it. THE SON is the Redeemer, who by his Cross
has rescued mankind. THE HOLY SPIRIT is the Sanctifier, who dwells in
the Church, inspiring and guiding its life.
The Holy Trinity is the Church’s attempt to convey to us that the
power of God which creates, the love of God which redeems, and the
grace of God which keeps us going, have been and are at work in every
area of our life. No-one pretends it is easy to understand the
doctrine of the Trinity. But this should not surprise. Our human minds
can never hope to grasp or explain the nature and being of God. Our
response to the Holy Trinity does not end in our attempts to explain
or understand, but in worship. (From What We Believe (pages 85-87) by
Noel V. Willoughby, formerly Bishop of Cashel and Ossory. APCK 1984.
Revised edition 1990).
This year the Ascension Day takes precedence over other days, so the
Feastday of Saint Philip and Saint James - usually observed on 1 May -
will be observed on 2nd May. Saint Philip and Saint James do not have
the prominence enjoyed by some others of the twelve apostles. Their
readiness to follow, their loyalty, and their partnership of service
are nevertheless worthy of remembrance.
Saint Philip was a native of Bethsaida on the northern tip of the Sea
of Galilee. He is mentioned in the Gospels at different times in the
ministry of Jesus. For example, in the story of the Feeding of the
Five Thousand (St John 6). He is believed to have ended his life in
Asia Minor as a martyr.
There are two Saint James mentioned in the list of the twelve apostles
chosen by Jesus (St Mark 3: 14-19). The Saint James who is linked with
Saint Philip is, it is believed, James the son of Alphaeus. Early in
His ministry Jesus chose twelve men to follow Him. They included Judas
Iscariot who betrayed Him. When Judas realised what he had done he
killed himself. The apostolic group now numbered eleven so the
apostles decided to choose someone to succeed Judas. The person was
required to have known Jesus personally throughout His ministry and to
have been a witness of the Resurrection. Two people were nominated -
Joseph, called Barsabbas who was also known as Justus, and Matthias.
Matthias was chosen.
(The Acts of the Apostles 1: 15-26).
Some people may remember that the Feast day of Saint Matthias used
to be observed on 24 February. The date was moved closer to
Eastertide, presumably, to remind us of Matthias’ role as a witness of
the Resurrection.
We read in The Gospel according to Saint Luke, chapter one, that the
angel Gabriel told Mary that she was to be the mother of God’s Son. He
also told her that Elizabeth, her cousin, was also expecting a child.
Mary was overjoyed when she heard the news and when she was able she
went to visit Elizabeth. It is this visit that we remember on the
Feast day of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Archbishop Thomas Cranmer compiled the first prayer book in 1549. It
is clear that his intention was to encourage the ordinary people to
worship God in words that they could understand. He provided services
for use on Sunday but it is clear that he intended that those services
should be used every day of the year. He provided The Order for
Morning and Evening Prayer Daily Throughout The Year.
We come to church on a Sunday and very often that is the end of our
worship of God. Weekday activities become so important that we make
little, or no, time for the things of God. While some may be unable,
through sickness or disability, to come to church on Sunday all of us
can make time to read the services at home - on Sunday and on Monday
too.
During the month of May let each of us use these special days of
remembrance and celebration as a guide and incentive to weekly and
daily prayer.
Yours sincerely
Raymond Stewart (May 2008)
