The first lesson this evening was taken from the First Book of Chronicles. It forms part of a section relating to those members of the Jerusalem temple staff who were gatekeepers, guardians of the gates. These were men charged with custody of the temple and its courts and with many other duties besides; some of which were listed in the reading: they had charge of ... the furniture, and over all the holy utensils, also over the choice of flour, the wine, the oil, the incense and the spices.
These were not the priests who offered the sacrifices; these were not those who rendered the psalms in the worship of the temple. But these gatekeepers had their particular duties and responsibilities; they had their particular part to play in the life of the temple, in the worship which was daily offered to God in that place.
They had their part to play in the worship of God, then and there, as do we, here and now. For we too have our duties and responsibilities, whether in our homes, or in our places of work, or in our congregations. There is overlap; there are connections.
Tonight, there are people here from this cathedral congregation and from other congregations within the Diocese of Brechin; some of us come from across the border, in the Diocese of St Andrews, Dunkeld & Dunblane; some from the Diocese of Glasgow & Galloway; some perhaps from others parts of our Scottish Episcopal Church; some perhaps from even further afield. Good heavens, perhaps there are some here who might not be Episcopalians at all!
As we draw the lens further and further back, and as the picture widens, the divisions and boundaries become less and less distinct until they disappear altogether. And then we are left with just one group of people: the people of God. The people who, as St Paul reminded us in the second lesson, have different gifts according to the grace given to us. There are a variety of gifts: prophecy, ministry; teaching; exhortation; generosity; leadership; compassion. Again, there is overlap; there are connections.
Tonight, two priests of our church have been installed as canons of this cathedral. That they have been made canons is to do with duties and responsibilities, but also it is to do with those gifts which are given by grace. James has been made an honorary canon in recognition of the contribution that he made to the life of this diocese: a notable ministry, at St Mary Magdalene's as a curate. at St Margaret's, Lochee as Rector and in the wards of Ninewells Hospital, as well as service to the diocese in other ways: not least as diocesan secretary, as synod clerk.
And John has been installed a canon by virtue of having taken on that office of synod clerk for the Diocese of Brechin. This means that, in addition to his duties and responsibilities as Rector of St Mary's, Arbroath, as Warden of Readers and in ministry development, he now adds to his paperwork a new pile of agendas and minutes and statistical returns. More than that: should both the bishop and the dean be out of the diocese, Brechin is in John's hands. Duties and responsibilities aplenty, as well as overlap and connections. So...
All of us, each one of us, every one of God's people needs to understand the interdependence which runs through that passage from Romans. Paul is telling us that the gifts given to us by God are for the welfare of all. Whatever our special role may be, whether at home, at work or at church, our service should be marked by concentration on the task committed to us; by zeal in carrying out that task; and by that gladness of spirit which comes from accepting our place in the service of God.
Anything we are able to do - anything at all - is owing to the fact that God has qualified us to do it. And if we look at the gifts committed to us, we will see that each one of them can be used to minister to the well-being, in spirit or in body, of our fellow human beings, our sisters and our brothers. These gifts are not for selfish enjoyment, but for the building up of the community.
Paul lists a number of gifts: prophecy; ministry; teaching; exhortation; generosity; leadership; compassion. All have their distinctive marks and we are to use these gifts so that each will achieve the purpose for which it is intended. And, of course, it is not just the exercising of these gifts, but also the spirit in which the gifts are exercised, that is important. The giver gives in a spirit of generosity; the leader exercises leadership in a spirit of diligence; acts of compassion are undertaken in a spirit of cheerfulness.
This is because it is all to do with love. The gifts are given in love, by the God who loves us all, in ways and to an extent which we can only begin to imagine or perceive. Gifts given in love are to be used in love. For it is love that transforms. Knowledge that we are loved transforms us. Love breaks down barriers and boundaries until all that we can see is one group of people: the people of God.
What the gospel demands of us is love. And in the latter part of tonight's second reading, Paul gives us a useful reminder of the true character of love. Love is discriminating. The familiar proverb tells us that love is blind, and up to a point that is probably true. Most of us have benefited from love's blindness: someone has been persuaded that our modest abilities bear all the marks of genius. Someone has been willing, with even greater generosity, to draw a veil over our unquestioned failures and shortcomings.
But it can also be claimed that only love can really see. Certainly love has the power to discern potential which hard-bitten realism never perceives. Certainly love can bring into being things which it detects while they are mere possibilities. This is continuously shown in the gospels.
Jesus had no illusions about many of the people whom he met, but he had no doubt as to what they might become. Like others, he saw that Mary Magdalene was in the grip of evil forces, but he detected in her what they missed - the makings of a saint. He recognized in Zacchaeus the brazenly successful tax collector whom everyone in Jericho knew. But he also saw a man to whom salvation might come.
Love alone possesses the power of discerning what is good and what is evil because love alone has the necessary insight. So far from being na•ve and gullible, only love is free from the deceptions that cloud our judgement.
Love can see; love can also act. Love can reach out and embrace others. The practical results of love are many, but among them is that spirit which strives to excel in treating others with the deference they deserve. As Paul puts it: love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honour. True humility delivers us from a false estimate of ourselves, but it also enables us to place a proper valuation on the worth of others.
So by using the gifts we have been given, and by using them in love, we can worthily discharge our duties and responsibilities, whatever they may be. For we are all gatekeepers; we all have it within us to open the gate of the kingdom for God's people.
Sermon by: Jonathan Mason