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I would firstly like to
express my thanks to Bishop Peter for inviting me to preach on this special
occasion in the life this group of parishes and in the life of your new
rector. Having worked with Roy as a colleague and friend over the past
three and half years I am delighted and honoured to be able to address
his new parishioners this evening.
Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "whom shall I send and
who will go for us"? And I said, "Here am I, send me".
Generation after generation God calls men and women to minister in his
church. What matters is not what we are or who we are, but rather our
willingness to serve in whatever capacity God calls. In this vocation
God equips us with his Spirit to guide and direct us for the task which
lies ahead. When God calls, then like Isaiah all we can do is respond
and say, "Here am I, send me".
2,700 years ago the nation of Judah was approaching a crisis point in
its existence. The mighty Assyrian army was conquering every smaller nation
in its path. Directly on the northern borders of Judah, northern Israel
was about to fall to the Assyrian onslaught. Judah itself was paying tribute
to Assyria in a desperate attempt to prevent its own destruction. Social
corruption and religious apathy were rampant. Political leadership was
in disarray. Finally, King Uzziah, the symbolic representative of the
rule of the Lord, died. The very identity of the Hebrew people as the
people of God was in jeopardy. Indeed, the entire nation had reached a
major turning point. So Isaiah came to the very place where identity is
shaped, nurtured, and affirmed. Isaiah, in the midst of crisis, came to
worship the Lord.
We are also living in difficult and challenging times in which the very
core of our identity as the baptized people of the Lord is challenged
daily. Many label these times as the post-Christian era, for now the church
is rarely perceived as the social and spiritual centre of life in the
community. On any given Sunday, there are nearly twice as many church
members absent from worship as there are in the pews. There is a growing
number of the "sentimentally religious," who find ultimate meaning
in a variety of new age beliefs and gatherings. Isaiah saw a confused
and troubled nation at risk of abandoning its identity rooted in the Lord.
He saw a nation ready to believe in anything that might bring meaning
and stability. Then Isaiah worshiped in the Temple. It was here that Isaiah
began to "see with new eyes" the power of the Lord in the midst
of a dangerous turning point in his life and the life of his nation. It
was at worship in the Temple of the Lord where Isaiah's identity was reaffirmed,
and his challenge to mission was proclaimed. It was at worship where Isaiah
clearly heard the Lord's challenge, "Whom shall I send, and who will
go for us?" His mission was to represent God. The mission of the
Church of Jesus Christ is the same. That mission begins with vision.
Priests are called by God to proclaim the Word of God, to the glory of
God, to win people to God and his church, and to serve people in the church
and the world selflessly as Jesus Christ did. This is now Roy's responsibility
in this parish. Though it is not his alone for each and every parishioner
here needs to remember that you too have a responsibility in ensuring
that the mission of the Church and the worship of Almighty God is first
and foremost to His glory and not simply to keep these church doors open.
The duties of your priest and pastor are too numerous to talk about in
this sermon. However, the worship of God in this place, his pastoral care
of the parishioners and his own personal life are just a few things I
want to mention.
It is in this place, as in Cloydagh, Castletown and Mayo that you all
share in offering God, worship and praise. It is here you pray, here you
receive our Lord in the sacrament of the Eucharist and here you meet together
as the family of God. Church is not a place which you leave on a Sunday
morning with little more than you entered with. Your rector's preaching,
teaching and sacramental ministry will ensure that. Instead you should
leave refreshed and strengthened to live out the gospel message as Christians
in a world where Christianity is often frowned upon, where social corruption
and religious apathy are still rampant and where political leadership
seems to be in disarray.
The pastoral care of parishioners is carried out in personal contact.
As you get to know Roy over the coming months and years, you will learn
that his ministry among you is based on absolute trust. Your trust in
him and his trust in you. I cannot speak highly enough of that trust which
many of his former parishioners can vouch for. His ministry for the sick
and dying, both at home and particularly in hospital has been highly praised
not just in Dublin but throughout the country. Everything else must revolve
around this, though it must be said that he doesn't have a crystal ball
or some intuition to let him know when you are in trouble. You need to
keep him in touch with your problems or in cases of illness or worry.
The role of priest as pastor depends on a two way communication and I
know that Roy will make himself available whenever needed.
Much of what your new rector will do, he cannot divulge, for reasons of
confidentiality and you must remember this and not put him under undue
pressure. One of my first rectors, who is in fact here tonight once told
me that parish ministry can be very lonely because you cannot talk to
people about your work. I have discovered this to be quite true, yet as
Canon Jackson said to me at that time, "I would not have it any other
way". When Arthur Jackson preached at an institution service in Fethard
some years ago, he said to the congregation, and I quote, "If ever
you should be tempted to be harshly critical or judgmental of your new
rector, pray instead. Whatever other support and help you may offer or
give, do not neglect to pray for him. Pray for him in his ministry in
all sorts of situations and I feel sure he will pray for all the people
in this group of parishes".
Roy needs time for his own personal life, his prayer and study. To quote
Canon Jackson again, " Should anyone pass the Rectory during the
day and notice the Rector's car parked in the drive, don't suppose that
he is sitting there with his feet up, waiting for something to happen"!
He needs his own space and he will better serve you if he has had time
for himself as well as his demanding ministry.
At a service like this, it is often said what a rector's duties are not
to be! I have no intention of telling you or Roy what you or he should
not expect from each other. For Roy comes to you with a variety of talents
and it is only over time that you will come to know these and perhaps
more importantly, his limitations. If that time is too long in coming,
be of no doubt, he will put you straight.
The Reverend Roy Byrne leaves the Christ Church Cathedral Group of Parishes
with a wealth of experience but more importantly with our love and best
wishes. He now comes to you as your rector. He has, like Isaiah, answered
God's call, to serve and to lead the people of this parish. Whenever and
wherever you meet him, always remember that the most important meeting
place is here, in God's house where we all gather as Isaiah did, to worship
God as His family on earth.
May God richly bless you Roy and may he bless all the people to whom you
minister.
Amen.
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