Sermon Preached by Bishop P F Barrett for his enthronement to

The Cathedral Church of the Holy Trinity,

commonly called Christ Church Waterford.

Trinity Sunday

15th June 2003

On this Festival Trinity Sunday, as we meet in this cathedral dedicated to the Holy Trinity, the fruit of the skill and vision of Waterford born John Roberts, as is the beautiful Roman Catholic cathedral, my opening remarks are a twofold thanksgiving to God the Holy Trinity:

First, I wish to thank God for the enormous privilege of his call to serve as a Bishop of the Church in this United Diocese, amongst so many friends of long standing. Secondly, I wish to thank you, Very Revd Precentor for your welcome, and to thank all those who have assisted you today: Church Wardens and Vestry members; greeters and flower arrangers, particularly Irene; cleaners and dusters; choir members from here and from Kilkenny; organists; and many parishioners.

I extend the warmest of welcomes to our civic and ecumenical guests: your presence this afternoon is deeply appreciated. In particular The Mayor, City Manager and members of the Corporation, alongside representatives of the commercial, cultural and political life of the City and diocese; our good and kindly Bishop Lee, with his priests; alongside the Revd Dr John Parkin from St Patrick’s United Church, and members of The Society of Friends. I wish to assure one and all of my profound commitment to our ecumenical pilgrimage in Christ, not least through the life of this great City, the oldest in the country.
Whilst it is not quite the ‘return of the native’, it is wonderful for Anne, the family and for me to return to the cathedral and city which means so much to us. It is also poignant for me to recall that 22 years ago this very Festival day I was ordained priest in St Columb’s Cathedral, Derry. The ways of the Lord are indeed strange to discern! In all things as I begin my ministry as your Bishop, I ask for your continued prayer and understanding, and where and when necessary, your forgiveness when I fail you.
Friends in Christ, whilst we are gathered to welcome a new bishop, we are here primarily to celebrate, indeed to enthrone, the gospel of the love of God the Holy Trinity: Father, Son and Holy Spirit, to whom be the glory to the ages of ages.

Due to the rather startling fact that this is Barrett’s sixth and final enthronement (!), I’ve taken the opportunity to preach on each occasion about the symbols of the Bishop’s Office.
This helps to explain something about the "office and work of a bishop" in the Church of God today. For example in Ferns, I explored the significance of the ring worn by the Bishop. The ring traditionally symbolises unity in the faith, in the diocese, in the Church. In Ossory, I explored the symbolism of the mitre, the hat worn by a bishop on special occasions such as this. The mitre traditionally symbolises the Holy Spirit’s life-giving presence in the Church and in the world. In Lismore, I explored the symbolism of the pastoral staff, carried by the bishop within his diocese. It symbolises his pastoral ministry modelled on Christ the Good Shepherd. In Old Leighlin, I explored the symbolism of that other most ancient of the symbols of the bishop’s office, from which this building derives its name. It is his ‘cathedra’: the bishop’s seat or throne, which points to his teaching ministry amongst not apart form his people. In Cashel, it was the pectoral cross, with which I was presented at my ordination, and which I wear around my neck, which is a constant reminder to faithfully and joyfully ‘proclaim Christ crucified’ (1st Cor 1:23) by word and sacrament, prayer and praise, deed and silence, in season and out.

This afternoon it is the Bible, the Book of the Church, which attracts my concluding reflection. At my consecration and ordination, the archbishop handed it to me with these awesome words: ‘ Receive this Book; here are words of eternal life. Take them for your guide, and declare them to the world’. In our Church’s understanding of ministry, the bible is at the heart of the Christian’s private devotion and the Church’s public teaching ministry. The bishop has a particular responsibility for its proclamation, along with the celebration of the sacraments of the new covenant. Well did that great bishop Ambrose once put it back in 4th Milan: ‘the person who is ignorant of the scriptures is ignorant of Jesus Christ’.

The written word points to, contains, and above all proclaims the Living Word, Jesus Lord and Saviour, the First and the Last. Its scope is Trinitarian: the telling and retelling of the sacred story of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit in the life of creation and transformation, ‘things seen and unseen’.Yet its focus is always Christ; and in a sense that focus was affirmed when earlier in this Service, I made solemn promises on the Book of the Gospels. Not for nothing did the early Irish Church richly adorn and decorate its gospel books so beautifully, with the Book of Kells being a supreme example of such craftsmanship and devotion.

For the Anglican, the authority of the bible is a non-negotiable in matters of doctrine and faith. Nothing must be believed as being ‘necessary for salvation’ which cannot be clearly proven from its record of the sacred events of Christ. Yet it is also the Church’s book before it is ever my bible, your bible, indeed our bible. The sifting roles of ecumenical Council and Reformation renewal; of Tradition, carry special weight in matters of the discernment of truth from error. Yet the God given, Spirit inspired place of Reason, ‘the lamp of the Lord’ (Prov 20: 27) allows us to test both Book and Tradition for fresh directions and insights, arising from contemporary questions and perplexities. In short, the study of the Bible is akin to the fruitfulness of the ‘master of the household who brings out of his treasure things old and new’ (Matt 13: 52).

If that my friends is part of an anglican approach to the place of the bible in the Church, how does it relate to you and to me in this year of grace 2003 ? Let me make two suggestions: First, unlike the other symbols of a bishop’s ministry I mentioned earlier, the bible is not confined to the bishop, thank God ! We are all encouraged, in the words of Saint Ambrose’s great disciple, Saint Augustine, to ‘take it up and to read it’. In short, love of and study of the bible is a call to all of us to grow in our knowledge and love of God together. Here is a wonderful ecumenical task for us no matter where we come from, or where we believe the Lord is calling us to celebrate ‘the good news about Jesus and the resurrection’ (Acts 17:18). Bishop, priest, deacon, minister, parishioner, young and old alike are all disciples together in the study of the sacred written word of God so that our society may more and more embody the mercy and judgement of the Kingdom of its living Lord and Word of all life. We reflect upon the bible, not just to meet with Jesus, but rather that Jesus may meet with us and challenge us to become people who make a difference for others in need in the places where they struggle for justice and for peace. Then it is not so much what we make of the bible that really matters; but what often the Holy Spirit makes of us as we are shaken out of our institutional and personal complacencies for the sake of the often subversive values of God’s Kingdom. This is an urgent ecumenical task.

Secondly, anglicans in particular are in great angst not so much over the authority of the bible but over its interpretation. For example, in the debate over the liturgical recognition of same sex relationships, and the ordination of homosexuals who are in faithful and intimate relationships. This is an issue which has all the potential for serious division, even schism, within our world communion. How we deal with this issue is inextricably linked with how we interpret the specific references and texts which relate to ethical behaviour amongst and between Christians in particular, as expressed in the language and thought of the New Testament.

One model of interpretation amongst others in the New Testament I would like to suggest is that of the story of our Lord’s transfiguration as recorded in Saint Luke’s gospel (9: 28-36)’. Jesus radiates with divine glory on the mountain top with James, John and Peter as prayerful witnesses. They also have a vision of Moses and Elijah appearing beside our Lord. Moses of course represents the tradition of the Law, and Elijah, that of the prophets. In short, both represent two vital stands within Judaism: of law and of liberty, if you like. Moses representing the tradition of received wisdom, and Elijah standing within it yes, but representing its radical reappraisal and application. In between stands the Lord in glory. Jesus here, as on the cross, reaching out to embrace on left and right such valued traditions, but also pointing away from them to the Trinitarian glory which is in Him , and in him uniquely. Look to Jesus and not to any other for your peace; be prepared for the restlessness and for the wrestling, which true discipleship brings. Faithfulness lies not in loyalty to any one tradition, no matter how ‘godly’, but in Him. In life’s perplexities, see not the law nor the prophets as providing clear cut answers to your questions; neither the ways of conservatism nor of liberalism will suffice. Rather, through waiting with Jesus in struggling prayer will the glory emerge, and in the glory lies the transfiguration of all our questioning. Well does Saint John record the Lord saying: ‘You search the scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that testify on my behalf. Yet you refuse to come to me to have eternal life’ (5:39-40). In drawing closer to Jesus in scripture, in sacrament and in one another, we find our holiness and our wholeness; our peace and our task.

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