SERMON FOR 27th SUNDAY IN ORDINARY (St. Francis Day) - October 4th, 2020

Is. 5: 1-7 God’s vineyard not producing grapes

Phil.3: 4b-14 Longing for life in Christ

Matt. 21: 33-46 Parable of vineyard (2) – God gives vineyard to others.

‘There was a landlord who planted a vineyard.’ (Matt. 21:33)

INTRODUCTION
I wonder what you feel about Greta Thunberg, that teenage climate activist from Sweden?  I have a sense she’s a bit like marmite – but I quite like marmite.   I also like St. Francis of Assisi who, in a similar way to Greta, had a deep concern for the environment.  I mention this because the church normally celebrates Francis’ life today, October 4th, although Francis gives way to Jesus this year.  And today is also the final day of that five-week period named ‘Creationtide’, developed through an initiative of the Orthodox Patriarch of Constantinople – the focus of which, this year, has been preparations for the 26th International Climate Change Conference to be held in Glasgow next autumn.

CHALLENGE OF ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI
I know we need to care for the planet and try to do my bit, although Greta shook my middle-class conscientiousness.  But it’s the more radical approach of Francis I really value, because he not only had a concern for creation but celebrated our inter-connectedness.  Brother Wind, Sister Water – Mother Earth – are not terms dreamt up by a bohemian environmentalist, but by this humble Italian saint whose life many consider to be closest to that of Jesus.  Francis’ has long inspired creative people: his great ‘Canticle of Creation’ lies behind that popular hymn, ‘All creatures of our God and king’; in 1972 Franco Zeffirelli wrote and directed Brother Sun, Sister Moon, a slightly hippy presentation of Francis’ early life, whilst fifty years beforehand Roberto Rossellini’s The Flowers of St. Francis offered a far earthier version which he wanted to present as "the perfume of the most primitive Franciscanism".

Why, then, does a thirteenth century saint appeal to twentieth century musicians, film makers and thousands of Christians around the world – and I’m one who have heard his appeal and joined the Franciscan Third Order.  One popular view is that he was kind to animals, but that is to trivialise his message.  Rather, it’s his life of poverty which stands in stark contrast to the superficiality of today’s quest for wealth and power; his complete obedience to Jesus which reveals that love which brought all things into being, and his profound joy and compassion for humankind which touches the hearts of all who have come to know him.  But back to nature.

FRANCIS AND CREATION
Francis’ life, which culminated in him receiving the Stigmata, the wounds of Christ in his hands, feet and side revealing the depth of his love – reveals the wonder of what humanity is called to discover through profoundly alternative ways of living.  Francis asks – where does your treasure lie?  He showed that we need to live in harmony with all things because we are sisters and brothers with one another and creation.  He saw and venerated the Creator in Creation revealing that one of the greatest evils is to seek domination and not approach life with humility and compassion.  As his biographer, St. Bonaventure, wrote: ‘In everything (Francis) saw him who is beauty itself, and he followed his Beloved everywhere by his likeness imprinted on creation; of all creation he made a ladder by which he might mount up and embrace Him who is all-desirable.’

REVERENCING CREATION
I have a profound respect for what Greta Thunberg, Sir David Attenborough and so many others are seeking to do, and am ashamed at times when I realise what my generation has done and is doing with the planet.  I see behind Greta and Sir David that Little Poor Man of Assisi whose smile lights up when Earth sings in harmony but who weeps at our inhumanity and lack of compassion.  And I see in him One who suffers as we rape and pillage the earth and who says to us – ‘but this Earth is my precious gift to you!’   So, let’s open the eye of our heart to see, value, reverence and celebrate the wonders of this gift and, like St. Francis, live more simply that others may simply live.  But how does all this connect with our readings today?

THE VINEYARD
Well, two of them – the Old Testament and gospel readings – both concern vineyards.  The first, from the prophet Isaiah, warns Israel of what will happen if the vineyard isn’t cared for; and the gospel reading also contains a warning about those who use the vineyard for their own ends.  The story is, of course, another parable and parables aren’t meant to be taken literally – their meaning reveals itself when we look at what it is saying through the lens of faith in the call of God.  And what is clear is that this one is a warning to those who act irresponsibly in relation to what they have charge of.   

FACING THE CRISIS
I think it’s fairly clear that we are virtually into a climate catastrophe brought about by our own misuse of creation.  People like Greta and Sir David appear as a present-day prophets to warn us of the dangers we face.  Sadly, there are many powerful people who care more for creating wealth for themselves and protecting their interests than caring for the planet.  Many are associated with energy companies – but you don’t need to be an expert in global energy production to know this – just go around any supermarket and see how, in the space of a lifetime, we have abandoned ourselves to the grip of plastics and those petro-chemical industries that profit from our addiction to them.   

Recently I came across these words by a Franciscan layman call Gerard Straub in his book ‘The Sunrise of the Soul’; he writes: ‘Our Society glorifies in the amassing of individual wealth and an ever-growing accumulation of goods.  … Anything that furthers our goal of individual material prosperity is considered good, and anything that hinders it is considered bad.’ (p.203)  His words are a consequence of his commitment to St. Francis who heard Jesus’ stark warning: “Where your treasure lies, there will your heart be also”, and who warned us of the corruptive power of wealth.  St. Francis looked at Creation and saw another kind of wealth – the wealth and wonder of all that freely exists for our benefit – providing we don’t grasp at them.  Providing we treat the planet with respect and demand that our politicians take a stand against those who profit from treating the earth as if it owes us a living.  Finally, let’s consider how this all connects with this Eucharist.

CREATION AND EUCHARIST
Back in the 1980s it was popular with some preaches to quote a saying of the early Church Father, St. Irenaeus: ‘The glory of God Is man, fully alive.’ (Forgive the gender specific but it has a poetic crispness to it.)  We would then go on to explore what ‘being fully alive’ might entail, but we often forgot the second part of Irenaeus’ saying: ‘And the glory of man is the vision of God.’

Last week I pointed out that this celebration isn’t just about receiving a piece of bread or even a sip of wine but about feeding on the Body and Blood of Christ and realising that glory with your inner eye of love.   Even in the time of St. John some found that too demanding – surely this is just a reminder of a simple meal Jesus shared with his friends?   No!  It’s far more than that!  Beneath these ordinary gifts lies the glory of God: that’s why we venerate the Sacrament – why we genuflect – take the knee – as we approach Christ – because we see beneath the outer forms the glorious Presence of the Creator.   St. Francis knew that and, in one of his letters, wrote: “O sublime humility!  O humble sublimity! That the Lord of the whole universe, God and the Son of God, should humble himself like this and hide under the form of a little bread, for our salvation.”

If we venerate Christ here, see with the eye of our heart that he comes to us on this altar and adore him beneath these forms of bread and wine, if we can do that, then our view of all created matter can change.  For, just as God is present in these precious gifts, so God is present in all he has made, and our inner eye will be able to see and venerate him in all things – in every majestic tree or simple blade of grass; in flowers and fruits, fish and animals – in every rock and stone God says, ‘see, I am pleased with all that my hands have made’. 

You don’t have to be a creationist to believe that, or a biblical literalist – or a Buddhist, just a creature who realises that we are one with all that exists.   To do so can be of real help during this pandemic – be conscious of your connectedness with all creation.  Look at everything around you, relish it and then give thanks to God – even if it’s something as simple as a leaf or a feather.  Let me close with St. Francis’ great song of thankfulness for all this:

All praise be yours, my Lord,
through all that you have made,

And first my lord Brother Sun,
Who brings the day; and light you give to us through him.
How beautiful is he, how radiant in all his splendour!
Of you, Most High, he bears the likeness.

All praise be yours, my Lord,
through Sister Moon and Stars;
In the heavens you have made them, bright
And precious and fair.

All praise be yours, my Lord,
through Brothers Wind and Air,
And fair and stormy, all the weather’s moods,
By which you cherish all that you have made.

All praise be yours, my Lord, through Brother Fire,
Through whom you brighten up the night.
How beautiful is he, how merry!
Full of power and strength.

All praise be yours, my Lord,
through Sister Earth, our Mother,
Who feeds us in her sovereignty and produces
Various fruits with coloured flowers and herbs.

Let us praise, bless and adore Him in all His creation,
and in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar.  Amen.