Ordinations Sermon
The Ordination of Priests 2024
Isaiah 61.1-3
John 20.19-23
Not long after I’d been ordained priest, I was walking down a road in my South London parish, when suddenly a gentleman leaned out at me from a doorway, a bit the worse for wear. He looked at me quizzically, and said, ‘Are you…a Farver?’
After a moment’s uncertainty, I clocked what he meant and said ‘Yes, I am!’ ‘Well…’ he said, looking a bit stunned. ‘But I mean, are you a real Farver?’
This was quite a huge question. But I decided just to reassure him that I was.
Would you bless me?’ he asked.
Would you bless me. Well, here we are, at Ordination – The Return! These six wonderful people have already been ordained once. They are wearing their stoles in the manner of a towel tied round them, to show the ministry of servanthood which they have been inhabiting as deacons, and which will now never leave them. And today, they are back for more. Back for a second ordination. Back for their stoles to be worn round their necks as a mantle of praise. Back for the Holy Spirit to alight on them and anoint them and equip them for a new ministry, even as they continue to serve their parishes.
When we were away, last week, on retreat, even the fire alarm at our retreat house was completely in tune with this idea of two callings – two awakenings to the gift of the Spirit. It did it for us, at 11.30 pm and then again at 1.30 am on our first night. Speak, Lord, we said, for your servants are listening. At least, that’s some of what we said.
So what is distinctive about this new ministry? I’ve had the great joy of being alongside these six priests-to-be for the last few days, praying, worshipping, eating, walking, lamenting, laughing and rejoicing together. Through this time, I’ve heard of some of the things that the Spirit is stirring up in them, and of what most excites them about the prospect of priesthood.
They are already beloved curates, and as deacons, they have been serving their communities, and, as it says in the ordinal, reaching into the forgotten corners of the world, that the love of God may be made visible. They will return to you as the same people. And yet changed. Changed because God’s purposeful Holy Spirit is going to settle on them today in a new way.
In each conversation we’ve had, I’ve been struck by a sense that the yearning, the desire to be a priest is just bursting out of them. And also, that they’re surprisingly in tune with the man who leaned out at me from the doorway. Because what most excites them is the grace they will be given to celebrate the Eucharist, to assure of God’s forgiveness, and yes – to bless people. These, as the man in the doorway knew, are the extraordinary gifts poured out by God on ordinary people, through ordinary people – ordinary people who have been anointed by the Holy Spirit for the office and work of a priest in his Church. These form the distinctiveness of this new ministry.
While we’ve been away, we’ve been reflecting on encounters with the Holy Spirit in Scripture, and noticing that Jesus is anointed by the Spirit at his baptism, before he begins his public ministry. Being anointed means being set apart by the Spirit for a particular purpose; being given a particular identity and calling, and being strengthened to follow it. And in Luke’s gospel, as Jesus begins his ministry by preaching and teaching, he stands up in the synagogue and reads a version the passage we’ve just heard, from the Prophet Isaiah: ‘The spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour’, finishing by saying, ‘Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing’. These are the purposes for which he was anointed. And for everyone who is joined to him in baptism, these show us what our purposes are, too. If we look to Jesus and seek his Kingdom, then we will be inspired, in our own lives and situations, to be agents of his freedom and justice and hope.
Incidentally, as many of us here will testify, this inspiration can be quite unexpected and surprising. It can catch you unawares. It can seem utterly ridiculous to think that God might be inspiring and calling you. In fact, years can go by as you tell God just how ridiculous it is. That was me. That might be you.
And if it is, take a look at the disciples. Here they are, after Jesus has been crucified. They’re cowering. As Jesus was betrayed and suffered and died, they scattered. Turned their backs. Slunk away. They’re ashamed and demoralised and afraid. And now, they’re locked in. They’ve impoverished themselves. Blinded themselves to the reality of Jesus. Made themselves captive. And yet. Suddenly, everything is turned upside-down as the risen Christ comes, and they see, and rejoice and are freed. By his presence with them, they know that they are forgiven. By the marks in his hands and his side, they know how costly that forgiveness is. And in the knowledge of their need, and of what he has done for them, they receive the inspiration for their calling. ‘As the Father has sent me,’ says Jesus, ‘so I send you’; and just as he himself was anointed for his ministry, so he breathes the Spirit on them.
They know just how extraordinary is this love and grace which they have been shown. And so they know just how great is the treasure with which they have been entrusted – the treasure, even in their own brokenness, of binding and loosing in the name of Jesus.
This speaks to all of us who are doubting or puzzled or incredulous at the Spirit’s work in us. And it speaks to you today, as you receive the Spirit; as you are anointed on your heads to remember your baptism, and on your hands, for the priestly work of the Kingdom.
So, our brother and sisters in Christ, each of you about to be a real priest, and really known and seen and loved; each of you forgiven and freed; you will bless us, as we ask God to bless you, and all whom you will serve, both now and in the years to come.
Amen.