Sermon Archive

Am I Worthy of the Calling?

The Rev. Canon Carl Turner | Festal Eucharist
Sunday, September 21, 2014 @ 11:00 am
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Saint Matthew

Saint Matthew

We thank thee, heavenly Father, for the witness of thine apostle and evangelist Matthew to the Gospel of thy Son our Savior; and we pray that, after his example, we may with ready wills and hearts obey the calling of our Lord to follow him; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.


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Sunday, September 21, 2014
Saint Matthew
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Festal Eucharist
11:00 am
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Scripture citation(s): Matthew 9:9-13

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In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

There are many similarities between the Church of England and the Episcopal Church and we hold much in common but there are some good differences as well –and one such I am currently experiencing as I go through the process of becoming canonically resident in the Episcopal Church; putting it simply, being licensed no longer by a Church of England Bishop but by the Bishop of New York. So, after nearly 30 years of ordained ministry I am now visiting a psychiatrist who will advise the Bishop on the kind of person I am! It isn’t something we do in England; Brits are still, generally, suspicious of psychiatry but, I must admit, I am rather enjoying the chance to explore my past and how it relates to the present and on a serious note it allows me to reflect on the huge change of culture that I am experiencing. However, of course, there is also the rather delicious irony that my psychiatrist might find me totally unsuitable to be an Episcopalian Priest and I must admit, as I completed my first book of 520 personality trait questions I was more than once tempted to deliberately put down a wild answer – wondering if the computer would be able to tell if I was really an axe-murder in disguise!

I was a little early for the appointment so I was pleased to have the time to examine the waiting room and see if it lived up to the British stereotype of a psychiatrist’s office. It was actually very comfortable and then I noticed some lovely framed pictures on the sideboard and the coffee table – I peered at the first… “On no account must anything be placed on this cabinet”. I wondered if the pot plants were exempt or the remains of a protest from an unhappy patient. I looked at the next large frame: “No food or drink to be consumed in this waiting room” the next… “No cell phones to be used here”…and then a smaller and more beautiful silver frame – perhaps that would be a letter of thanks from a grateful client… “NO PETS”. Even the magazine rack had a large label pinned to it “Magazines only”! I began to wonder if this was part of my evaluation – certainly, when I reached the questions about controlling parents I had a wry smile to myself.

So what if Jesus had used psychometric testing to select his own disciples? I guess most of them wouldn’t have got very far. Between their lack of theological qualifications; their unruly temperaments; their lack of social graces and even their ability to abandon the very person who called them, any Jerusalem Shrink at the time would have had a field day – and probably also become fairly rich at the same time. And that brings us to Matthew, the tax collector or ‘sinner’ – he was a schemer – a double-dealer – he did well out of the Roman occupation and put himself first.

Yet Jesus called him; called all of them – broken examples of humanity – to become his apostles. Why? Because Jesus looks beneath the surface and is not interested in stereo-types or qualifications or social acceptability. Jesus calls those whom the world sees as foolish or weak because he knows that from this foolishness and weakness will come an inner strength which will ultimately change the world.

Peter was probably the worst example of the disciples – big, brash, clumsy – putting his foot in it more than often – speaking out of turn – getting the wrong end of the stick – poorly qualified, a liar and a coward and yet Jesus calls him and transforms him; loves him and cherishes him for who he really is and for his potential and not what others though he ‘ought’ to be. And if you want proof, listen to these amazing words from the Acts of the Apostles:‘Yet more than ever believers were added to the Lord, great numbers of both men and women, so that they even carried out the sick into the streets, and laid them on cots and mats, in order that Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he came by.’ (Acts 5:14-15)

So that peter’s shadow might fall on some of them.

My friends, here at St Thomas Church, Fifth Avenue, we are called by Jesus for who we are and because he sees our potential. Together we can be a power-house of transformative energy that can change the world – or at least change this little bit of Manhattan. Jesus calls us to be his followers and to be faithful to him but he wants us to be faithful to ourselves too – to be truly ourselves and discover the vocation he has for each one of us. Yes – each of us has a vocation here in this place – from the chorister to the custodian – from the priest to the penitent. And if you think you are not worthy or you have no gift that is useful then, my friends, you are ready to hear the call of Jesus Christ.

At the beginning of her autobiography, St. Thérèse of Lisieux writes this: “Opening the Gospels, my eyes fell on these words: “Jesus, going up into a mountain, called unto Him whom He would Himself.”[Mark 3:13]. They threw a clear light upon the mystery of my vocation and of my entire life, and above all upon the favors which Our Lord has granted to my soul. He does not call those who are worthy, but those whom He will.” [St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Story of a Soul, translated by John Clarke (Washington, DC: ICS Publications, 1975), p.13]

He does not call those who are worthy, but those whom he will.

Listen to the call my friends – it begins today with a conversion of the heart – a conversion that turns aside from worldly or, dare I say it, even churchy stereo-type and false expectations.

In a few moments, we will ask God to change the bread and the wine into the Body and Blood of Christ so that he can nourish us and we can become more Christ-like. When the host is lifted up at the altar and you hear the bell toll – are you going to be like one of the hundreds hurrying past the door of the church wondering why we haven’t fixed the clock and why it is chiming 3pm or are you, like Thomas, going to adore the Lord in his sacramental presence and say deep from within your own soul “My Lord and my God”?

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.