Monday 11 November 2024

Today is Monday 11 November, the feast of Saint Martin of Tours, in the 32nd week of Ordinary Time. Liz Vice with the Porter’s Gate sings, ‘We Labor Unto Glory’. My God, my God, where e'er I go Glo-o-ory Where I reap and where I sow Glo-o-ory And my hand it grips the thorn Glo-o-ory In the still and in the storm Glo-o-ory, glo-o-ory Oh, we labor unto glory Till heaven and earth are one Oh, we labor unto glory Until God's kingdom comes The sun it shines and then goes down Glo-o-ory Rain, it pours and beats the ground Glo-o-ory Dust, it blows and ends my days Glo-o-ory Hearts they burn beneath Your gaze Glo-o-ory, glo-o-ory Oh, we labor unto glory Till heaven and earth are one Oh, we labor unto glory Until God's kingdom comes My heart, my hands, they're kingdom bound Glo-o-ory Where thorns no longer curse the ground Glo-o-ory Trim the wick, ignate the flame Glo-o-ory My work, it will not be in vain Glo-o-ory, glo-o-ory Oh, we labor unto glory Till heaven and earth are one Oh, we labor unto glory Until God's kingdom comes Oh, we labor unto glory Till heaven and earth are one Oh, we labor unto glory Until God's kingdom comes Until God's kingdom comes Until God's kingdom comes Today’s reading is from Saint Paul’s Letter to Titus. Titus 1: 1-9 Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the sake of the faith of God’s elect and the knowledge of the truth that is in accordance with godliness, in the hope of eternal life that God, who never lies, promised before the ages began— in due time he revealed his word through the proclamation with which I have been entrusted by the command of God our Saviour, To Titus, my loyal child in the faith we share: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Saviour. I left you behind in Crete for this reason, that you should put in order what remained to be done, and should appoint elders in every town, as I directed you: someone who is blameless, married only once, whose children are believers, not accused of debauchery and not rebellious. For a bishop, as God’s steward, must be blameless; he must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or addicted to wine or violent or greedy for gain; but he must be hospitable, a lover of goodness, prudent, upright, devout, and self-controlled. He must have a firm grasp of the word that is trustworthy in accordance with the teaching, so that he may be able both to preach with sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict it. Paul, with his wealth of experience as a leader, still refers to himself as ‘a servant of God’. He sends practical instructions to Titus, his able assistant whom he has sent to Crete to work with a challenging church. How would you sum up your role in the church? Called to lead or called to be led? Are you able to take on the role of servant whether you are leading or being led? Jesus Himself is often referred to as ‘the servant King’. Stay with that paradox for a moment… Paul gives Titus a task: to appoint elders. The person-specifications of an elder are exacting, aren’t they? Listen to the passage again, and notice the qualities required. Notice whatever is moving in you. Ask God for whatever you need to fulfil your calling to be a member of the church community. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.