John Davies - Notes From a Small Vicar

Jesus - killing the king, raising the Kingdom

 

... Now, we see things from the other side of the cross. We look on that scene, where above Jesus’ crown of thorns is Pilate’s inscription: ‘King of the Jews’. And see in it a terrible, wonderful irony. Because with hindsight we realise that what died with Jesus on that cross was the authority of the domination system. Because Jesus died an innocent victim of trumped-up charges, the true motives of those who executed him were revealed to all who had eyes to see. And because Jesus had spent his life announcing the coming of the Kingdom of God, we realise that what was born at Jesus’ resurrection was the power for that Kingdom to continue growing in the world - in the lives of all who put their hearts together with the heart of God. And wherever this Kingdom grows, so the powers of the world’s kingdoms diminish and decline. ...

- from my talk, Jesus - killing the king, raising the Kingdom, at the Church of Ss Asaph and Cyndeyrn, Llanasa, for the festival of Christ the King, today. 

 

The Peace - at St Margaret's Toxteth

Robert introduced The Peace at his farewell Eucharist with this (typically Robert, typically St Margaret's) story:

 

In 1993 Mrs Showers was killed by a joy-rider high on drugs.

Crack-cocaine was just in the Community and rumours it was being pushed at School gates.

For her Funeral the Congregation was divided.

Half and the Women furious at the Men and the drugs cartels.

The drugs cartels furious at the Police for not releasing the 'godfathers' for the Funeral.

Jimmy Hinds ChurchWarden wanted to say a few words before introducing 'the Peace'.

“I know you hate them for killing Mrs Showers.

And I know you hate the Police for not bringing your Friends.

But today, in the name of Mrs Showers in her coffin here

and in the name of Him up on the Cross there,

I want you to cross that divide between you, the aisle,

and wish each other Peace.

“Go on: Get on with it”

 

And they did haltingly at first

then with amusement as they shook hands

then with outloud laughter as they hugged and slapped backs...

 

I was nervous still as I led the Coffin and Family down that aisle,

when near the back, before I'd got out, a big guy in dark specs learned towards me,

the perceived threat was a 'dockers' kiss', a head-butt was coming.

Instead he said, “Vicar, that was a fucking marvellous service.”

 

I've been telling this story, sharing this gift, ever since.

 

[The Story Continued.. After the Funeral the Women

rounded up the Men in the Ibo Center next door but three.

They told them to lay-off the stolen cars and the crack-cocaine.

The Men replied with, Oh yes, and who is going the make us..

to which the Women replied, we're your Sisters Girl-friends Mothers,

and if you don't stop we'll share the skeletons from your cupboards.

Shortly after the Police reported a drop in stolen-cars and the

ceasing of the pushing of hard drugs.]

 

Robert Gallagher: how to live love and endure

Robert didn't want to retire as priest of St Margaret's, Toxteth. The powers-that-be severed the 24-year link between him and the parishioners of Liverpool 8, who, in his farewell talk, he described as a "'family' or 'fellowship', ... in inclusion of multi-race multi-Faith and none, in Community and in extended Families, the Saints looking after the Brigands and the Brigands looking after the Saints, [who use your Parish Church] not for escape from the Realities ... for you practice that collective Patience in the Confronting of those Realities."

I didn't attend the All Saints Eucharist and Party at which Robert took his bow, but was delighted to receive his report of the proceedings, and was especially moved by this part of his closing reflection:

“I had a tutor, John Fenton, at St Chad’s College Durham, who turned me up-side down. He used to regale us for our second-hand essays copied from the books who would say to us, “I know St Paul believes this, but I don’t believe you believe it. What do you believe?” We had fellow student-priests in tears, ‘losing their Faith’. We began to think of petitions to remove him, for not telling us what to think, what to do. One day of tension and frustration, John was sat opposite me in such a ‘tormented’ group, asking us, ‘asking me,’ “Why have you come here? Why have you come to this college?” I was humiliated. All I could think of, was 'for the power', 'to pull the women', 'to dress up'. What blurted out before thinking, was, “I think the only reason I’m here is, that after Robin Hood, Jesus was my hero!” A big smile spread across John Fenton’s face, and he said, “At last! We're getting somewhere.”.. and walked out of the room. Left to ourselves, we all began to share the ‘skeletons in our cupboards’, our poverty of ideas, seeds of our own thoughts, and we became a ‘college’, a community of thought. We went on to understand, that we don’t have ‘God’ or ‘Jesus’ in the New Testament, but the fruits of the Early Church in Asia Minor struggling with the experience of their Reality... how to live love and endure, communities at war, Roman and systems of oppression.. using the stories coming out of Jerusalem and Judea, of Jesus, Prodigal Sons Good Samaritans and Unjust Stewards, Death and Resurrection.. enabling them to interpret their experience and move on, with their own systems of beliefs and ritual practice, inevitably... And raising then the Question for us, “So, What is your Experience?”

Robert, go well in retirement. I can't imagine you'll fade away.