Parades, Processions and lunch queues .........

 So the liturgical year ends and we begin to prepare for the Nativity.

There is a circular, yearly pattern to this procession throughout the Christian Year and note that it is a procession and not a parade.

But this year, whilst the same, is also completely different in almost every which way.

As a child I used to love the parades that passed through our little town of Droylsden on the edge of Manchester, brass bands, clowns, Donkeys and jugglers on their way to the fair at Daisy Nook.

If I was lucky we would return home with a goldfish in a plastic bag, guaranteed to last a week, and a Coconut, my Mother and Father would sometime give me pennies to spend and occasionally I was able to lift a duck out of a pond on a string, the duck had to be given back of course. I have had to wait some years before acquiring real live ducks of my  own.

On other occasions I would be invited by my Aunt Mary and my Cousins Rita and Celia to attend a procession at the local Catholic Church they attended.

There were no clowns, no donkeys, no jugglers and no brass band. Just a solemn and moving procession with a statue of the Virgin swathed in clouds of incense and led by robed priests.

I once had the experience of taking part in a re-enactment of the liturgical setting of our psalm for today  Psalm 95.

First came the opening call to worship vv 1-5 this took place outside the Chapel before we processed inside whilst singing a song of praise.

Once inside we heard the second call to worship and bowed and knelt before our God.

Then came vv 8-11 the call to faithfulness.

Our Journey through the Christian year is of this second kind.

From the birth of Christ, through until Easter and the season of Trinity we process through this story which is a story, as with last week in Matthew's Gospel, of both Grace and Judgement.

On this Feast of Christ the King we celebrate the kingship of one who, born in a stable has been raised to the right hand of God.

God's power in Christ is all encompassing, all embracing and ultimately we might say all in all. All that is needed to bring grace and judgement to God's people.

This is a power that raises from the dead, a power that makes us servants, and helps us to understand what is mean't by the fulness of God.

Some years ago now I attended a conference in New York City.

But this was a rather special conference, it was a procession not a parade.

Each day we were invited to participate in the work of the Churches in New York City. I volunteered in a Night Shelter in a Church on 5th Avenue on another day a soup kitchen.

But rather than listening to the Priest describe the soup kitchen we were each handed an apron and a ladle and stood in line behind steaming dishes of freshly made food and invited to serve the food to those who came.

Before the grace was spoken however, the parish priest said, there is only one instruction, each person who comes through the door and stands before you must be welcomed as you would welcome Christ, must be acknowledged as the son or daughter of God he or she is.

I later published an article in The Tablet taking as my text today's Gospel:

‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? 38 And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? 39 And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?’ 40 And the king will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.’

Alongside Grace and Justice we find another theme here in Matthew's Gospel, the theme of discipleship. The text reminds us that we are called to a fresh understanding that the call to obedience is neither prescriptive, legalistic or sacrificial. As disciples we are called to joyful living in mercy without calculation as to the costs or the demands. At the centre of this joyful living, as at the end of our procession through the Christian Year, stands the cross. The cross in human lives. The cross in the lives of families, communities, societies, nations and the world.

As I served those who came forward for their lunch at St Bartholomews Church just off Park Avenue i was constantly reminded of God's suffering in the world and Jesus words of compassion, grace and judgement, as you did it to the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.’


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