I wanted to begin with a story and I couldn’t find one that I particularly liked. The only I could think of was of the small boy who came into the kitchen and gave his mother a piece of paper:

for making my bed £1.00
for washing dishes 50p
for helping with the shopping 50p
for getting a good report at school £2.00
for brushing up leaves in the garden £1.00
for washing the car £2.50

Does this ring any bells with anyone?

Well, the mother looked at the boy, as memories came into her mind. So she took the piece of paper and turned it over and wrote on the back:

for carrying you for 9 months, no charge
for the nights I sat up to rock to sleep, no charge
for the times you were ill and needed nursing, no charge
for the worry and anxiety, no charge
for the food I’ve prepared you over the years, no charge
for the toys, clothes and various costs, no charge
So the total cost to you is: No Charge

The boy looked at his mother and said, “I love you, mum,” and wrote on his paper ‘Paid in Full’

Corny story, I’m afraid. But it does make the point that that is what God’s love is all about. Whatever our demands on Him, He makes no conditions on us. He gives us His love and His peace, His forgiveness, and His Hope that we will love Him in return.

It’s not always easy to see the theme in our readings but this week I think it’s fairly clear, both in the Old Testament and particularly in the Gospel reading. First you see King David hearing the story that Nathan tells, and he condemns the rich man, not realising the story is about him. David could apply the rules to others but not to himself. In the Gospel, Simon the Pharisee had a zeal for hearing the word of God and opened his house to Jesus, but condemned the woman as a sinner, even though she showed love and applied the basic rules of hospitality that Simon had omitted to do.

We often apply rules of behaviour to others, and don’t necessarily apply those same rules to ourselves, as the little boy. We judge others but that judgement does not apply to ourselves. As Jesus put it to Simon in that passage: the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little.

We all know I’m sure this is Father’s Day. I say this because it shows how ignorant I am as it was only when someone mentioned on Friday that it was Father’s Day today that I knew anything about it. Mother’s Day has a religious and historical connection, but I can’t say that I am altogether in favour of Father’s Day. I believe it was introduced for commercial reasons. What I’d like to see is for a celebration widened to include all the people, grouped with fathers, that we need to give thanks for; all who’ve helped us in our lives. Yes, parents, grandparents, relations, teachers, doctors, people who introduced us to our faith, people who’ve helped us in all sorts of ways that have benefited us, made our lives more fulfilled, enabled us to mature to the people we are, or assume we are.

I’ll get off my soapbox. At this point I’m going to say something that may be controversial. I find as I as I talk to families, and I do not refer to anyone here, that often we like to set the agenda for others. This can apply to men and women of course, but I believe it applies more often to men. When they apply ground rules to their wives and children, those they work with perhaps, as what they feel is right or wrong, they often fail to include for themselves. They are outside that same agenda. Our wives and children, brothers, sisters etc. etc. don’t need an analysis of what they are doing, what it is right or wrong, nor do they need judgement on what they have done. As we heard from those readings, Jesus makes it very clear that we should remember we are forgiven much, and we must love much.

God has never been in the business of condemning people. I’m trying to think of a few examples: remember Jacob was not condemned for his conniving ways to claim Esau’s birthright; God forgave and loved Him. David was not condemned for arranging the death of Uriah; God forgave and loved him. Jesus did not condemn the adulteress that was bought to him; he forgave and loved her. Peter was not condemned for his denial of Jesus; Jesus forgave and loved him. Paul was not condemned for his persecution of Jesus’ followers; again Jesus forgave and loved him. What God asks us is not to condemn but to show each other forgiveness and love. God asks us to practice humility and love one another, remembering all that others have done for us.

In a couple of weeks we celebrate the 60th birthday of our church. It’s not a celebration to say how good we are or say what we’ve achieved or to tell other people what they should do. It’s a celebration to thank all those who have brought this church to where it is today. Just as each person is unique, so every church is different, and that uniqueness is brought about by all the different people who’ve had a hand in bringing our church to its present position. Some people over many years, some maybe only over a few. Each person whose has influenced the build up the of St Nicolas Church has brought about something I believe very special. What we celebrate is the success that has been achieved, and all the things that this church of people has done over the years. It has carried our Christian commission to tell the world and show some evidence of God’s love and forgiveness, the very things our readings today remind us of.

So let us show how proud we are, how much we’ve achieved, by our whole-hearted support for the celebration; a celebration of the young and the old together, not forgetting to enjoy ourselves in the process.

Amen