Chrism Mass 2008 - Sermon

 

The spirit of the Lord has been given to me,

For he has anointed me.

 

The Greek Poet Homer called it ‘Liquid Gold’ and for over 5000 years oil has been extracted from olives in the Eastern Mediterranean.  As a child, Olive Oil was only known to me as Popeye’s girlfriend, though there was some in the medicine cabinet for use with ear problems. Now olive oil is a staple ingredient of most family cupboards. But in the countries of Southern Europe and the Middle East olive oil has always been a necessity of daily life. It is used in the preparation of food; it is used medicinally both internally and externally, in biblical times it was the fuel used in lamps for lighting the house, in Judaism it was used for anointing priests and kings.

 

One food critic has written

‘Along with wheat and grapes, olive oil form a triumvirate of the Mediterranean cuisine, a holy trinity as it were of bread, wine and olive oil. To the ancients, these were the three most precious commodities, for with them one could sustain life, as well as perform the various religious rites that were common to everyday life. Today, we still honour the trio because they are at the very heart of what many of us cook and eat.’

 

We might go on to say that with water they are the staple ingredients of our sacramental life.   We are flesh and blood, material beings and God has revealed himself most fully in the life of one particular human being. As St John tells us in his gospel, the word became flesh. Christianity is a materialistic religion and God has given us the gifts of sacramental signs to be vehicles of his presence among us, to teach us, to comfort, support and strengthen us and to transform us into the likeness of his Son.

 

 Once again it is my pleasure and humbling privilege to preside at this Chrism Mass when will ask God to bless the oils and when the clergy, bishops, priests and deacons will recommit themselves before you the people whom they serve.  I know how much they value your presence. This mass reminds us of the importance of the communion of priests with their bishop as we concelebrate together but it also reminds us of the priestliness of all baptised Christians. But it is more than that; it is celebration of the ministry of the whole Church. It is true that bishops, priest and deacons have particular ministry but that ministry is for the nurturing and building up the whole body of Christ in which each of us, lay and ordained, has a ministry to share.

 

In a few moments the vessels filled with oil will be brought forward and we will pray that they may be filled with the power of the Holy Spirit. Anointing with oil is one of the important symbols of the Holy Spirit. Our early Christian forefathers were perhaps more attuned to symbols and images than we are.  In their eyes the Olive tree was an image of the Father, its fruit, the olive an image of the son, and therefore, the oil which flows abundantly from the tree and fruit became for them a symbol of the Spirit.  But we can only understand all this if we first grasp the primary anointing of Jesus by the Holy Spirit.

 

The Spirit of the Lord has been given to me

For he has anointed me - He says of himself in the synagogue quoting Isaiah

 

He was the Spirit filled one but now he pours out his Holy Spirit abundantly on his people so that is said of him can be said of us because by virtue of our common baptism we are part of his body so of ourselves we can say:

 

The Spirit of the Lord has been given to me

For he has anointed me

 

The oils we bring for blessing today speak to us not only of the sacraments in which they are used but of different facets of the work of the Spirit in our lives. Oil is a reminder that God’s Spirit dwells and works in and through his Church.

 

The oil for anointing of the sick.  In ancient times oil was applied to the body of an ill person to ease its suffering.  You will remember that the Good Samaritan bandaged the wounds of the injured Jewish man first pouring oil and wine on them. If we have burnt ourselves we put ointment on the painful spot. Oil was and still is the basis of many remedies for pain and sickness.

 

This shows us the origin of anointing the sick as St James reminds us:

If anyone among you is ill, he should send for the elders of the church and they must anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. James 5:15  

 

 We pray that the Lord in his love and mercy will help the sick person with the grace of the Holy Spirit. It is a reminder to the sick person that in their sufferings they are not alone but supported by God’s presence.

 

But it also reminds us that we are all in need of healing.  We are all diseased in one way or another whether spiritually, mentally, emotionally or physically.  That wholeness and healing will only come by the grace of the Holy Spirit our helper and friend.

 

The oil of Catechumens, sometimes called the oil of baptism.  This is the oil a person is anointed with before baptism.  In ancient times athletes anointed their bodies before a race or contest and people would anoint themselves with oil before and after bathing.  This pre-baptismal anointing is all that remains of anointing of the whole body which the candidate for baptism in the early Church understood to be an anointing for combat. It signifies cleansing, strengthening and limbering up for a fight or race. But those who are baptised do not leave the struggle behind. It reminds us that the Christian life can be likened to a contest.

 

All the fighters at the games go into strict training; they do this just to win a wreath that will wither away, but we do it for the wreath that will never wither.

1 Cor 9:26

 

So it also speaks of our search for new life; a new life rooted in Christ which begins at our baptism and only comes to final fulfilment in heaven.  It easy to forget what an important day our baptism was.  I can tell you my birthday, the date of my confirmation, my marriage and the dates of ordination to the diaconate, priesthood and episcopate but cannot do the same with my Baptism. It is a pity because that day was the most important day of my life.

 

Our baptism is not a past event but a present reality, the truth of which is lived out every day of our Christian lives.  Martin Luther had during his life many dark days and times of doubt, apart from times of great inspiration.  During his doubts, it was not his faith, nor his prayer, or his study of God's word which kept his hope alive, but the memory that he was baptised. "I am baptised" was his cry and his encouragement.   It is a decisive moment defining our true relationship with God and though it is complete in itself it is also a beginning.  There is still much for us to learn, new repentances to be made, new occasions for receiving the Spirit but the process has begun and it continues. So this oil reminds us of our baptism and need for disciplined perseverance in our discipleship.

 

Finally, the most important oil from which this Mass gets its name -The oil of Chrism.    This is the oil used in anointing priests and monarchs.  It is used to anoint the crown of the head at Baptism, a sign that the baptised share in the prophetic, kingly and priestly ministry of Christ. Anointed - set apart. It is used by the bishop at Confirmation after he lays his hands on the candidate and then anoints the forehead.

 

Be sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit

 

This is new sealing of the Spirit so that confirmed person may bear witness to Christ in world by sharing more completely in his mission.  There is another difference in this oil because a sweet perfume, usually balsam, is added to it.  St Paul says of Christians that they should be the ‘aroma of Christ’. If we lived out our baptism and confirmation people would know that just by our presence, just as we know somebody has been in the room when they leave the fragrance of perfume or after shave behind.

 

So this oil reminds us of our call to holiness; to be transformed to be more like Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit.  It was the work of the Spirit who overshadowed Mary to form Christ physically in her body and it is his work to form Christ spiritually in each of us.  By his power we are to be other Christs to our world. It is, if you like, the oil of vocation setting us apart as Christian men and women in his service.

 

Of course, some of us have been called for a particular ministry in his Church as bishops, priests and deacons; anointed and set apart not for ourselves but for the church, for you the holy people of God, to help and sustain you in the journey to wholeness, new life and holiness.

 

My brothers it is not easy being a priest the hours are long, the demands are great yet often what you do is taken for granted.  There is only one way we can live out our vocation and that is by keeping close to Christ and fixing our eyes on the cross the source of our inspiration. To the laity I ask you to do your best to help and encourage them in their ministry; be sensible in your expectations, sensitive in your criticisms and generous in your encouragement and support – you have no idea how much that means. Each of us is unique, none of us are perfect but all of us have been called and anointed, set apart for the good of the Church. 

 

So I now ask you my brother priests to renew your commitment to priestly service for the sake of our precious Lord and the people for whom he died.