Ours is an incarnational faith

Hello friends. I'm actually sitting just inside our cathedral here in St Patrick's having just celebrated the Sunday Eucharist on this beautiful feast of the Holy Trinity. And I said it during the homily that for many of us, we've struggled to be able to answer the question, “what is God?” But I think we can all come to an answer and to a knowledge if we ask the question as, “who is God for us?” That might be just a little question that you might want to reflect upon a little bit yourself when you get a chance.

But I'm sitting here in the pews for a reason. And this is the place where most of you would be normally sitting, as you know this weekend we're back in lockdown here in Melbourne, hopefully only for these seven days. But nonetheless, it has meant that again, our churches, closed, and we're unable to welcome people physically present for the celebration of the Eucharist or for prayer in our churches.

But it does prompt me to want to say something by way of an encouragement, beyond our current lockdown, and that is simply this: I want to encourage you to be able to come back physically to be present in gathering as God's people to give worship to the Lord, who himself offers himself in the blessed Eucharist. Why is this important? I suppose we've got used to doing things online or on TV or on our screens. But to worship as God's people, to gather and to be in assembly, is really important. Throughout the history of God's people, going back to the chosen race, it's always in the gathering – the coming together, the physically being together – that is a way of giving expression to our faith. And we are very much an incarnational faith, meaning God reveals Himself to us in his physical presence in his bodily life, in Jesus Christ. And that ongoing sense of incarnation, that we might tangibly be present with one another, and then present with God in our celebrations.

So when the doors reopen again after this current lockdown, can I encourage you to come back – come home and be present in your own local churches amongst your own local communities of faith, so that as disciples you might give worship to God, that you might reach out to one another, and that you might then go out and be the presence of the Lord for others.

Until next time, may the Lord continue to bless you in your life.