CATHEDRAL NEWSLETTER - 13 February 2025

Friends in Christ, here are some words I would like you to consider learning off by heart:

"But to you who are listening I say: love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who ill-treat you." [Luke 6:27-28]

These are the words of the Lord Jesus. He spoke them particularly to his disciples, but also in the hearing of the large crowds who were following him. 

And these are words for our times, our very divided and uncertain times, where hatred and fear seem to fester away so seriously, from the Middle East to the streets of Sydney, right into NSW Hospitals, though thankfully not to the vast majority of health professionals. 

Will you try to learn them off by heart? "...Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who ill-treat you."

Last weekend I attended a function in honour and support of a community whose homeland has been invaded and attacked. Many of you may know which group that was. But a number of communities from around the globe would fit my description.

I was asked to open in prayer. And I spent most of my petition praying for the return of peace and safety to the country under attack by name, for healing and recovery for victims there, for the overthrow or repentance of those who use aggression against neighbours, and so forth. But I also prayed for "ordinary" people from the invading country, which I also named, "who also suffer through war" (generally not of their own choosing), along as for the peace of several other nations - including some on opposite sides - who are affected by war and civil strife. 

In the supper break, an elderly lady berated me for praying for people from her nation's enemy. "I did not come hear for that!"

No matter what I said to explain, it was simply unacceptable to her to pray for her enemies. I should not pray even just those ordinary people in the neighbouring country, even though I suspect plenty of them hate this war as much as she does. Apparently all the people from that country were bad and beyond prayer. 

I can understand her anger. Her compatriots, including many civilians, have suffered awfully by brutal and terrifying military action. 

That's why I do not name any one group in today's letter. Because many groups have suffered and find it so hard.  

At the conclusion, the organisers has asked me to pray again. Before I did so, I invited people, who did not have a church of their own, to come to the ̨��UUֱ�� – where they would be taught to love God, and to love their neighbour.

And I felt compelled to add that you would also be taught the most difficult but important challenge Jesus gave: to forgive others their sins, as we ask God to forgive us. 

The nation's ambassador asked me if I was upset with his own words. And I said I understood them, and told him my sadness at the woman's unwillingness to pray for enemies.

Then I said that he had a responsibility. Even if his nation was successful in defending itself, they also needed to ensure their people were not consumed with bitterness and unresolved anger. He said, "That will be a job for our grandchildren."

"No, Ambassador", I replied. "It needs to start with leaders like you." 

There was a pause. And I asked him if he remembered Christ's words from the cross when they were executing him so brutally and unjustly. And I recited:

‘Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.’  [Luke 23:34]

And the Ambassador nodded.

We agreed that the forgiving spirit does not prevent people speaking truth to power. It does not prevent a nation defending itself in a just war.

It need not prevent the Police and the justice system from punishing criminals. And where there is no repentance for serious sin, it may not be safe for a relationship with an abuser or an attacker to go on like normal, if at all. 

Yet when I said to my critic that we would always pray for peace at the ̨��UUֱ��, even if it meant praying for our enemies, she simply said of her refusal, "I am a Christian". 

It is not for me to judge her. I can sympathise with her anger. Forgiveness is so difficult. But I fear for her welfare. 

As I said in introducing last year...

The Lord Jesus taught his followers: “Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us.”

He put that line right in the middle of the Lord’s Prayer.

It says (1) we need God’s forgiveness.

And (2), we need to forgive others.

And Jesus clearly thinks we need to always keep praying about those two things.

The way of Jesus is different from the protests and aggro we see on the news. It's different from so much social media discourse. It is different from how politics is often done. It is different from how some families function too.

It's easy to love those who are usually nice to us. But God loved us while we were weak, while we were sinners, while we acted like enemies towards him... And he demonstrated it by Christ going to the cross for our forgiveness. ().

You know this. It is repeatedly preached from our pulpit. So will you join me in learning Luke 6:27-28 off by heart and attempting to put it into practice?

Jesus said: "Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who ill-treat you."

Warmly in Christ,

Sandy Grant
Dean of Sydney