The Trust of Saints and Love of God

Bishop Thomas Miller
Sermon given on St. Alban's Sunday, June 24, 2018

Today is St. Alban Sunday, dedicated to the Patron Saint of the worldwide  Liberal Catholic Church.

Along with St. Alban, the other "options" for this morning are "St. John the Baptist" and "God as Love". St. Alban the selfless truster of God. St. John the Baptist, the fearless forerunner of Jesus. And "God as Love". I saw some linkages between these three, so today we get a 3-for-1.

St. Alban is venerated as the first-recorded British Christian martyr in the 3rd or 4th century. He met death by saving the life of a priest. Alban had hidden the priest in his house for several weeks, learning Christianity from him. And considering the rest of the story, I personally am sure that the priest gave Alban the Sacraments; probably performed Holy Eucharist for him and baptized him.

Alban wore the priest's cloak and presented himself when the Roman soldiers arrived at the door demanding the priest. Alban was executed, but not without miracles and conversions taking place. The first executioner was even converted to Christianity and another one had to be procured! There are more amazing details.

The word martyr means "witness". A witness is someone who sees something and says something. Or does something. In one way or another, a witness communicates and amplifies the truth of what was seen for the benefit of others.

Alban's immediate acceptance of the teaching and as I expect, the Sacraments, from the priest started a seventeen hundred year, continuing reverent following of this selfless saint. Alban's deeds were great, but … he did them first for God and for the love of God.

John the Baptist  was known as Jesus' forerunner, one who came kick off the mission, to dare to buck the establishment, and point the way to Jesus. He did so fearlessly. He baptized and healed many. They were grateful and came in droves, out of Jerusalem and from all over, out to the wilderness.

It was not a health spa! The food was pretty bad, honey and beans. But it was free baptizing, healing and blessing, outside the temple – for everyone, no questions asked, no temple fees to pay for sacrificial animals.

This was John's version of Jesus' overthrowing the tables of the money changers in Solomon's temple. Fewer temple sacrifices means less money for the temple higher ups, the religious leaders who eventually had Jesus crucified. This was insurrection! John's mission was earning him a reputation.

Herod, a sub-king of Galilee under the Roman Empire saw that the great influence John had over the people might cause John to start a rebellion. So Herod jailed and eventually executed him.

John the Baptist was loved by the large crowds of people who flocked to him, but he did what he did first for God. You can't take risks like he did, follow through like he did, face the authorities the way he did if you are not doing it for God first.

Alban and John trusted God, perhaps in more dramatic ways than we will ever be called upon in our lives. And I know many of you have been put to the test. I've had a few tests myself, and only years, sometimes many years later, did I start to see what it was really all about, and whatever the blow or loss or disappointment had to teach me or mature in me.

We do something and we often think we haven't succeeded if we don't receive money or recognition or some other outer reward.

They for whom God is not enough are greedy. The reward for all your works should be that they are known to God and that you seek God in them. Let this always be enough for you.
― Meister Eckhart, Selected Writings

Seeking and loving God is not so hard. A loving relationship with each one of us is already God's project. The place for us to put the pedal to the metal is in developing our trust of God. Lean into that trust, and see what happens! Then repeat, repeat, repeat!

Trust is not a switch that we can flip on. It is not a static position that we can profess once and we're done. It must be practiced and developed.

Think of St. Peter. He denied Jesus three times. He abandoned his Master at the worst time possible. Can you imagine how horrible he felt the next morning, and the next, and the next...? He surely had a massive task of self-forgiveness work to do, but he did it and continued as a key leader of the nascent Jesus movement.

With willingness we can meet the places inside ourselves where trust is lacking. God will show you. We can even look for feedback from loving, trusted family members or friends, if you know that they will be gentle and will not shame you or try to fix  you. Once we spot a deficiency of trust we can begin to stretch ourselves into spiritual maturity with God's help and love.