Kázání utrchtského arcibiskupa na IBK 2009

(anglicky)

Sermon in the opening service
Of the International Bishops Conference
Karlik (Prague)
January 25,
2009

Dr. Joris Vercammen, Archbishop of Utrecht.

Readings:
Mk 1, 14-20
1 Samuel 3.1-10 en 19-20

The world is no longer the
same since Jesus lived among us.

With Jesus the history of humankind was steered into another
phase. This is the conviction of the Evangelist when he proclaims today: the time has come and the kingdom of God is
upon you. The more literal translation is: the time is fulfilled. In other words: the meaning of history will now be
revealed. And indeed, the time has arrived where it will become clear why humankind exists and what the meaning of our
life is. That is the meaning and the purpose of Gods kingdom. That is a world and a life in which people can love one
another according to Gods heart and dreams. In which they will experience – in life and in death - a sense of security
because of Gods kingdom.

The king, in the biblical meaning of the word, refers to them who are
shepherds and keepers of people, mostly for the weak who are looking for justice.

The blood of
people is precious in his sight, we hear in psalm 72 and through his intervention people will blosom like the grass of
the field.

This is how people experience Jesus’ actions, as we can read in the same gospel, just
a little further on. A new proclamation of a teaching with authority, teachings that bud like young grass and inspires
people with the promise to life which it carries inside.

The time has been fulfilled!

But what is that to us? In a world which gradually seems to care less and less, no longer concerned about
the Kingdom of God. A world in which people do not live for each other’s happiness, but where we fight for our own
little lives with as much comfort as possible. Would it still be possible for God te break through the fog/blur with
which people are surrounded?

This conclusion leads us to the experiences of Eli and young Samuel in the first
reading. We read there: The word of the Lord was rare in those days; visions were not widespread. This is not
difficult to imagine and it appears to be an ungodly world! An ungodly world has consequences, even for believers like
Eli. His sons are part of this ungodliness. An ungodliness which will eventually prevail. They abuse their priestly
orders for extortion; orders which they took on through the election of their lineage. Instead of honouring God through
the worship they are supposed to perform- they are mainly honouring themselves! It undermined Eli, - his eyesight had
begun to grow dim – we read, and he is no longer in the temple, but was lying down in his room.

Samuel on the
other hand is in the temple. He is the son of Hanna, who pleaded with God to give her a child. Once her son was old
enough, she brought him to the temple and that is where we find Samuel: in the sanctuary of the temple, near the Ark of
God and not in that one place which he created for himself.

The remarkable thing is that in
spite of all the blurriness of the situation in which Eli finds himself, God continues to attempt and show his
involvement with his people and their reality. Samuel will eventually be called to become the last judge of Israel.
Judges are the extension and interpreters of God towards the people. In his name they direct the people towards
happiness and well-being.

This is just to explain how confusing and ambiguous the situation of Eli and Samuel
is. That is what this bible story intents us to tell. It is an account of hearing and not hearing at the same time. An
account of understanding and being unsure, of being convinced of the impossible and at the same time being waiting and
hesitating.

Do we live in a different situation? I don’t think so! Also we live in a confusing and ambiguous
society. We do not really expect God to speak, neither do we think it possible. And yet, at the same time, maybe
hesitating, we are convinced to catch that one glimpse of God’s involvement with his people.

Ambiguity needs explaining. In other words: to find God in our lives we need helpers. Helpers who don’t
need to be saints or people with an entirely clean sheet. Eli underlines that. He has distanced himself from God, but
that doesn’t make him unsuitable to rouse openness in Samuel. An openness to experience things which Eli hadn’t himself
experienced for a long time! We need to listen, create an attitude of attentiveness in our lives and also have an ear
for those of whom we don’t expect much......

In this ambiguity and confusion of his era Samuel
is called. It shows that ‘calling’ has nothing extraordinary, but happens amidst everyday life. Not outside the
ordinary life with its problems and sorrow, its hopefull experiences and failures. And so it is with the gospel. Jesus
seems to pass almost by chance. in other words: it would have been possible that Simon and Andrew, as well as the
others, might not have noticed Him and He might not have played a role in their lives. Jesus passes in daily life as it
is: they are busy earning their keep. It could not be more prozaic!

They are called to be fishers of men. A beautiful pun, but it might possibly be understood that we are called as we are. With our unique possibilities and
expertise as this is important now that the time has come, the time has been fulfilled and the purpose of our life
will become clear.

Jesus’ calling of the fishermen is direct and doesn’t accept delay. There is work
to do and it needs to happen now. We read: ... And immediately they left their nets and followed Him.

To James
and John: Immediately he called them; and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men, and followed
Him.

The calling we receive, the appeal is important and doesn’t accept delay. Those who have an attitude in
life of listening will at some point realize that something is expected and that we need to organize our lives
accordingly in order to remain sincere and authentic.

In accepting the invitation, the
purpose of one’s life may show up. Accepting the invitation opens one’s life to a new future, the future which will
reveal the deep meaning of one’s life, the reason of one’s being there.

It makes me think of Dag Hammerskøld,
the former secretary general of the United Nations, who wrote in his spiritual diary on Whitsun 1961:

“I don’t remember who or what posed the question. I can’t remember when it was posed. I don’t remember
that I replied. But at some point I said ‘yes’ to someone – or something. From that moment on I know for sure that life
is worthwhile and that my life – in subjection- has a purpose.”

Dag Hammerskøld does not
remember that the question was posed, but it was, neither he had felt that he had answered a question. The question was
posed in the middle of the ambiguity and the confusion of life, in the midst of his daily occupations. It is as it
always is with a calling: the calling is nearby and intense, but you have to be attentive and ready to listen before
you can hear it.

Let us pray that it will be given to us to be attentive and that it will be possible for us to
respond positively – to say ‘yes’- because at that right moment ‘times become fulfilled’ and ‘the Kingdom of God will
come near’.

Sometimes the fog set in again, also in the church, the noise becomes strong and situations become
to ambiguous in order to keep your heart clear… it becomes difficult to hear the calling in the midst of an ambiguous
reality. This night we will start with our Bishops Conference, with reports to evaluate, questions to answer, choices
to make, directions to take…It belongs to our role as church leaders to do this kind of work, it is our daily
occupation and our daily duty. But behind all those things we have to do, all those challenges, there is a question
posed, there is an invitation addressed to us… we only have to listen to it. It is the invitation to surrender
ourselves for the realization of the Kingdom, the invitation to be subjected to that Kingdom.

During our
occupation of this conference, we will be called. Amidst the ambiguous reality of the church we will be called.
Subjected to the Lords’ longing to redeem people and to bring them to freedom, we will contribute with this conference
to the realization of His Kingdom. Let us pray that our conference may develop itself in this dynamic of
subjection!