Sermon: Ministers of St Cuthbert

 

I've just now discovered a fine sermon from the Eve of St. Cuthbert (March 19th) this year by the V. Rev. Michael Sadgrove, Dean of Durham Cathedral, the shrine of St. Cuthbert. He relates a fascinating miracle story from the 15th century, and goes on to talk about the vocation of the cathedral parish and indeed the vocation of all Christians. Here is a short excerpt:

In the Cathedral collect for today ‘we rejoice with all our hearts in Cuthbert, glory of our sanctuary and ever-living symbol of our apostleship'.  What is ‘glory'?  The prayer goes on to explain.  ‘Help us to follow his example by the simplicity of our lives and by the power of our witness.'  In our reading from St John, which the young Cuthbert first learned from his prior Boisil, Jesus says, ‘I am the good shepherd.  The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.'  St John tells us that the glory of Jesus is his self-giving love, his life laid down for the world.  This passion and death we shall soon celebrate in Holy Week.  Cuthbert strove to live  it out as a leader of the church, evangelist, pastor and man of prayer.  He did it by renouncing wealth, privilege and power in order to cultivate simplicity and walk the path of the cross.   

This reminds me of the tropar to St. John Chrysostom, which says "You have revealed to us the riches of poverty/ and shown to us the heights of humilty."  Saints are people who show us truths in paradox, and Cuthbert's story is one of the finest for such teaching.  

you can read Dean Michale Sadgrove's full sermon here.

P.S. Coincidentally, the Dictionary of Old English Word of the week is heafodmynster, which means cathedral. :-)