Bishop James Vursur, Collected Sermons

[Malins Welcome 1519]

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Sermon of Age of Mankind 2064

Cathedral of St. Artefei

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Rocks, then. What are rocks for? Why did God bestow existence upon them? For when God, who is existence itself, bestows upon any creature that exists His great gift of existence, which is participation in Himself, it is for some reason. You have an opinion on the teleology of rocks, llir?

 

Yes, I believe it is a simple honest but a holy one, without stone and rock, what foundation would we have to build our homes, churches, castles upon dirt or sand  our buildings would sink!

 

Very good. It would seem that Rocks were created for the use and enjoyment of us mortals. These recipients of the gift of God are another gift bestowed to us by God. Yes, Holy Ser?

 

I believe that rocks and their nature are a fine example of how all of GOD's creations have their place in the world.. Even the lowliest of pebble can serve as a foundation to a great monument, or the tip of a spear that fells a heretic.. From Lords and Kings, to Serfs, Carpenters and Soldiers. Every role is sacred in its own right, mhm. So too do all canonists have their place.. And it is no more or less important in GOD's eyes than any other.. Every role is of infinite merit and potential that is endless in value.

 

You speak well. All created things were made with a purpose. And by performing that purpose, created things discharge - only in a small part - their debt of gratitude to the Giver of all gifts.

 

Has anyone ever seen a bad rock? A rock that was not incapable of its task, but simply refused to perform it? You have? How so?

 

Indeed, some rocks are brittle and fragile.. So too are some rocks forged into weapons that kill their master.. Even failed rocks have a purpose, to serve as a reminder, a valuable lesson.

Certain rocks are not for certain jobs, you would not use shale for building block!

 

I said, not incapable of their purpose. A brittle stone is a brittle stone. It can't be blamed for not being sturdy any more than I could be blamed for not being able to fly about the room..

 

A rock cannot succeed or fail, as it has no will of its own, those who shape or use the rock are the ones responsible for its efficacy.

 

Exactly. It is only us creatures with an intellect higher than their material composition who can intentionally fail to serve their God-Given purpose. These candles do not have to worry about if they are performing their duty to God. They are wholly of nature, and they do what is natural to them, and that is all God wants of them.

 

But there is an aspect of our being that is higher than the material plane. The end to which we are called are supernatural. Not only do we have mere existence, but we have a mission. A gift on top of a gift. We are agents of God. Every one of us. Whether we live this mission or neglect it. Our commission remains. A duty forsaken is a duty still.

 

With the gift of the intellect comes this obligation. An obligation all of us have broken at one time or another. We call such breaking impious when it is against God alone, and we call it unjust when it deprives another agent of God from carrying out their own mission in some way or another. Though, really, impious acts do effect the rest of mankind in unseen ways, and unjust acts are always more an offense against God than of the direct subject.

 

There are many evildoers in these days. What is it that prevents God from striking them down on the spot? Certainly, He, who gave them everything and continually sustains them in existence, would not be unjust to chose not to continue to give this gift to even the most holy of His faithful. As often He so chooses.

 

These evildoers are the struggle, which we harden ourselves against. GOD does not empower them, but he allows them to exist as tests to our own piety. For untested Faith is nothing but blind belief. As I bring the struggles of the world, so too do I bring their remedy. From the Canticle of Patience.

 

I tell you, that everything God made, He made from an outpouring of His love, to participate in His love, to be an object thereof. Those evildoers, whoever it was that came to mind when I spoke the word, that is their original purpose. One that God chooses to give them more opportunities to fulfill. And though there may be some cases where a just person must revoke on God's behalf the gift that God has given to that person, to prevent them from further evils, we should not resent them this continued gift, for their continued life flows from the same Love that sustains our own continued life at all times.

 

It was the Deceiver who first envied the gifts of God to others, deeming the Primordial Man unworthy of the glory the Creator had planned to bestow upon him. Greed and gluttony and sloth and wrath, how deadly these are. More deadly still is pride and even more deadly than pride, in my judgement, is envy.

 

Therefore, be continuously grateful for the gifts of God, and not only the gifts for yourself, but the gifts to which He gives others. This is the true basis for forgiveness.

 

[Malins Welcome 1519]

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Sermon of Age of Mankind 2065

Cathedral of St. Artefei

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What shall be the topic of my teaching today? 

 

How to best serve the church as laity. 

 

That's very good. I have experience in that one because I was a layman once. 

For everyone is called to serve God, though many are happy to leave that to the specialists and live their lives without reference to God.  So what are the special ways in which the Priesthood serves God? For if we can find those we can say that the rest are appropriate for the laity. 

 

What comes to mind is the administration of the sacraments, baptism, absolution, matrimony, and ordination, and also the teaching authority. 

 

One can imagine the service of a King. Some servants of the King have the authorization to perform certain acts in his name, and others simply try, or ought to try if it is a good king, to represent his character informally through their actions. 

 

Of what does the rest consist? 

 

First: Prayer. 

 

Prayer is those moments you set aside specifically to speak to God, and be spoken to by Him. 

The sages suggest that a layperson should set aside fifteen minutes of prayer a day, with thirty minutes as an eventual goal.

 

 This can be broken up into different parts throughout the day. Maybe five minutes in the morning, five at noon, five before bed. Aim for a combination of prewritten prayers, spontaneous prayers of your heart, and silence to allow him to speak. 

 

Prayer is also the continuous awareness of the presence of God.  We know that life is a gift from God, and every moment thereof.  Therefore it is fitting to cultivate an attitude of constant gratitude toward Him who gave you Existence and sustains you continuously in existence.  Walk with Him always and you will never misstep. 

 

Second, by study. 

 

We are not all scholars, but there are certain things that God wants everyone to know. Perhaps you read, a little bit here and there, the scrolls or some writings of the saints. Or perhaps each day of the week you simply read a different Canticle of Virtue. 

 

We are, llir, what we eat. Fill your mind with bad things or with mundane things, and from you will flow the bad or mundane.  But fill your mind with the things of God, and the work of God will come naturally to you. 

 

Which brings me to my last point. 

Out of gratitude for the Love of God toward us, we must love what He loves, which is all Mankind.  This one love of God will look different as it passes through the prism of each mortal heart.  One loves mankind by giving alms to the poor, another by the healing of wounds.  One by protecting the innocent from the wicked, another by bringing the wicked to repentance.  One by implementing policies of peace and justice throughout their realm, another by making their table open for the lonely and feeding them as family. 

 

 The color of your light will be different from the color of everyone else's.  Only let it shine brightly. Let nothing dim your heart or cloud it, be wholly transparent to the Light that flows from the single source. Until all of mankind becomes an astonishing kaleidoscope of color, one single gem for the crown of our Lord.