Anglican Communion News Service

Sermon in Odibo, Namibia

I am so pleased to be with you today in much warmer weather than in London, where I was just two days ago! But then, it is always good to come to Africa and experience not only nice weather but also the life and joy of the people of Africa often in the midst of terrible sufferings.

And I acknowledge with deep thankfulness the life and witness of the Church in Namibia, and in the Province, during the enormous upheavals in Southern Africa in the second half of the twentieth century. Of course, many of the problems are still with you - deep poverty in some places, the HIV/AIDS pandemic in others. In the north, you are threatened by continuing violence spilling over from Angola. And as in so many places, the threat of violent abuse of women remains a social problem which threatens the very fabric of society, wrecking as it does the vital networks of family and community relationships.

All these problems force us to ask: Where is God when things go wrong? What does God call Christians to be and to do?

In the gospel read just a moment ago, we were introduced to a man called Simeon. He was an old man but he was a faithful man of God who, for all his life, had been waiting for the promised Messiah. And when Jesus was presented to God in the Temple at Jerusalem, Simeon realised that this was the Christ and with great joy he took him in his arms and said: 'Lord, now let your servant depart in peace!' I have seen with my own eyes the deliverance you will bring. A light to the nations and glory to your people!'

And it is of that light and glory that I wish to speak now, light and glory that make all the difference to a needy world.

But light can only be seen against darkness and indeed has no meaning without it. Christians recognise that this world is not what God intended. We are indeed challenged by a world which appears in many ways to have shifted its gaze from God to Man, a world which sometimes seeks what it perceives as progress for its own sake, a world which has little regard for the consequences.

This is our world - a world beset by problems, true. But against the darkness of human sin, wars, and humankind's propensity to use good things for evil ends, we also have seen the light of God in wonderful deeds of heroism, sacrifice, goodness, and 'random acts of kindness'. I see that light not only in the devoted service of doctors, nurses and all who care for others, but also in the millions of ordinary Christians whose love for Christ is transformed into loving action and sacrificial service.

So, when we ask, ' Where is God to be found in human sin and misery?' the cross of Jesus Christ says simply 'here'. Here in the midst of our pain, our suffering, our human preoccupations - God is here with us. And Simeon holding the infant Christ in his arms is saying indirectly 'here'. Here in Jesus is God to be found.

I understand that in Africa you have a beautiful word- 'ubuntu'. The former president of South Africa, Nelson Mandela, summed it up beautifully when he said:

"The spirit of ubuntu [is] that profound African sense that we are human only through the humanity of other human beings".

Ubuntu is a concept with no exact parallel in the English language. Indeed, we need more words in English to convey that idea!

But Christians understand the notion of ubuntu at once because it expresses our vision of a Christian community: a community which owes its origin to the person who is at the heart of the Church, Jesus Christ himself, who creates Christian community.

So our first obligation as Christians is to recognise the centrality of our Lord and to follow him.

But what we notice about Jesus in the gospels is that his ministry focussed on being open to all. The Gospels tell us that Jesus went out deliberately to mix with those who were in particular need. He literally held out his hand in friendship. He reached out to others and drew them into his life. For him 'ubuntu' meant everybody. Jesus did not draw limits to his caring. His world embraced everyone.

Let me root that in the very practical and relevant area of ministry that I have already mentioned that is of the highest possible importance in Southern Africa, the AIDS pandemic. HIV/AIDS is not only a human tragedy of great severity. It is also a huge challenge for the future economic and political health of the region. I do not need to quote statistics to you. You will know only too well of the suffering of millions of people - not only of those who have contracted the virus, but also of their relatives and entire communities which are affected. We see the devastation it is causing to so many lives both here and in many parts of sub-Saharan Africa.

How should we respond? Let me pay tribute straight away to the many agencies, both church-based and secular, which are trying to offer care and support. They are doing remarkable work, and I have been so encouraged by stories coming out of countries like Uganda, where the Government has overtly supported this work, and where, as a result, real progress is being made. But what about the Church? As followers of Christ, seeking to live faithfully by his example, we are all challenged. There are a number of options. We could simply ignore what is happening. We could say, as some do: 'This has nothing to do with us and with our church. It is a problem for others and particularly those who have sinned'. How tragically blind this response is! Because ubuntu means that we are all affected by HIV. Indeed the Church itself is not in any way immune from HIV. Amongst the millions who have the virus, many are committed Christians. Indeed, our Church would be affected even if no committed Christians were infected: that is the nature of Christian compassion for our neighbours.

The spirit of 'ubuntu', of Jesus' community, leads us to an active engagement with those who are suffering; and it is more than just going in and doing good, because we carry the Spirit of Christ with us. It is a mission that will certainly bring physical help and support, but it will also bring spiritual refreshment and strength. It will convey love and respect - a truly humanising mission to people, many of whom feel at present totally dehumanised, without hope, and entirely marginalised by society. And that is a mission that will bring growth to the whole community - growth for carers and those cared-for alike.

But there is another level at which the community of Jesus has to respond, because action on its own is not enough. The danger with activity on its own is that it brings with it the risk of human pride. It is easy to fall into the temptation of thinking that we are doing good for others when we may be serving ourselves and seeking our own glory.

The Church is founded on a personal knowledge of Jesus Christ as Lord. He calls us into loving obedience to himself and appeals to us to build our lives on the Rock which is his teaching and which is worked out by our daily submission and what the bible calls 'discipleship'.

The story of the church in Southern Africa is littered with wonderful examples of faithful men and women, who stood alongside those who suffered, determined to see justice done. I well remember a few years ago laying a wreath at the shrine to Bernard Mizeki, a simple catechist in Mashonaland who died for his witness for justice. And the Church across the world remembers with thanksgiving Archbishop Janani Luwum in Uganda who fearlessly challenged the evils which were carried out against the people of Uganda in the seventies, and who lost his life as a result. You will know of similar stories from your own church history, but I certainly recall the outstanding ministry of people like Bishop Colin Winter, Bishop James Kaulumu, and many other figures by whom the Namibian Church has been richly blessed in recent years. These were people willing to risk all for the sake of bringing the love and compassion of Christ to his people, and seeking justice for the oppressed and they are wonderful examples of sacrificial ministry which is an inspiration for us all.

In the 'Ubuntu' of the Christian family and of the world, the light of Christ is conveyed through such devoted service. But at the same time God's glory is conveyed. Simeon was not to know that just as he extolled the glory of the baby Jesus so he has shared in that glory. It simply radiates through his exultant words and his worship. So where is God to be found? The answer from the gospels comes 'In all who follow Jesus Christ and seek to do his will'. Through him light comes and his glory is found.