A treasure in clay jars
It is a great joy to welcome you to Taizé this week! You come from a wide variety of countries: from Portugal to Ukraine, from Estonia to Italy, with groups also coming from Slovenia, Serbia and Hungary. In Christ, we always seek to journey together, to listen to each other and to live in the unity that is already given in him.
We are also delighted to welcome over 330 young people from different parts of Spain, including 170 from Madrid. Yesterday their archbishop, Cardinal José Cobo, arrived and wanted to spend these days with them here in Taizé. It is so beautiful when Church leaders listen to young people. Thank you for coming!
Today is the feast of the Apostle James. Forty years ago today, I was in Santiago de Compostela, a pilgrimage site dedicated to this saint in Galicia, north-west Spain. St James was the patron saint of the Anglican parish where I grew up in England. Our priest asked me to pray at the tomb of the apostle for our parish.
It was a gesture that made an impression on me and gave me a glimpse of the undivided Church, helping me to understand the beauty of the universality of Christ, of our faith handed down from the time of the apostles to the present day.
In some ways, this faith is always fragile. Every day that we must welcome the gift of trust in God. We heard St Paul tell us in this evening’s reading that we are often shaken by the situations we encounter. We carry the presence of Christ in the clay jars of our humanity.
But Paul explains to us that it is precisely because of this that it is clear that the radiance comes from God’s love and not from us. This is how, through the Holy Spirit, we can live out this love for others. Through our lives, we can communicate the little we have understood of the Gospel.
Following Christ does not mean being strong in human terms. It means accepting the trust that, as we are, Christ is committed to us so that we can journey with him day after day.
On Saturday evening, during evening prayer, we will have the great joy of welcoming a new brother to our community. His name is Adam and he comes from Poland. He arrived in Taizé last September as a volunteer and has been living in our house for a month.
Adam had already expressed his desire to become a brother and a few days ago I asked him if he was ready to receive the prayer garment. He answered with a big smile ‘yes’, so he will be a new brother among us and will begin the time of discernment that will prepare him to understand what it means to make a lifelong commitment in our community.
Please pray for Adam these days. Even though he will remain here, the question for him and for each of my brothers is the same as for you who will soon be leaving Taizé: How can I respond in my daily life to Jesus’ call to “Come and follow me”?
It is the Holy Spirit who will guide us on this path, but in the weeks to come, re-read this evening’s reading from 2 Corinthians 4:7-14. It will help you to welcome the treasure of Christ’s presence in the challenges that life asks us to face.
Finally, I’d like to acknowledge the presence of the group who came from Ukraine this week. It is so important to have you among us. In May, I was with two of my brothers in this country and we saw both the suffering and the courage of this people. We have not forgotten you.
With us this evening are Ostap and Oksana.
Ostap: What can we do to stay close to you during this time of war?
“Thank you for opportunity to speak today with all of you. I want to say huge thank you for all support from different countries, from different communities, from different people.
Thank you so much brothers, sisters and every person who is praying for peace in Ukraine here in Taizé.
Terrible acts of terrorism still continue in Ukraine. Two weeks ago, a children’s hospital in Kyiv, capital of Ukraine, and several cities around, were attacked by Russian missiles. At least 36 people have been killed and more than 140 injured. Every day and even now people are dying and suffering, but we don’t need pity, we need friends, we need people who are with us. We need this feeling that we are not alone.
Be interested, ask more about the war in Ukraine, be informed. We need solidarity, empathy, prayer - because we feel your support and prayers.
You can keep in touch with Ukrainians by different ways for example social media, letters, calls. Thank you.”
Oksana you were at the European meeting in Ljubljana earlier this year. Why was this important for you?
“Once upon a time, namely this winter I had a great opportunity to be a part of Taize in Ljubljana.
It was actually unique experience in my life. Several thousand people united in one place for prayer – it is something incredible indeed. When we met together with candles in everyone’s hands, it felt like being on another planet with a lot of small sources of light such as from everyone’s heart, something amazing, then we began to pray. I guess it was that moment I felt the presence of the Holy Spirit in special way between us probably third time in my life. It’s hard to describe, you have to feel it.
I remember Ljubljana especially because of the people, sisters Daria and Marietta met us with incredible warmth.
I know that there are also people from Slovenia here, so if you know Sisters Daria and Marietta, please give them sincere greetings and thanks from Ukrainians. ”
At the end of this year, our European meeting will take place in Tallinn, the capital of Estonia. We want to go there to pray for peace. We will be able to experience together a sign of unity in Christ and also of a Europe that is open and welcoming to all. Come and join us from 28 December to 1 January!
Come along tomorrow evening already at 8pm to the church. As we do every Friday evening, we’ll be praying silently for peace in all the zones of conflict in our world. We often don’t know how to react when faced with the suffering that human beings impose on others, but praying in silence allows us to put everything before God and raises within us the desire to become pilgrims of peace wherever God places us.
Thank you for coming to Taizé this week, and God’s blessing be with you all as you prepare for your return home.