2 Thessalonians 3.6-13; Luke 21.5-19

You will be hated by all because of my name. But not a hair of your head will perish. By your endurance you will gain your souls.

May I speak in the name of the living God, who is creator, redeemer and sustainer. Amen.

41 years ago, a devastating fire engulfed the South Transept. It was only through the skill of the fire crews bringing down the roof, that the whole building wasn’t destroyed.

Some have speculated about conspiracies and hidden meanings behind that tragic event, and it is an example of our need to seek understanding and meaning in chaos.

Some people naively said that the fire, started by a lightning bolt was a sign at God’s anger at the controversial consecration of David Jenkins as Bishop of Durham. But the God I know wouldn’t do that, they certainly wouldn’t wait three days to do it if that was their intention!

They said he denied the virgin birth and the resurrection of Jesus. Bishop David was misquoted and his words taken out of context. He actually said that “The resurrection was not just a conjuring trick with bones.” And he was right, its so much more than that, but that’s a sermon for another day.

He challenged traditional views and faced a backlash for it.

He called out lazy assumptions that we simply believe what we’re told instead of seeking a living faith, wrestling with difficult topics and coming to our own informed conclusions.

His journey reminds us that standing firm in our beliefs can lead to persecution and misunderstanding. Yet, like the promise of Jesus, he found strength in enduring the trials. Our faith calls us to be courageous amidst opposition.

The fire was a devastating loss, but the controversy around it ignited conversations about faith, resilience, and the enduring spirit of a community. It mirrored what Jesus was talking about in our gospel reading. The temple faced destruction, and we too encounter fires of our own.

Jesus was in the temple, a place of beauty and reverence. The disciples were marvelling at the grandeur, seeing its magnificent stones and offerings.

Then Jesus drops a bombshell. He states it will all be destroyed. You can just see the look of disbelief on their faces. It’s a reminder that even in places where we feel secure and safe, change is inevitable.

Our gospel speaks directly into the heart of our life experience. It tells us that we will face challenges, trials, and tribulations. Jesus speaks of wars, insurrections, and natural disasters. But, in the midst of this ominous message, Jesus makes a promise. He tells the disciples that not a hair on their heads will perish and that by enduring, they will gain their souls. Telling us that, even in the face of adversity, there is always hope.

We live in a world where uncertainty seems to be the only constant. Just look around you at this beautiful building. I, like many of you are left at a loss for words to describe the wonder of this place, every time I look around, I see something new and it strengthens the closeness I feel to God when I’m in here.

Paul warns against idleness and encourages diligence in our work. This echoes the message from Luke where Jesus urges us to remain steadfast in our faith during difficult times. Both passages tell us that our faith should be active, not passive.

Jesus warns us that we will be questioned about our faith. But he also reassures us that we will not be alone. The Holy Spirit will empower us to speak boldly and truthfully in our defence. This promise is extended to each of us, inviting us to be witnesses to our faith every day even in the face of adversity, ridicule and rejection.

Think about the fires we are facing. It may be a personal struggle, a community issue, or the chaos which we see in the news every day.

Some of you are aware, I’ve had a personal battle with discrimination in the Navy and in the church.

Wrestling with faith and sexuality at a time when it was illegal in the forces prompted me to turn to a local church. It was a bold step to come forward at a time which could’ve cost me my career. Having built up the courage to seek guidance, I was banished from the building unless I considered some sort of therapy to “heal me” of my disease (his words, not mine!!)

I then went away to sea, and having no one to talk, my mental health plummeted, and things got as low as they possibly could.

But in all of that, God never left my side. God prevented me from doing something that I would regret. I was physically unable to move and when I accepted that hold, it became the warmest of embraces and I felt seen, acknowledged and valued by God for the first time.

It was people who abandoned me, not God. Things got a lot better after that. I had my happy ever after. God gave me someone to spend the rest of my life with, naval law changed, and I could finally begin to live as the person who I am, the person who God created.

I owe my life to God; it was given to me for a reason. That was when I decided to offer myself up for ordination and service to God.

We still live in a time when those who speak loudest are those who are opposed to and fearful of change. And unfortunately, by our silence, we become complicit in that voice. This is the image that is currently being presented to the wider world, but that’s not the church I know, it certainly isn’t true of our community here. But we are all guilty of apathy, just because an issue doesn’t affect us directly, we often can’t be that bothered to do anything about it.

Yes, we may be supportive of the issues raised, but our inaction and silence is the very thing that allows this prejudice and exclusion to continue.

I do get quite weary of banging my drum, here she goes again! Blah! Blah! Blah! When the abuse and derogatory comments come, and they will. To those people I say, I love you as God has called me to love you, but can you look inside yourself and by your words and actions, can you truly say the same to me?

The church is very divided. There is a lot of hurt and there is a lot of healing that needs to take place.

I can’t do this alone, and I know that the very Jesus who abides in me surrounds me and protects me, but it still hurts.

We at York Minster are in a privileged position. People look to us, as the Mother Church, for guidance. And when we speak, people hear.

As I put my head above the parapet, I would like to know that you have my back. That, together, we can be the catalyst for change. Together, we can make a difference.

Let’s make it clear to the world that York Minster is a place where everyone is welcomed, nurtured and accepted. That the beautiful building that we see reflecting God’s glory pales into the background of the beautiful people that are God’s people within it who are living as Christ did.

Speaking up, calling out the injustices around us, not just scrolling on or passing idly by. We should be more than simply witnesses of hope and resilience to a world that so desperately needs it. We can be agents of the change that the world needs to see.

Hold on to that promise of endurance. Face these trials with courage, trust in God and each other.

We are called to speak bold truths, to act justly, and to love unconditionally.

The fire in the South transported was extinguished 41 years ago, and the beautiful building we sit in is a testament to what can come from the destruction of the fires we face. but unfortunately, there will be other fires for us to face. Remember that every fire we endure, God is with us, holding us, guiding us, and empowering us. Giving us the strength to endure as Jesus has called us to do and giving us the spirit and resolution to change these injustices, one act at a time.

Amen.