Bishop Mary's Inauguration Sermon

Dduw, gwnaethost ni i ti dy hun ac mae ein calonnau yn aflonydd nes iddynt gael eu gorffwysfa ynot. Amen.

Wel, mae hyn i gyd ychydig yn llethol! – This is all quite overwhelming...

I want to begin by thanking everyone here for your welcome: Friends who’ve made long journeys and/or given up their weekend to be here. To a host of busy people: civic guests, ecumenical friends, faith-leaders and politicians who’ve made time to be here. And of course, I’m indebted to our Dean the Very Rev’d Richard Peers, to David Williamson at Llys Esgob, Canon Mark Preece and all the team of amazing people who’ve worked so hard to make today's celebration such a special and joyful occasion. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

It is quite overwhelming to see my name added to the list of Bishops of Llandaff – amongst great colleagues who’ve held this role and who continue to be wonderfully supportive of the work of the Christian community here, and the list of heroes of the faith including, William Morgan, and reaching back to Saints Dyfrig, Teilo and Euddogwy. Whose faith and witness extended across Wales and even further afield (I have to promise colleagues that I’m not on a raid from the North – come to take St Dyfrig’s bones back to Ynys Enlli!).

The saints are important, they remind us all of the great cloud of witnesses - all the living and departed who we believe pray for us and are a constant sign of God’s love and hope. We all need encouragement on our faith journey, and we find this also in our readings.

Both of the readings we’ve heard in our service speak of the life that God always invites us to. These passages are read by Christians across the world, and it’s wonderful to me that today’s Gospel includes my confirmation text. Aged 13 when I made my own commitment to Christ, I was given words that we heard in the Gospel, “The Spirit gives life”.

And God calls us to be bold and brave today.

Mae ein darlleniadau i gyd yn dweud sut mae Duw yn ein galw ni i fywyd. Our readings are all about life.

In the Welsh reading we heard about a miracle from the early church: Tabitha/or Dorcas – a faithful, Christian known for her great service to her community and love for her neighbours. Tabitha had lived well and died, and her community were full of grief. Peter the apostle prays over her body and calls her back to life. Her revival brings many to faith.

There is so much here about God’s call to new life.

It happens in Joppa – a famous place in the Bible – this is where Jonah the prophet fled when God called him to Nineveh and he didn’t want to go. It was a place of shelter, from where God called him to be brave. And God calls us to be bold and brave today.

It is also the city where Peter had a vision of God’s inclusivity that challenged him to learn new things so that he was able to say, “God is not one to show partiality” and to welcome those he’d previously hesitated to engage with. I’m proud that the Church in Wales is making steps forward in being more inclusive, we know we have a way to go with this. Learning new things is at the heart of faith. I am so glad that education and our amazing schools (including our church schools), and our colleges and universities, are at the heart of our diocesan life.

When Peter prays for Tabitha he uses words that echo the words in Aramaic that Jesus had said when he raised a girl from death. Jesus said to Jairus’ daughter, “Talitha koum” – “little girl arise”. Peter says, “Tabitha koum” Tabitha get up. When Peter does what Jesus did, there’s new life. God calls us from fear, to a wider vision, God calls us all, at whatever stage of life, to life in all its fullness, to be joyful. Our task, like Peter’s is to do what Jesus did, to see with his eyes and imagination, to speak Christ’s words of life, healing and hope and to be active and bold signs of Jesus’ love and grace for others.

Mae ein darlleniad o’r Efengyl hefyd yn ymwneud â galwad Duw i fywyd. Nid yw Iesu yn disgleirio dros yr anawsterau o gael ffydd. Our Gospel speaks about life and the difficulties of keeping the faith.

The most frequently asked question I’ve had so far is, so Bishop Mary how are you going to halt decline and build-up the church? I can’t. Together we might.

And when it’s not easy we can take comfort in this part of John’s Gospel where Jesus himself experiences many people walking away from him and his teaching. And yet that’s not the end of the story. The Gospel is about faith that brings life.

But faith is controversial even in Jesus’ day. We sometimes might imagine that belief in God has only become complex because of modern views or issues. The Gospel tells us that keeping the faith was never easy or undemanding. It was always costly.

We heard in the reading today that some who’d listened to Jesus’ teaching complained and grumbled, even took offence at his message. Complaining, taking offence amongst the people of God! Surely not! Can we imagine that happening amongst ourselves!!

Thanks be to God that our maker knows us so well and loves us. Into our need, struggle and brokenness God gives a gift – The Spirit who gives life who shows us a different way.

Jesus calls his closest followers together and he demonstrates what this looks like. He shows the most loving respect for them, asking, what do you want? Do you want to walk away too? He wants his friends to follow in love and not fear.

In Jesus, Peter found a new world opening up, the world of God.

Simon Peter answers – as Martha does a few chapters later, with a confession of faith “to whom else can we go? You have the words of eternal life”. Peter has begun to understand something deeper about faith. It is not “where shall we go?” but “to whom?” faith is relational.

In Jesus, Peter found a new world opening up, the world of God. He’s beginning to see as Jesus sees, starting to learn to love others as Jesus loves them. His former, predictable life is becoming fresh, surprising and hopeful because of Jesus. We might hear this as a call to us, to also look at one another and our world through the loving, respectful and gentle eyes of Jesus.

And that’s what we are called into as people of faith today. Jesus became like us so that we can learn to become Christ-like too.

And this is why the prospect of ministry here in Llandaff is so exciting. It’s an important time to be able to show that faith matters. And it is great that our Church nationally is ready to make a significant investment in extending our work.

Our challenge is to work effectively together, recognising the gift of our diversity, being Jesus-centred, open to learn new things and relational, loving kind in all that we do.

God calls us now to be spirit-led people of life. Renewed and refreshed in our faith so that we can bring hope to others.

The Christian Church has a voice that can speak to war-torn lives and communities, that can speak words of healing to the wounded, we can provide welcome to the dispossessed and lonely, a place of sanctuary for the vulnerable and we can speak, learn and act for transformation on huge matters such as; the Climate Emergency, the issues around the dignity and value of every human life, the cost of living crisis and human-trafficking to name just some of the big issues that we face.

God calls us now to be spirit-led people of life. Renewed and refreshed in our faith so that we can bring hope to others. To grow the church as a resource of prayer, learning, engagement and hope.

I’m excited at the call to be a leader in the Church in Wales amongst a vibrant community of faith voices here. Wonderful to feel connected with different parts of our church and society. Working in friendship with others at every level is so important, in ministry areas, across our diocese and the Church in Wales, with our ecumenical partners and friends and with wider faith communities and with all who are seeking to work for justice hope, dignity and peace for all creation.

There is so much potential for us to build on and extend the work that began here many centuries ago.

With Llandaff Diocese I will do all that I can to enable us to work together to continue to show that faith matters, that we have a joyful story to tell and to build our capacity to do good.

Gweddiwn

God who brings life, thank you that you call each of us and that you gift us in particular ways to bless your work of creation. Help each of us to hear your call, to recognise our gifts and to use them wisely to bring hope and healing to others. Amen.

Dduw sy’n dod â bywyd, Diolch dy fod ti’n galw pob un ohonom ni a’th fod yn rhoi inni mewn ffyrdd arbennig i fendithio dy waith creu. Cynorthwya bob un ohonom i glywed dy alwad, i adnabod ein doniau ac i'w defnyddio'n ddoeth i ddod â gobaith ac iachâd i eraill. Amen.