Sanctuary for Sinners
I write about the ancient practice of Sancturary, Kevin Redgewell reflects on why he wants to be a Secular Franciscan in Inverness and Bishop Moth talks about onions. Welcome!
Like many people this year my family and I holidayed in the UK, although for us, it was to be present at some significant birthdays. As part of our time there we visited Durham Cathedral. As we waited outside for the Cathedral to open I went over to the main door and on it was the famous Sanctuary knocker. The current knocker is a replica of the 12th Century version held in the museum. See picture below.
The purpose of this was that if a person had been accused of a serious offense, they could knock on the door and the monks would give them sanctuary for 37 days. This was so they could either sort out the problem or prepare to leave the kingdom forever. This particular tradtion in Durham began in the reign of King Guthred of Northumbria between 883-894 AD. But the practice of seeking sancturary in a holy place began with the Romans and Greeks, and then copied by the Church. By the 4th Century a Roman edict commanded that anyone who sought sanctuary in the Church could not then be captured by the State. This edict, along with the Churches legal right to give Sanctuary spread across Europe, and all through the medieval period. In England the practice ended in 1624, being repealed by James I . Sanctuary saved lives, could avoid miscarriages of justice and provided the means, in the Church’s eye, for a sinner to repent and come back to God. More important, they felt, than State punishment. (As a former Prison Officer I agree!)
As I gazed at this door knocker, and after doing a quick bit of googling to find out about it, I was so struck by this very visible and institutional act of grace that people could turn to for protection. Pope Francis in his weekly audience on August 9th 2017 said:
Christ’s heart embodies and reveals the heart of God, who, wherever there is a man or woman suffering, wishes healing, liberation, full life for him or her. This is why Jesus opens his arms to sinners. How many people even today persist in an ill-chosen life because they have found no one willing to look at them in a different way, with the eyes, or better, with the heart of God, that is, to look at them with hope. Jesus instead sees a possibility for resurrection even in those who have amassed many mistaken choices. Jesus is always there, with an open heart; he throws open that mercy that he has in his heart; he forgives, embraces, understands and draws near: that is how Jesus is!
When I speak to people about God, or invite them to Church, often the first response I get is that they have done ‘too many things’ to be able to walk comfortably into a Church. They feel a sense of guilt and shame in their lives and do not think they might be welcome in the Church; indeed even finding forgiveness or healing through the Church an impossibility, or that God actually loves them. So people turn away and unfortunately we Christians already in the Church can be quite good at encouraging that.
Pope Francis spoke about how we forget the ‘high cost’ of this love that Christ doled out on all of us. Throughout Jesus’ ministry the religious authorities were scandalized by the forgivness of Jesus, how he would not seperate himself from the sinner but would eat with them. Do we show that same radical love today? Is our Parishes welcoming places for people, no matter what they have done? Do we provide a safe space in which people can share their pain, beyond that of Confession?
The Sanctuary knocker in Durham is a powerful reminder to us that the gospel of love is for all, whomever they are and wherever they are, and that one of the primary roles of the Church is to provide sanctuary for sinners, the lost, the desperate and the broken. Whilst our society is quick to condemn and cancel, we should be quick to love and liberate through the power of the gospel.
Eric Hanna | Nairn
Journeys are like Onions: In last year’s Oblates retreat at Pluscarden, Bishop Moth spoke on our journey with God.
The Secular Franciscans: Every so often we will carry articles about ordinary lay people in the Church here in Scotland who have taken their lives to a deeper level in terms of commitment. This week Kevin Redgewell of the Highland Deanery talks about why he is drawn to the Secular Fransciscans. This is a two part series,
St Augustine: A man who knew his own weakness. A 20 minute podcast from Edward Sri on the encouragement St Augustines life offers us. His feast day is today.
If you are on Facebook, become a member of the Word On Fire Group and watch Pivotal Players: St Augustine for free all day today.
The Beheading of St John the Baptist: Speaking the truth, no matter what; St Bede the Venerable talks about the death of St John.
And Finally…. The wonderful Tenbrae Choir perform Miserere Mei, Deus. See here for the English translation.
St Augustine of Hippo
Alas for me! Through your own merciful dealings with me, O Lord my God, tell me what you are to me. Say to my soul, I am your salvation. Say it so that I can hear it. My heart is listening, Lord; open the ears of my heart and say to my soul, I am your salvation. Let me run towards this voice and seize hold of you. Do not hide your face from me: let me die so that I may see it, for not to see it would be death to me indeed.
An excerpt from The Confessions.
God Bless and have a good week!