St Margaret's Church Prestwich

Rev Sue gave this sermon on Wednesday 17 January. Here it is for you again.

St Anthony lived for over a hundred years from 250 to 355. These were turbulent times for Christianity. The first half of his life was during the reign of the emperor Diocletian, who put many Christians to death in an attempt to stamp out a religion that would not bow to the authority of the state. In a complete reversal, when Anthony was 62 the current emperor Constantine converted to Christianity, making it the state religion of the Roman Empire. Meanwhile, controversy about doctrine raged within the church. This was more than an argument between academics. Arius, who denied that Jesus was God, was both excommunicated and exiled, by Athanasius, the bishop. It was this Athanasius who, having known Anthony personally wrote his biography.

Antony was born in Egypt to wealthy Christian parents, who did their best to protect him from the influences of the pagan world. They died when he was 19, leaving him very rich. He was in church one morning and heard the story of the rich young man, and Jesus words, ‘If you wish to be perfect, go, sell your possessions, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me’. They went straight to his heart, and he gave all his wealth away, keeping only enough to sustain both him and his sister. He knew of a hermit living in the desert, and for 15 years, he went to live with him. Even that wasn’t enough. At the age of 35 he went to live in an abandoned fort in total solitude. People threw him bread, salt and water over the wall. He refused to see visitors. And yet they kept coming, and hermits were drawn to live near him in caves and huts. After 20 years he gave in and emerged from his isolation perfectly healthy, and spent the next 5 or 6 years organising the other hermits into a monastic community. He spent the last 45 years of his life living with his disciples, growing vegetables, weaving mats and giving advice to people who came to see him. Visitors recognised him by the joy shining in his face.

I suppose there may be people called to the solitary life who are completely cut off from the world, but by definition we know nothing about them. Many, in spite of their inclinations have contributed much to the world. Sr Wendy, who died only a few years ago, for example, inspired many with her love of art. Anthony was well aware of the persecutions, and left his solitude to make a trip to the city of Alexandria to encourage the Christians there, and visit those imprisoned for their faith. He would willingly have died with them, but it was not to be. When he was very old he visited Alexandria again to support Athanasius in declaring that Jesus is God as well as man, and to preach to the public. He influenced generations of philosophers, politicians and Christian leaders.

Each one of us needs to balance our lives between solitude and being with other people, and between prayer and service. Many Christians find that in the latter part of their lives prayer and solitude play a greater part. In the church as a whole we need people who live lives of prayer, and people who work for God’s Kingdom in practical ways, serving others and working for justice and peace. Many will tell you how it is only the prayer of others that keeps them going in times of disappointment or exhaustion.

Someone asked Anthony, ‘What must one do in order to please God?’ The old man replied, ‘Pay attention to what I tell you: whoever you may be, always have God before your eyes; whatever you do, do it according to the testimony of the holy Scriptures; in whatever place you live, do not easily leave it. Keep these three precepts and you will be saved.’

To paraphrase, always be aware of God with you and within you, whatever you are doing. Read the Bible and follow its teaching. Look for ways to serve God where you are, in your every day life. The advice is as good now as it was all those centuries ago.