2023
And so our week at St Mike’s comes to an end. At this time, I think I should say a brief word as to why this Conference is called St Mike’s, why St Michael and all the angels were and are chosen as the Patron Saints of this event. It strikes me that there are, at least, two reasons. There are two broad functions of the angels which make them ideal patrons. The first is the most obvious. The angels act as guardians. The Morning Prayer lesson concerning St Peter makes this point as does the Gospel for the Feast. It would be better for an individual to be thrown into the sea with a great weight tied to their necks than for someone to undermine the Faith of a young child! Angels are often the means whereby, the vehicles if you like, of Our Father’s protective love. This implies as well that we are involved in a spiritual warfare – we have enemies – not other humans, but primarily and principally demonic forces which seek to undermine Faith. As Fr Laskey’s course has made clear, not everyone wishes us well. There are those who encourage us to be selfish, and cynical. There are many who encourage us to be petty fault finders and self-absorbed - those whose say our motto must be, “It’s all about me.” They claim this is the road to happiness, but it is the happiness of the fallen angels and their final end is literally hellish.
The second, and less obvious role of the angels is as example. What do they spend most of their time doing? The angels’ primary task or function is worship. They stand in the direct and immediate presence of God … forever. There, in the immediate presence of God, they find all they want and desire – all the love they can possibly absorb and yet there is more love and joy to be had. They are filled, complete. They lack nothing. They desire nothing more. They possess Him and God is all, in all.
But what of this past week at St Mike’s here at Camp Medley? Do you fully grasp the uniqueness of this event? Folks have come – all the way from Ontario and Quebec to be here – both as instructors and as conferees – most of a family in one case. And there is the intergenerational aspect of St Mike’s. Where else can you or do you ‘hang-out’ with seniors as you did this week at St Mike’s? Our world and especially your world are so extremely segregated these days. When or where else do you share space, events and time with grand-parent age people? Ours is an extremely age and ‘interests’ segregated society – St Mike’s seeks to transcend this segregation. St Mike’s is a place to overcome this societal segregation. St Mike’s consciously wants us to live in the diversity and complexity of the Communion of Saints. And this is a truly good thing.
And so, what is it which, at its best, St Mike’s enables us to ‘take home’ with us this day? Well, really the answer can be summed up under three categories you all know so well – memories, understanding and love.
Memories. We hope that you have positive memories to take with you. Memories of new friends, of people your own age who share your interests and your struggles. Interests and struggles which include seeking to be Faithful to Jesus in a confusing and chaotic world. Maybe even memories of old men – like I was label the other night. Of old men and women who aren’t so strange as to be labelled alien, who perhaps know something useful about seeking to be faithful to Jesus. Memories of the pool, of soccer baseball and of food that tasted really quite good after a busy day.
Understanding. All your instructors pray that their time and efforts have borne some fruit – that you heard and learned things that both applied to your Faith and that were interesting. That in the world out there, the world where Faith is not a popular word and that when our Lord’s name is spoken it is more often as a curse than as a praise or a blessing, that your time here has given you a touch of confidence, a sense that you are not alone in striving to be faithful. An understanding that Faith is an important part of life, that Faith can indeed be the key to a good life. And that you are loved and despite shortcomings common to us all, you are loveable. Above all, that you may be confident in God’s love for you.
Finally, there is Love. This entire week, the whole enterprise of St Mike’s Youth Conference is an exercise in love. At a merely human level, it is an expression of the love and concern of St Mike’s leaders and instructors and staff. They know something of God’s love and they sought to live it this week with you. Our goal is one of living together as a community of Faith seeking to live and learn and thereby experience more of the love of God for us and in us. Love for God and for one another no matter how different we may look or be from one another. The love of the Father for the Son in the power of their Holy Spirit is what makes this week special. As we leave this place may we continue to live and move in that Love. And now to God …
Amen.
