EASTER – ROGATION SUNDAY

May my words and my thoughts be acceptable to you, O Lord, my refuge and my redeemer. (Psalm 19:14)

SEASON: EASTER – ROGATION SUNDAY
PROPER: 6 C
PLACE: St. John's Parish, Kingsville
DATE: May 20, 2001

TEXT: John 14:23-29 – “I have said these things to you while I am still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and remind you of all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.”

ISSUE: This sermon is intended to be a brief explanation of Rogation and a call to God’s people to be prayerful in such a way that the Holy Spirit of God’s redeeming presence may give peace and encouragement for our lives in this world.
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The Sunday, which precedes the Feast of the Ascension, which is celebrated this week on Thursday, and next Sunday as the Sunday after the Ascension has been traditionally referred to as Rogation Sunday. Our 1928 Prayer Book did, in fact, refer to this as Rogation Sunday. The word Rogation comes from the Latin word “rogare” which means to pray or to ask.

The origin of the Rogation observance dates back to about 400 A.D. It was intended to replace a pagan celebration called “Robiglia,” which were processions through the cornfields with incantations to drive out evil spirits and the asking the gods to preserve crops from mildew. Christian communities adapted the practice for the purpose of praying to the God of the Jesus and Israelites to bless and preserve the crops that there would be a good harvest. The occasion was enhance even more by St. Mamertus of Vienne in 470 A.D. who wrote litanies for the purpose of asking God to prevent harm to his people when some volcanic eruptions threatened his Diocese. The commemoration of Rogation processions spread throughout Gaul and eventually into England. Just prior to the Ascension Feast Christian people would process during the three days of Rogation around the parish boundaries, asking, or praying, for God’s blessings upon the fields, flocks, and farm animals. For a brief period the processions were suppressed in England, but restored when Elizabeth I came to the throne. At this point the three days Rogation Days, or minor Rogation days, were considered to be days of fasting and abstinence. They became a kind of minor or small Lenten-like observance prior to the Ascension Feast, which celebrates Jesus’ ascension into the heavens.

In our present 1979 Prayer Book, there is no mention of Rogation Celebration. There is, however, forms for Rogation Procession provided in The Book of Occasional Offices, also published by the Episcopal Church, in 1979, with prayers in a litany form for fair weather, blessings upon the land, the water, and the air. There is an emphasis now on the ecological issues that we face in our time.

The Church in the Philippines, as I understand it, added still another custom, that of giving out bamboo crosses for people to set up in their fields or gardens at home to remind them of God’s blessings upon the land, the crops, the good earth. For some thirty years here at St. John’s we have continued the practice of procession outdoors on this Sunday and asking God’s blessing upon the earth, and have planted a new tree or shrub. We adapted the practice of giving out crosses to be place in our people’s gardens as a sign of God’s presence upon this good earth, and as a reminder of our need to be ecologically concerned.

Today after 10:30 a.m. Eucharist, we are also procession out of doors, planting some flowers around the new sign on Belair Rd., distributing crosses, and dedicating the new sign to the memory of Philip C. Curley. Phil Curley stood at the door of this church for many years welcoming both adults and children into Sunday worship services, and on many Christmas Eve Services. His friendly welcoming warmth comforted many people and was very inviting. It seems appropriate that the new sign whose intention is to convey some of our activities and to be welcoming to folks passing by should be dedicated to Phil’s memory.
Do keep in mind that this season is about primarily about prayer. It is about calling upon or asking God’s presence to be with us in our lives. As the early Christian Community of John feared tremendously the absence of Jesus, and the eventually death of all the eyewitnesses to Jesus, his death, and resurrection there was the fear that in some way they would lose the blessings, the presence, the hope given by Jesus and the apostles. In the Gospel, today, Jesus in John’s Gospel account assures that church that they will not be alone, that there will be an advocate for them and with them. God’s Holy Spirit will prevail and guide the church down through the ages. Even today we do need an Advocate, a spiritual presence that will be our guard and guide. If we go to the hospital, it’s always good to have someone one, husband, wife, or family member at our side to ask questions to check the prescriptions and the benefit of the procedures. People who join groups like Alcoholics Anonymous or other Twelve Step Groups are assigned an advocate, a person we can turn to for help over rough spots in our lives. We are often powerless over certain situations in our lives. Yet we have the Holy Spirit of God as our Advocate. Invite the Spirit of God into your life through prayer. Seek the guidance, and ask God to provide for our needs. Ask God’s Spirit to make us loving, compassionate caring, and devoted people with mission and purpose in the world, that we may be resonant, at one with God’s purposes for the generations to come. Jesus Christ assured his disciples and believers, the Advocate, the Holy Spirit would be there for them. His peace would sustain them. There is nothing to fear. I am with you always.