Third Sunday after Epiphany, Sunday, January 26th, 2014
Fr. Todd Bragg
Anglican Church of the Holy Spirit
Greenfield, Indiana
" His mother saith unto the servants, whatsoever He saith unto you, do it." (St. John 2:1ff)
or
"Play dirty and pray!"
Now, you probably noticed that the first quotation I read to you was from the Gospel that we just heard from the second chapter of St. John's Gospel. But you might be scratching your head wondering what that second quotation was from: "Play dirty and pray!" This was one of the favorite sayings of Bishop James Mote, whom I had the great honour of knowing and being friends with in the last years of his life.
When I tell you that Bishop Mote was a true pioneer, I do not use that term lightly. He was one of the first four bishops consecrated back in 1978 when those of us in what has come to be known as the "Continuing Churches" left the Episcopal Church.
Bishop Mote was a Hoosier. He was born and raised in Indianapolis and from his youth, he was always a committed Anglo-Catholic. As a young man, he served in the United States Army during the Second World War and even fought in the Battle of the Bulge. He was given the Bronze Star for his bravery. When the War was over, he returned back home and eventually went to the Seminary, receiving his theology training from Nashota House. Upon his ordination to the priesthood, he ended up in St. Mary's Parish in Denver, Colorado, assisting Fr. Lehman. Upon the death of Fr. Lehman, then Father Mote became the rector of St. Mary's and he was associated with his beloved parish of St. Mary's for fifty years.
As stated earlier, when many people were beginning to grow weary of the changes in the Episcopal Church in the 1960's and 1970's, particularly the changes to the Book of Common Prayer and also the coming ordination of women, Bishop Mote led his parish out of the Episcopal Communion. Again, along with many other faithful Anglicans and Episcopalians throughout the country, this was the beginnings of the Continuing Churches.
Upon his retirement, Bishop Mote moved to Florida for a few years, but after that, he moved back to his native Indianapolis where he lived out the final years of his life. It was during this time that I got to know Bishop Mote very well because I would spend time with him in church and outside of church. Bishop Mote was a character. He would repeat the same stories over and over again but I would have gladly listened to those stories a thousand more times. I considered him to be not only a wonderful friend but a true inspiration to me as a priest. When I was ordained to the priesthood in 2002, I had the great honour of having Bishop Mote lay hands on me when I was ordained. And before he died, he gave me his Mass set, which I still use every time I celebrate Mass at St. Margaret. Thus, when I celebrate Mass I cannot help but think of him.
Now, Bishop Mote was truly a pioneer in the history of the Continuing Churches and Anglicanism, in general, but this is not why I regard him so greatly. Through knowing Bishop Mote, I discovered that he was many things as a priest, but chiefly I discovered that Bishop Mote, as a priest, was: Humble; Prayerful; and Faithful.
Firstly, Bishop Mote was humble. As mentioned above, the fact that Bishop Mote was a bishop and the fact that he was a real pioneer in the true sense of the word, you would probably expect Bishop Mote to be treated as such, with much dignity and respect. But Bishop Mote would have none of that. He was, first and foremost, very humble. " . . . all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble." (I St. Peter 5:5-6) Bishop Mote was humble to a fault. There were many times that we would have a church dinner, where you would find Bishop Mote pouring coffee; picking up dishes; cleaning tables; washing dishes; etc. He was a bishop, yes, but he remembered that he was a servant, first and foremost.
When I was a young priest, newly ordained, I was assigned to say the Tuesday and Friday daily Masses each week. Where there was no one to serve, Bishop Mote would insist on serving the Mass for me. I begged Bishop Mote to switch places with me so that he could say Mass and I could serve for him but he would have nothing to do with that. He insisted on serving Mass for me because he stated that I was the one that was scheduled to say the Mass so he wanted to serve for me.
" . . . but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your servant; and whosoever will be great among you, let him be your servant. Even as the Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His life as a ransom for many." (St. Matthew 20:26-28)
Bishop Mote truly followed the example of Our Blessed Saviour, Who came to serve. The Master taught the Disciples through example. So did Bishop Mote.
Secondly, Bishop Mote was prayerful. "Pray without ceasing." (I Thessalonians 5:17) Some of my favorite recollections of Bishop Mote was when I would arrive at church, no matter how early I would get there, Bishop Mote would always be there praying in the front pew. I remember Bishop Mote had a binder where he had his prayer intentions typed out and he would spend his time praying for each and every one of these intentions. If someone asked Bishop Mote for prayers, he definitely took these requests seriously and would pray. Bishop Mote, if you ever talked to him, always had a wonderful smile on his face. Certainly, this came from his relationship with His Saviour. He had an intimate relationship with Our Blessed Saviour, which he spent time with God each and every day. Bishop Mote used his prayer time as a time to get to know God. He had a confident relationship with God because he spent time with God on a daily basis.
Thirdly, Bishop Mote was faithful. "And I will raise me up a faithful priest, that shall do according to that which is as mine heart and in my mind: and I will build him a sure house; and he shall walk before mine anointed for ever." (I Samuel 2:35) Bishop Mote was faithful to God but also was faithful to his beliefs as a devout Christian / Anglo-Catholic. Bishop Mote did not just talk the talk, he walked the walk. As mentioned earlier, as a parish priest, when he saw that the Episcopal Church was going astray from their roots, he cut ties and left. In many ways, it certainly would have been easier and simpler to just stay and not leave. But as a committed Anglo-Catholic, he made the decision to leave and he did just that. Later, Bishop Mote also spent many hours in prayer at the abortion clinics. In fact, when Operation Rescue took place, Bishop Mote traveled to Atlanta and got arrested in the abortion protests there. And while in jail, he witnessed not only to the prisoners but to the guards! Bishop Mote remained faithful to God throughout his entire life. He led by example, first and foremost. He was firmly committed to his relationship with God and he let others know about God not only through the words he spoke but the actions he took.
As I have described so far, these are certainly wonderful qualities to find in a priest, but honestly these qualities described are what we should find in any committed Christian: humility; prayerfulness; faithfulness. This attributes come from a having a daily relationship with God. Bishop Mote had this and so should we.
or
"Play dirty and pray!"
Now, you probably noticed that the first quotation I read to you was from the Gospel that we just heard from the second chapter of St. John's Gospel. But you might be scratching your head wondering what that second quotation was from: "Play dirty and pray!" This was one of the favorite sayings of Bishop James Mote, whom I had the great honour of knowing and being friends with in the last years of his life.
When I tell you that Bishop Mote was a true pioneer, I do not use that term lightly. He was one of the first four bishops consecrated back in 1978 when those of us in what has come to be known as the "Continuing Churches" left the Episcopal Church.
Bishop Mote was a Hoosier. He was born and raised in Indianapolis and from his youth, he was always a committed Anglo-Catholic. As a young man, he served in the United States Army during the Second World War and even fought in the Battle of the Bulge. He was given the Bronze Star for his bravery. When the War was over, he returned back home and eventually went to the Seminary, receiving his theology training from Nashota House. Upon his ordination to the priesthood, he ended up in St. Mary's Parish in Denver, Colorado, assisting Fr. Lehman. Upon the death of Fr. Lehman, then Father Mote became the rector of St. Mary's and he was associated with his beloved parish of St. Mary's for fifty years.
As stated earlier, when many people were beginning to grow weary of the changes in the Episcopal Church in the 1960's and 1970's, particularly the changes to the Book of Common Prayer and also the coming ordination of women, Bishop Mote led his parish out of the Episcopal Communion. Again, along with many other faithful Anglicans and Episcopalians throughout the country, this was the beginnings of the Continuing Churches.
Upon his retirement, Bishop Mote moved to Florida for a few years, but after that, he moved back to his native Indianapolis where he lived out the final years of his life. It was during this time that I got to know Bishop Mote very well because I would spend time with him in church and outside of church. Bishop Mote was a character. He would repeat the same stories over and over again but I would have gladly listened to those stories a thousand more times. I considered him to be not only a wonderful friend but a true inspiration to me as a priest. When I was ordained to the priesthood in 2002, I had the great honour of having Bishop Mote lay hands on me when I was ordained. And before he died, he gave me his Mass set, which I still use every time I celebrate Mass at St. Margaret. Thus, when I celebrate Mass I cannot help but think of him.
Now, Bishop Mote was truly a pioneer in the history of the Continuing Churches and Anglicanism, in general, but this is not why I regard him so greatly. Through knowing Bishop Mote, I discovered that he was many things as a priest, but chiefly I discovered that Bishop Mote, as a priest, was: Humble; Prayerful; and Faithful.
Firstly, Bishop Mote was humble. As mentioned above, the fact that Bishop Mote was a bishop and the fact that he was a real pioneer in the true sense of the word, you would probably expect Bishop Mote to be treated as such, with much dignity and respect. But Bishop Mote would have none of that. He was, first and foremost, very humble. " . . . all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble." (I St. Peter 5:5-6) Bishop Mote was humble to a fault. There were many times that we would have a church dinner, where you would find Bishop Mote pouring coffee; picking up dishes; cleaning tables; washing dishes; etc. He was a bishop, yes, but he remembered that he was a servant, first and foremost.
When I was a young priest, newly ordained, I was assigned to say the Tuesday and Friday daily Masses each week. Where there was no one to serve, Bishop Mote would insist on serving the Mass for me. I begged Bishop Mote to switch places with me so that he could say Mass and I could serve for him but he would have nothing to do with that. He insisted on serving Mass for me because he stated that I was the one that was scheduled to say the Mass so he wanted to serve for me.
" . . . but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your servant; and whosoever will be great among you, let him be your servant. Even as the Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His life as a ransom for many." (St. Matthew 20:26-28)
Bishop Mote truly followed the example of Our Blessed Saviour, Who came to serve. The Master taught the Disciples through example. So did Bishop Mote.
Secondly, Bishop Mote was prayerful. "Pray without ceasing." (I Thessalonians 5:17) Some of my favorite recollections of Bishop Mote was when I would arrive at church, no matter how early I would get there, Bishop Mote would always be there praying in the front pew. I remember Bishop Mote had a binder where he had his prayer intentions typed out and he would spend his time praying for each and every one of these intentions. If someone asked Bishop Mote for prayers, he definitely took these requests seriously and would pray. Bishop Mote, if you ever talked to him, always had a wonderful smile on his face. Certainly, this came from his relationship with His Saviour. He had an intimate relationship with Our Blessed Saviour, which he spent time with God each and every day. Bishop Mote used his prayer time as a time to get to know God. He had a confident relationship with God because he spent time with God on a daily basis.
Thirdly, Bishop Mote was faithful. "And I will raise me up a faithful priest, that shall do according to that which is as mine heart and in my mind: and I will build him a sure house; and he shall walk before mine anointed for ever." (I Samuel 2:35) Bishop Mote was faithful to God but also was faithful to his beliefs as a devout Christian / Anglo-Catholic. Bishop Mote did not just talk the talk, he walked the walk. As mentioned earlier, as a parish priest, when he saw that the Episcopal Church was going astray from their roots, he cut ties and left. In many ways, it certainly would have been easier and simpler to just stay and not leave. But as a committed Anglo-Catholic, he made the decision to leave and he did just that. Later, Bishop Mote also spent many hours in prayer at the abortion clinics. In fact, when Operation Rescue took place, Bishop Mote traveled to Atlanta and got arrested in the abortion protests there. And while in jail, he witnessed not only to the prisoners but to the guards! Bishop Mote remained faithful to God throughout his entire life. He led by example, first and foremost. He was firmly committed to his relationship with God and he let others know about God not only through the words he spoke but the actions he took.
As I have described so far, these are certainly wonderful qualities to find in a priest, but honestly these qualities described are what we should find in any committed Christian: humility; prayerfulness; faithfulness. This attributes come from a having a daily relationship with God. Bishop Mote had this and so should we.
No comments:
Post a Comment