Capel y Boro Service Intrada A talk on St Mungo by John Sun 26 April 2020 at 11am Ysbryd y tragwyddol Dduw, Jones – I disgyn arnom ni; Ysbryd y Replay: St Mungo / Power of tragwyddol Dduw, disgyn arnom the Resurrection ni: plyg ni, trin ni, golch ni, cod ni: Ysbryd y tragwyddol Dduw, Complete texts, readings, disgyn arnom ni. hymns with links, and translations Spirit of the eternal God, descend upon us; Spirit of the eternal God, descend upon us: fold us, treat us, wash us, raise us: Spirit of the eternal God, descend upon us.

Intrada and welcome

Blessed Assurance, Jesus is Blessed Assurance (F J van Alstyne) mine!

O what a foretaste of glory Talk on St Mungo I (John Jones) This is a great opportunity to divine: remind ourselves of our great 1 Thessalonians: 2 heir of salvation, purchase of friends and near neighbours at God; Capel y Boro, St. Mungo’s, a Talk on St Mungo 2 (John Jones) born of his spirit, washed in his refuge that provides essential blood. shelter for the homeless of Psalm 16 Southwark who we have been Refrain: Talk on St Mungo 3 (John Jones) supporting for some years with This is my story, this is my song, collections of toiletries. It dates praising my Saviour all the day Rho d'arweiniad Arglwydd tirion back to the 1960s and has been long; (Rhuddlan, Timothy Rees) doing great work for over 50 this is my story, this is my song, years. But it has to be said that praising my Saviour all the day W H Auden Refugee Blues its work is largely invisible and it followed by a Prayer long. is always good to remember the

charitable work going on under Jamie Smith Me, myself and I Perfect submission, perfect our noses. followed by a Celtic Blessing delight, I have done a little research visions of rapture burst on my The Lord’s my Shepherd about St. Mungo and was rather sight; (F Rous, rev. for Scottish Psalter) astonished by what I found out. angels descending bring from He was a sixth-century apostle in above Rhydwen Williams the kingdom of Strathclyde, an Pan ddaw fy nhro echoes of mercy, whispers of area in Glasgow which was love. formerly part of Yr Hen Ogledd, Philippians 3 the Old North. The name Perfect submission, all is at rest, Strathclyde was actually from the Dof fel yr wyf, 'does gennyf fi I in my Saviour am happy and (Charlotte Elliott, cyf. Eliza Evans) Welsh – Ystrad clud. The Old blest; North was a region that became watching and waiting, looking Power of the Resurrection – Scotland and was inhabited by Message by Geraint Tudur above, Celtic Britons in the early Middle filled with his goodness, lost in Ages. Its people spoke a variety Mawr oedd Crist yn his love. of the Brittonic or Brythoneg nhragwyddoldeb, (Bryn Myrddin, 1, language known as Cumbric, 3 Titus Lewis, 2 Anad.) https://www.youtube.com/watch? closely related to Old Welsh and v=n4pzveNsANw Blessing and closing music usually referred to as Early boarded the boat and sailed to be entrusted with the message Welsh. The region loomed large across the Firth of Forth where of the gospel, even so we speak, in Welsh literature and traditions she landed at Culross. In that not to please mortals, but to please God who tests our hearts. for centuries after its kingdoms respect, we can describe them as As you know and as God is our had long disappeared. It was refugees. Mungo was brought up witness, we never came with conquered by the Anglo Saxons by his uncle, St. Serf, in Culross, a words of flattery or words of a in the ninth century with village on the River Forth on the pretext for greed; nor did we Strathclyde incorporated into east of Scotland and began his seek praise from mortals, what became the kingdom of missionary work in the Clyde whether from you or others, Scotland in the eleventh century. area where Glasgow Cathedral though we might have made demands as apostles of Christ. Many Welsh texts were now stands. But we were gentle among you, attributed to the men of the like a nurse tenderly caring for North such as Taliesyn, Aneirin We now hear chapter 2 of the her own children. So deeply do and the Cynfeirdd poets. The first epistle to the Thessalonians we care for you that we are earliest Welsh poem is the sixth in which we hear Paul writing to determined to share with you century Y Gododdin by Aneurin the Thessalonians. He writes as not only the gospel of God but about the battle of Catraeth someone who has suffered also our own selves, because you have become very dear to us. which is present day Catterick in greatly for the gospel and

North Yorkshire. The name travelled far in order to tell You remember our labour and Carlisle was from the Welsh Caer people about Jesus. He has been toil, brothers and sisters; we Luel and Gododdin was a persecuted on his journeys but worked night and day, so that we kingdom in what is nowadays the he responds to that persecution might not burden any of you Lothian region around Edinburgh. with tenderness and love rather while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God. You are than revenge and violence. witnesses, and God also, how Mungo’s ancestry is recorded in pure, upright, and blameless our Bonedd y Saint, a genealogy of 1 Thessalonians: 2 conduct was towards you saints dating from the 13th believers. As you know, we dealt century. His birth name was with each one of you like a father Kentigern or Cyndeyrn, Mungo with his children, urging and being his pet name derived from encouraging you and pleading that you should lead a life worthy the Cumbric equivalent of Welsh of God, who calls you into his “fy nghy” – my dear one. There’s own kingdom and glory. a Llangyndeyrn in Carmarthenshire that some of We also constantly give thanks to you may know. His mother, God for this, that when you Denyw or Dwynwen, was the received the word of God that you heard from us, you accepted daughter of King Lleuddyn who it not as a human word but as ruled around the Lothian district what it really is, God’s word, of the kingdom of Gododdin in which is also at work in you the Old North. The word believers. For you, brothers and Lothian is a form of Lleuddyn. She sisters, became imitators of the apparently became pregnant after churches of God in Christ Jesus You yourselves know, brothers being raped by Owain mab Urien that are in Judea, for you suffered and sisters, that our coming to the same things from your own of Rheged, the region north of you was not in vain, but though compatriots as they did from the Cumbria and fled further north. we had already suffered and been Jews, who killed both the Lord Legend has it that when they shamefully maltreated at Philippi, Jesus and the prophets, and discovered she was pregnant as you know, we had courage in drove us out; they displease God before marriage, her family threw our God to declare to you the and oppose everyone by gospel of God in spite of great her off a cliff. She survived hindering us from speaking to the opposition. For our appeal does unharmed and was soon met by Gentiles so that they may be not spring from deceit or impure saved. Thus they have constantly an unmanned boat. She knew she motives or trickery, but just as been filling up the measure of had no home to go to so she we have been approved by God their sins; but God’s wrath has overtaken them at last. of the day – their common task and using the psalms to shape his As for us, brothers and sisters, of building the church giving them offering of praise. On one when, for a short time, we were an instant and enduring bond of occasion, having suffered from made orphans by being separated friendship and affection. And I’ll this endurance, he sent the boy from you – in person, not in heart – we longed with great give thanks for the great twin Asaph who was then attending eagerness to see you face to face. miracles that seem to have been him, to bring a blazing wood to For we wanted to come to you – part of his life. The miracle of burn and warm him. Asaph certainly I, Paul, wanted to again friendship and of being much instead brought him live coals in and again – but Satan blocked our loved. Mungo thereafter travelled his apron, and the miracle way. For what is our hope or joy to North Wales where he revealed to Kentigern the or crown of boasting before our founded a monastery in Llanelwy sanctity of his disciple. Lord at his coming? Is it not you? Yes, you are our glory and joy! (the church on the river Elwy) or The King of Strathclyde, St. Asaph. I have a personal Rhydderch Hael, invited the A talk on St Mungo by John connection here as my paternal elderly Mungo to return to his Jones – 2 grandparents lived in St. Asaph kingdom, appointing St.Asaph, and I have many happy memories one of Mungo’s followers, as of the place, in particular Bishop of Llanelwy in his place. wandering up the hill to visit the There in Strathclyde, Mungo lived cathedral. How little I knew a saintly life, attracting many about it then. While Mungo was followers and performing four there he undertook a pilgrimage miracles, represented in Glasgow to Rome. Apparently he went to city’s coat of arms. Rome seven times in all. An inveterate traveller.

The monastery in Llanelwy was described as being built in smoothed wood “seeing that they could not yet build in stone”. There were almost 1000

people attached to it; 300 A strong anti-Christian working the land, 300 worked in movement in Strathclyde forced the offices attending the diocese Mungo to leave the district and and 365 (the number come to Wales, staying for a corresponding with the days of while with St. David in St. the year) attended to the divine David’s. Mungo was a great services. There were three traveller and clearly cultivated choirs and it was documented friendships with those whom he that as soon as one choir had He also probably became the first met. He was much loved by St finished its service in church, bishop of Glasgow. On the spot David in Wales and his fame was immediately another followed it. where he died now stands the such that St Columba came cathedral dedicated to his visiting. When they met, it is said Legend has that Kentigern honour. His feast day is 13th that they “hastened to frequently prayed in the icy cold January. We will now hear in unite in mutual embraces and river Elwy. The truth is, we don’t Welsh Psalm 16 which is holy kisses, and having fattened know a huge amount about what associated with the feast of St. themselves first with a spiritual worship was like in those days. Mungo. feast of divine words, they However, it is reasonable to afterwards restored themselves presume that Mungo did what Psalm 16 with bodily food.” It isn’t difficult Christians have always done – to imagine them relaxing over praying as the sun came up and Y dewis gorau - Trystio Duw food and conversation at the end praying as the sun went down Wedi ei chofnodi gan Dafydd. As for the holy ones in the land, hope that Glasgow Cathedral, Amddiffyn fi, O Dduw; they are the noble, in whom is all whose patron saint is St. Mungo, dw i'n troi atat ti am loches. my delight. might be persuaded to make a Dywedais wrth yr Arglwydd, Those who choose another god large donation to the “Ti ydy fy Meistr i; multiply their sorrows; their homelessness project. mae fy lles i yn dibynnu arnat ti.” drink-offerings of blood I will not pour out or take their names We will now sing a hymn written Y bobl dduwiol yn y wlad ydy fy upon my lips. by Timothy Rees, appointed arwyr, dw i wrth fy modd gyda Bishop of Llandaff in 1931, and nhw. The Lord is my chosen portion the first member of a monastic Ond bydd y rhai sy'n dilyn and my cup; you hold my lot. community to be appointed to duwiau eraill yn cael llwyth o The boundary lines have fallen the church in Wales for over drafferthion! for me in pleasant places; I have a three centuries. Dw i eisiau dim i'w wneud â'u goodly heritage. I bless the Lord hoffrymau o waed. who gives me counsel; in the Rho d'arweiniad, Arglwydd Dw i ddim am eu henwi nhw hyd night also my heart instructs me. tirion, yn oed! I keep the Lord always before i'th lân Eglwys yn ein tir; Ti, Arglwydd, ydy'r un dw i eisiau. me; because he is at my right i'w hoffeiriaid a'i hesgobion Mae fy nyfodol i yn dy law di. hand, I shall not be moved. dyro weledigaeth glir: Rwyt ti wedi rhoi tir da i mi; Therefore my heart is glad, and gwna'i haelodau yn ganghennau mae gen i etifeddiaeth hyfryd. my soul rejoices; my body also ffrwythlon o'r Winwydden wir. rests secure. Bendithiaf yr Arglwydd am fy Boed i gadarn ffydd ein tadau arwain i; ac am siarad gyda mi yn For you do not give me up to gadw d'Eglwys rhag sarhad: y nos. Sheol, or let your faithful one see boed i ras ein hordinhadau Dw i mor ymwybodol fod yr the Pit. You show me the path of buro a sancteiddio'n gwlad: Arglwydd gyda mi. life. In your presence there is boed i'w gwyliau a'i hymprydiau Mae'n sefyll wrth fy ochr, a fydd fullness of joy; in your right hand chwyddo'r mawl yn nhŷ ein Tad. dim byd yn fy ysgwyd. are pleasures for evermore. Felly, mae fy nghalon i'n llawen! Gwna dy Eglwys yn offeryn Dw i'n gorfoleddu! A talk on St Mungo by John I'th fawrygu drwy'r holl fyd: Dw i'n gwybod y bydda i'n saff! Jones – 3 ymhob gwlad doed corff y werin i'th foliannu o un fryd Wnei di ddim gadael i mi fynd i yng ngweledig ac unedig fyd y meirw, na gadael i'r un sydd gorff dy Fab, ein Ceidwad drud. wedi cysegru ei hun i ti bydru yn y bedd. Give thy leading, tender Lord, Rwyt wedi dangos y ffordd i to thy holy Church in our Land; fywyd i mi; bydd bod gyda ti yn fy to her priests and her bishops llenwi â llawenydd a hyfrydwch give a clear vision; diddiwedd bob amser. make her members fruitful St. Asaph cathedral claims to be branches of the true vine. Song of Trust and Security in God the smallest Anglican cathedral in A Miktam of David. Great Britain: Geoffrey of Let the firm faith of our fathers Monmouth was bishop in the preserve thy Church from insult: Protect me, O God, for in you I 12th century and William let the grace of our ordinances take refuge. Morgan, the first translator of the purify and sanctify our land: I say to the Lord, ‘You are my Bible into Welsh was bishop in let its festivals and its fasts swell the Lord; the 16th century. praise in our Father's house. I have no good apart from you.’ The charity was named by its first Make thy Church a means warden, who was Scottish, in the to magnify thee throughout the Asked me politely to return next Stood on a great plain in the whole world: in every land let the year: falling snow; body of people come to praise thee But where shall we go to-day, my Ten thousand soldiers marched with one mind in the visible and dear, but where shall we go to- to and fro: united body of thy Son, our precious day? Looking for you and me, my Saviour. dear, looking for you and me. Came to a public meeting; the speaker got up and said; Refugee Blues" is a poem by W. H. W H Auden Refugee Blues "If we let them in, they will steal Auden, written in 1939, one of a our daily bread": number of poems Auden wrote in He was talking of you and me, my the mid- to late-1930s in blues and dear, he was talking of you and other popular metres, for example me. the meter he used in his love poem "Calypso", written around the same Thought I heard the thunder time. The poem dramatizes the rumbling in the sky; condition of Jewish refugees from It was Hitler over Europe, saying, Nazi Germany in the years before "They must die": World War II, especially the O we were in his mind, my dear, indifference and antagonism they O we were in his mind. faced when seeking asylum in the democracies of the period. In some Saw a poodle in a jacket fastened later editions of Auden's poetry, the with a pin, poem is not identified by name but Saw a door opened and a cat let is the first of ten poems grouped

in: together in "Ten Songs", which also Say this city has ten million souls, But they weren't German Jews, includes the above-mentioned Some are living in mansions, my dear, but they weren't "Calypso" and the popular Funeral some are living in holes: German Jews. Blues (“Stop all the clocks.”) Some Yet there's no place for us, my of these were set as cabaret songs dear, yet there's no place for us. Went down the harbour and by Benjamin Britten.

stood upon the quay, Once we had a country and we Saw the fish swimming as if they Prayer (read in English and thought it fair, were free: Welsh) Look in the atlas and you'll find it Only ten feet away, my dear, only there: ten feet away. Eternal God, We cannot go there now, my remembering all on the run from dear, we cannot go there now. Walked through a wood, saw the war and violence

birds in the trees; and all who journey to seek In the village churchyard there They had no politicians and sang safety, grows an old yew, at their ease: you call us to welcome your Every spring it blossoms anew: They weren't the human race, my people Old passports can't do that, my dear, they weren't the human and to work for a dear, old passports can't do that. race. world of justice, equity and

peace. The consul banged the table and Dreamed I saw a building with a said, thousand floors, O Arglwydd ein Duw, wrth "If you've got no passport you're A thousand windows and a feddwl am bawb sy'n ffoi rhag officially dead": thousand doors: rhyfel a thrais a phawb sy'n But we are still alive, my dear, Not one of them was ours, my chwilio am loches, rwyt Ti'n galw but we are still alive. dear, not one of them was ours. arnom i roi croeso i dy bobl ac i

weithio dros fyd o gyfiawnder, Went to a committee; they tegwch a heddwch. offered me a chair; Like a great peat fire, So that strangers and friends may Goodness and mercy all my life Jamie Smith Me, myself and I come shall surely follow me, and in And warm themselves at it. God’s house for evermore my And may light shine out of the dwelling-place shall be. two eyes of you, Like a candle set in the window https://www.bbc.co.uk/programm of a house, es/p05n1dyd Bidding the wanderer come in out of the storm. And now may Spirit bless you, Rhydwen Williams And bless you kindly. Pan ddaw fy nhro

Bendith Geltaidd

Boed i'r heulwen sanctaidd lewyrchu arnoch. Fel tân mawn enfawr, Fel y gall dieithriaid a ffrindiau ddod A thwymo o'i Sat on the edge of society, flaen. Boed i oleuni ddisgleirio Wonderin’ why am not a o'ch llygaid, Fel cannwyll yn priority. ffenestr aelwyd, Yn gwahodd y Pan ddaw fy nhro, fy Nuw, yn crwydryn i ddod i mewn o'r falch neu’n flin, What’s come of my life and come storm. Ac yn awr boed i'r I ddiosg hyn o wisg yr enaid over me, my life's in tatters can't Arglwydd eich bendithio, A'ch tlawd, you see. bendithio'n gynnes. Mi rof ffarwel yn rhwydd wrth Beggin’ at the bank everyday, get groesi’r ffin a job, get a life people say. Welsh translations of Prayer and I ddifyr, ddarfodedig bethau’r Celtic Blessing by Mair and Alun cnawd. I get no benefits, just what Treharne A bodlon fyddaf pan ddaw niwl y people give, to buy food + drink glyn to help me live. I lwyr anghofio miri’r bywyd hwn,

The Lord’s my Shepherd, I’ll A’m hebrwng draw lle nad oes I live in the streets, doorway's my not want; bren na bryn, bed, people think am thick in the he makes me down to lie Na lloer na sêr i roddi balm neu head. in pastures green; He leadeth me bwn.

the quiet waters by. Popeth a welodd llygad gynt yn It's just me, myself and I, nobody My soul He doth restore again, gain, wants me, do you know why. and me to walk doth make Pob lliw a roed i wanwyn, hydref,

within the paths of righteousness, haf; Don't deserve to live with a e’en for His own name’s sake. Popeth a glywodd clust, pob ias, smile, to make my life worth the pob sain, while. Yea, though I walk through Ildiaf y cwbl yn llon, pe’n siŵr y

death’s dark vale, caf Written by Jamie Smith, homeless, yet will I fear no ill; Ryw hen gwmnïaeth wiw mewn Manchester, 2018 for thou art with me, and thy rod arall fyd

and staff me comfort still. A wnaeth baradwys im yn hwn Celtic Blessing (read in gyhyd. English and Welsh) My table thou hast furnished

in presence of my foes; When it comes to my turn, my God, May the blessed sunlight shine on my head thou dost with oil delighted or sorry to discard this you anoint, and my cup overflows. from the garment of the poor soul, I will say goodbye with ease, when Cadwgan Circle, he mixed with Finally, my brothers and sisters, crossing the border, to pleasant, fellow members J. Gwyn Griffiths, rejoice in the Lord. To write the obsolete things of the flesh Pennar Davies and Gareth Alban same things to you is not And I shall be satisfied when the Davies, and was especially close to J. troublesome to me, and for you mist of the valley comes Kitchener Davies. From this informal it is a safeguard. Beware of the To completely forget the merriment group of like-minded intellectuals, dogs, beware of the evil workers, of this life Williams developed a style of writing beware of those who mutilate And escort me where there is no and literal ethic opposed to the flesh! For it is we who are wood or hill, eisteddfodic tradition. Amongst his the circumcision, who worship in No moon or stars to soothe or heroes were writers Aldous Huxley, the Spirit of God and boast in burden W H Auden and George Orwell. Christ Jesus and have no Everything the eye used to see Although Williams' poetry was not confidence in the flesh — even looked fine in keeping with the tradition of the though I, too, have reason for All colours given to spring, autumn, National Eisteddfod, he was still confidence in the flesh. summer; embraced by it. In 1946, at Everything the ear heard, every Mountain Ash, he won the Crown If anyone else has reason to be shiver every sound. competition for the poem ‘Yr confident in the flesh, I have I will joyfully surrender it all if I were Arloeswr’ (English: ‘The Pioneer’) more: circumcised on the eighth sure that and again in 1964 for ‘Yr day, a member of the people of Some worthy companions in another Ffynhonnau’ (English: ‘The Springs’). Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a world Hebrew born of Hebrews; as to That created paradise for me in this Leaving Ynyshir in 1946 he travelled the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a world for so long. Wales until 1959, before spending persecutor of the church; as to a year at Rhyl. Williams later moved righteousness under the law, Translation by Marian Evans from his ministry to accept a post at blameless. Granada Television in Manchester, Robert Rhydwenfro Williams (born presenting Welsh language Yet whatever gains I had, these I Pentre, Rhondda, 29 August 1916 – programmes, in which his skills as a have come to regard as loss died Merthyr Tydfil 2 August 1997) communicator came to the fore. He because of Christ. More than was a Welsh poet, novelist and wrote television scripts; one about that, I regard everything as loss Baptist minister. His work is mainly Dietrich Bonhoeffer was the first because of the surpassing value of written in his native Welsh Welsh-language television play to be knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. language, and is noted for adapting broadcast on a foreign network. Of For his sake I have suffered the the established style and context of all Williams' work, his trilogy ‘Cwm loss of all things, and I regard Welsh poetry from a rural and Hiraeth’ is seen by many as his them as rubbish, in order that I bygone age to that of a modern finest achievement; the three books may gain Christ and be found in industrial landscape, while retaining form a prose epic of life in the him, not having a righteousness traditional prosody and metre. depression hit Rhondda. of my own that comes from the law, but one that comes through During World War II, in the midst faith in Christ, the righteousness of the Liverpool Blitz, Williams Philippians 3 from God based on faith. I want served in a Quaker relief unit, to know Christ and the power of having been a conscientious objector his resurrection and the sharing as both a pacifist and a Welsh of his sufferings by becoming like nationalist. Additionally, for his gifted him in his death, if somehow I speaking voice, comparable with may attain the resurrection from that of Welsh actor Richard Burton, the dead. he would often read poetry for the Welsh version of the Home Service Not that I have already obtained on the BBC and found popularity as this or have already reached the a minister, despite his anti-war pro- goal; but I press on to make it my Wales stance. As a member of the own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Beloved, I do a gallu y tywyllwch du Power of the Resurrection – not consider that I have made it yn curo arnaf o bob tu; Message by Parch Dr Geraint my own; but this one thing I do: 'rwy'n dod, Oen Duw, 'rwy'n Tudur forgetting what lies behind and dod. straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on towards the Dof fel yr wyf, syrthiodd i'r llawr goal for the prize of the heavenly bob cadwyn gref, 'rwyf finnau call of God in Christ Jesus. Let nawr those of us then who are mature yn eiddio i'r Gwaredwr mawr; be of the same mind; and if you 'rwy'n dod, Oen Duw, 'rwy'n think differently about anything, dod. this too God will reveal to you. Dof fel yr wyf, caf brofi'n llawn Only let us hold fast to what we dy gariad - O anhraethol ddawn! have attained. - a chanaf mwyach am yr Iawn; 'rwy'n dod, Oen Duw, 'rwy'n Brothers and sisters, join in dod. imitating me, and observe those who live according to the I come as I am, I have nothing example you have in us. For but to argue the virtue of thy many live as enemies of the cross sacrifice, and that thou art calling: of Christ; I have often told you of hear my cry, them, and now I tell you even I am coming, Lamb of God, I am with tears. Their end is coming. destruction; their god is the belly; and their glory is in their shame; I come as I am, it is not worth When the Apostle Paul wrote his their minds are set on earthly continuing letter to the Philippians, it seems things. But our citizenship is in to try to cover any fault; that he was eager to tell them heaven, and it is from there that but the blood of the cross can what his deepest wish was at that we are expecting a Saviour, the cleanse me: time. In the third chapter, verse Lord Jesus Christ. He will I am coming, Lamb of God, I am 10, he wrote: transform the body of our coming. humiliation so that it may be “I want to know Christ and the conformed to the body of his I come as I am, despite a host of power of his resurrection and glory, by the power that also fears, the fellowship of sharing in his enables him to make all things and the power of the black sufferings, . . “ subject to himself. darkness beating against me from “Rwyf am ei adnabod ef [Iesu every side; I am coming, Lamb of Grist], a grym ei atgyfodiad, a God, I am coming. chymdeithas ei ddioddefiadau, . “. Dof fel yr wyf, 'does gennyf fi I come as I am, fallen down has ond dadlau rhin dy aberth di, every strong chain, I myself now To what exactly was he referring a'th fod yn galw: clyw fy nghri, belong to the great Deliverer; when he wrote ‘the power of his 'rwy'n dod, Oen Duw, 'rwy'n I am coming, Lamb of God, I am resurrection’? Let’s begin by dod. coming. saying that the resurrection is a powerful event in that it both Dof fel yr wyf, ni thâl parhau I come as I am, I may experience signals and brings about change. I geisio cuddio unrhyw fai; fully thy love - Oh inexpressible gift! Let’s convert that statement into ond gwaed y groes all fy - and I will sing evermore of the three headings: nglanhau: ransom; I am coming, Lamb of God, 'rwy'n dod, Oen Duw, 'rwy'n I am coming. 1. The power of the resurrection dod. signals a change made for us. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v= 2. The power of the resurrection Dof fel yr wyf, er ofnau lu, D1ymgtqfWUM brings about change in us. 3. The power of the resurrection The answer is ‘Yes’! The follows our acceptance, through brings about change through us. resurrection is the evidence and grace, by God. the proof! It is the event that We learn, as part of this process, First, the resurrection signals a validates the claims of that we should now display the change made for us. Jesus knew Christianity, the event that shows fruits of the Spirit, not our why he had come into the world; that Jesus is the Saviour of the weaknesses and faults, and to secure salvation. Simply put, world. As Paul said in 1 though we often disappoint people were in great danger, but Corinthians 1:17, ‘if Christ has ourselves and each other as we God, in his love, wanted them to not been raised, your faith is fail in our efforts and fall short, be saved. The way he chose to futile; you are still in your sins.’ the one thing that encourages us do that was to send his Son, What he’s saying is, if the to persevere, to keep at it, is the Jesus Christ. It was his task to resurrection is a lie, if it’s a myth, power of the resurrection, the secure salvation for humankind. we have nothing. So that’s one knowledge we have that Jesus is However, as the Bible tells us, aspect of the power of the alive, that he is at work in us, and humankind rejected the one that resurrection; it validates the rest that he wants us to do this. After God sent, and set about plotting of our faith. all, when Jesus said, ‘Repent’, how to get rid of him. That’s what he was really saying was, how Jesus’ ministry led to the The second thing we said about ‘You need to change’, and change cross, but God turned what the power of the resurrection is one thing to which we are appeared to be a tragic failure was that it brings about change in committed as Christians. into a resounding victory. Jesus us. Knowing that our Saviour is And as the Holy Spirit not only explained in John 12:24 what was alive and well leads us to yearn comforts us but also strengthens going to happen: for one thing in particular – to be us, we do not lose heart. On the like him. In the words of the contrary, we learn to trust Jesus “I tell you in truth, unless an ear hymn, and find that all the power and of wheat falls to the ground and the strength that we may need is dies, it remains only a single seed. “O na bawn yn fwy tebyg to be found in him. It is indeed But if it dies, it produces many i Iesu Grist yn byw, the power of the resurrection seeds.” yn llwyr gysegru ‘mywyd that brings about change in us. It i wasnaethu Duw” is all the work of grace. “Yn wir, yn wir, rwy'n dweud Lastly, the power of the wrthych, os nad yw'r gronyn “To be like Jesus, to be like Jesus, resurrection brings about change gwenith yn syrthio i'r ddaear ac All I ask – to be like Him. not only in us but through us, in yn marw, y mae'n aros ar ei ben All thro' life's journey, the lives of others, in society, and ei hun; ond os yw'n marw, y from earth to Glory, in the world. It turns us into mae'n dwyn llawer o ffrwyth.” All I ask – to be like Him.” campaigners and warriors! We remember the constant cry of Jesus himself was, of course, the Once we’ve come face to face God’s prophets in the Old seed. By offering himself as a with Jesus, as Saul did, there is a Testament that there should be voluntary sacrifice, and being, in deep desire to know him social justice, care for the poor the words of Peter, ‘a lamb properly, not just to know of and needy, food for the hungry, without blemish or defect’ him, but to know him personally, water for the thirsty, refuge for (1 Peter 1:19), by taking upon to become like him and to serve those who are distressed and himself the sins of the world, it is him. Sin and evil become shelter for those who are claimed that he fulfilled the task abhorrent, and much of our homeless. We see the same that was entrusted to him and energy goes into trying to emphasis in the teachings of secured forgiveness, salvation and overcome them. Jesus; ‘I tell you the truth,’ he a new start for humankind. But But this is not something we do said in Matthew 25:40: the question is, what proof have independently of Christ, in our we? Is there any evidence that he own strength. The risen Lord and “. . . whatever you did for one of succeeded? Saviour is at work in us; it is the the least of these brothers of process of sanctification which mine, you did for me.” “Yn gymaint ag ichwi ei wneud i is with us as we seek to serve And lead us not into temptation; un o’r lleiaf o’r rhain, fy him and turn his words into but deliver us from evil. nghymrodyr, i mi y gwnaethoch.” actions within the framework of For thine is the kingdom, our own day-to-day life, then the the power and the glory, for ever and ever. That means that we cannot power of his resurrection, his Amen. remain silent or inactive while presence with us, will not only injustices and inequalities motivate us but give us the undermine society. We can no strength to persevere. Mawr oedd Crist yn longer turn a blind eye to nhragwyddoldeb, wickedness nor ignore the things Finally, let me encourage you to mawr yn gwisgo natur dyn, that ruin people’s lives. We let your mind dwell from time to mawr yn marw ar Galfaria, realise that, while there are time on ‘the power of the mawr yn maeddu angau'i hun; people around us who are resurrection’. Let us remember hynod fawr yw yn awr, ignorant of what God has done how it validates the rest of our Brenin nef a daear lawr. for us and know nothing of what Christian faith, how it enhances he expects of us, there is work our desire for change within us Mawr oedd Iesu yn yr arfaeth, to be done – mission and and brings about that change, and mawr yn y cyfamod hedd, outreach. how it motivates and encourages mawr ym Methlem a Chalfaria, That being so, we know that we us to strive for change in the mawr yn dod i'r lan o'r bedd; must raise our voices; we must world, making us, as I said, mawr iawn fydd ef ryw ddydd speak truth to power. How do campaigners for equality, pan ddatguddir pethau cudd. we do that? Through the power warriors for justice, workers in of the resurrection! God’s vineyard and Kingdom Mawr yw Iesu yn ei Berson, After the two men who were people, aiming at abundant life, mawr fel Duw, a mawr fel dyn, walking to Emmaus (Luke 24: 13- life in all its fulness, not just for mawr ei degwch a'i 35) realised that it was the risen ourselves but for everyone. hawddgarwch, Christ who had walked with And to God be the glory. Amen. gwyn a gwridog, teg ei lun; them, they said: mawr yw ef yn y nef

ar ei orsedd gadarn, gref. “Were not our hearts burning Gweddi'r Arglwydd within us while he talked with us / Lord’s Prayer Great was Christ in eternity, on the road and opened the great wearing human nature, Scriptures to us?” Ein Tad yn y nefoedd, great dying on Calvary, “Onid oedd ein calonnau yn llosgi sancteiddier dy enw; deled dy great vanquishing death itself; o’n mewn wrth iddo siarad â ni deyrnas; gwneler dy ewyllys, ar y ddaear fel yn y nef. Dyro inni especially great now, ar y ffordd, pan oedd yn egluro’r heddiw ein bara beunyddiol, a King of heaven and earth below. Ysgrythurau i ni?” maddau inni ein troseddau, fel yr

ym ni wedi maddau i'r rhai a Great was Jesus in his purpose, That is how it should be with us; droseddodd yn ein herbyn; a great in the covenant of peace, through being with Jesus, the phaid â'n dwyn i brawf, ond great in Bethlehem and Calvary, resurrected Lord, through gwared ni rhag yr Un drwg. great coming up from the grave; hearing his voice, learning from Oherwydd eiddot ti yw'r deyrnas a'r gallu a'r gogoniant am byth. very great will he be some day him what we must do, our hearts Amen. when hidden things are revealed. should be burning within us, and we should be passionate about Our Father, who art in heaven, Great is Jesus in his Person, seeing things around us change hallowed be thy name; great as God, and great as human, for the better. thy kingdom come; great his fairness and his beauty, It’s true that we often feel weak thy will be done; bright and ruddy, fair his and helpless when we see the on earth as it is in heaven. appearance; great is he in heaven challenges the world throws at Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, on his firm, strong throne. us, but if we remember that our as we forgive those who trespass Lord is a risen Lord and that he against us. https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=P265Zfsxh3o (from 0:49)

Blessing and closing music Cor y Boro singing from Haydn’s The Creation at the National Eisteddfod

Readers:

Talk on St Mungo John Jones 1 Thessalonians: 2 Dewi Griffiths Psalm 16 Megan Evans W H Auden Refugee Blues Glyn Pritchard Prayer Catrin Treharne Jamie Smith Me, myself and I Mark Salmon Celtic Blessing Catrin Treharne Rhydwen Williams Pan ddaw fy nhro Marian Evans Philippians 3 Neil Evans Power of the Resurrection – Geraint Tudur

Piano: John Jones Producer: Mike Williams

Pictures (from top):

St Kentigern (St Mungo) Icon

Saint Paul, by Bartolomeo Montagna, 1482; Fondazione artistica Poldi Pezzoli "Onlus"

St Mungo mural, Glasgow

Glasgow Coat of Arms showing St Mungo legends

St Asaph Cathedral

W H Auden by Howard Coster, 1937 © National Portrait Gallery, London

Original of Jamie Smith’s poem Me, Myself and I

Rhydwen Williams; Photographer unknown

St Paul by El Greco, c1612; El Greco Museum, Toledo, Spain

Christ of St John of the Cross by Salvador Dali, 1951; Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, Glasgow