Remembering William Wilberforce

I think the thing I will miss most when I leave the Gladstone’s Library on Thursday is the celebration of the Eucharist each weekday morning. I have been sharing the leadership of that service with Peter Francis, the Warden of Gladstone’s. At first, becoming familiar with the liturgy of the Church in Wales was a challenge but my Roman Catholic background helped greatly as I familiarized myself with the service. The liturgy itself is poetic, simple and restful. It has been a privilege to lead the service over the past month. Yes, I will miss that.

Today, the celebration of the Eucharist invited a reflection on William Wilberforce, that great 18th century Member of Parliament, Evangelical Christian and Activist who worked tirelessly to end the slave trade. I like the fact that the Church in Wales invites a liturgical recognition of the ‘big official saints’ as well as the ordinary saints. Today was William Wilberforce; tomorrow is Joseph of Arimathea.

As I prepared for the celebration today, I did some reading and reflection on Wilberforce and I wrote a series of intercessions to use during the Eucharist. I share that with you tonight as a way of inviting you into the spirit of the day. It occurs to me that we continue to need the kind of relentless work for justice that Wilberforce so clearly engaged. And so, I invited you to pray as our small group prayed this morning:

Prayers of Intercession
written for July 30, 2013 by Marianne Niesen

“You may choose to look the other way but you can never say again that you did not know.” – William Wilberforce

And so we pray for the courage to say enough! May our leaders rediscover the art of working together for the common good. May we cultivate a willingness to speak up for those who suffer and to speak out against the systems that create suffering, inequality and pain. May we choose to see the change that is needed and work for good.

“If to be feelingly alive to the sufferings of my fellow-creatures is to be a fanatic, I am one of the most incurable fanatics ever permitted to be at large.” – William Wilberforce

We pray for all who are judged and labeled as ‘too involved’ or ‘too concerned.’ The bleeding hearts. Even the hopeless romantics. Give us eyes to see what we need to see and hearts willing to reach out with relentless enthusiasm for what is right and good. May more people of faith have the courage to quest for justice and to work for peace – even when such work is unpopular. May courage temper the timidity and reluctance to change too often found in our churches and our communities and our halls of power.

“No matter how loud you shout, you will not drown out the voice of the people!” – William Wilberforce

Give us, O God, ears to hear what we need to hear. Open us to the many ways you speak – through scripture, the still small voice in our hearts, the whisper of wind at the entrance to the caves of our lives – and yes, your voice in the cries of the world around us. Help us give voice to the voiceless, comfort to the grieving, hope to the fearful.

“And still, after all the badges, the petitions, all the speeches and the bills, ships full of human souls, in chains, sail around the world as cargo!” – William Wilberforce

We are grateful for courageous and visionary leaders – like William Wilberforce, Thomas Clarkson, Abraham Lincoln and so many others who have given heart and soul to make a difference. Adapting the the words of St. Francis, They have done what was theirs to do, may we come to know – and do – what is ours. Give us courage, wisdom – and the amazing grace that will lead us – and your world – home.

A teen poet from Ohio wrote a simple but poignant poem reflecting on Wilberforce:

No Matter What

I have sacrificed my health and my youth
For a powerful thing I like to call truth
Banishing slavery in my beloved England
While others wish it to expand
Do I undertake politics or religion?
If I take up one does the other become my aversion?
I soon take up both
And making an oath
To once and for all
Make slavery fall
I will fight this battle with everything I got
Not giving up no matter what!*
* http://teenink.com/poetry/all/article/108232/In-Remembrance-of-William-Wilberforce

May glimmers of grace shine in us and through us, empowering us to perceive our own cobwebs of fear and opening us to be instruments of warmth and grace in our day as people like Wilberforce were in theirs. Amen.