Luke 10:1-9 The Installation of Richard Moth, 12th Archbishop of Westminster

King Egfrid and Bishop Trumwine persuade Cuthbert to be made Bishop (One of a series of eight oil paintings illustrating the history of the English Border), Painting by William Bell Scott (1811-1890), Painted in 1854, Oil on canvas © Wallington Collection, National Trust,Northumberland

Gospel Reading

At that time: The Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to go. And he said to them, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into his harvest. Go your way; behold, I am sending you out as lambs in the midst of wolves. Carry no money bag, no knapsack, no sandals, and greet no one on the road. Whatever house you enter, first say, “Peace be to this house!” And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest upon him. But if not, it will return to you. And remain in the same house, eating and drinking what they provide, for the labourer deserves his wages. Do not go from house to house. Whenever you enter a town and they receive you, eat what is set before you. Heal the sick in it and say to them, “The kingdom of God has come near to you.” ’

Reflection on the painting

In today’s Gospel, Jesus sends out the seventy-two ahead of him, two by two, into the towns and villages he himself intends to visit. They are not sent with elaborate plans or heavy baggage, but with a clear mission: to proclaim peace, to heal, and to announce that the Kingdom of God is close at hand. Their authority does not come from themselves but from the One who sends them. Our reading shows us something essential about the Church: she is always sent on mission and always relies on the authority of Christ. Bishops stand right in the heart of this Gospel moment. As successors of the apostles, they share the same calling—to go out in Christ’s name, to gather God’s people, and to make Christ present through preaching, the sacraments, and loving pastoral care. Today, we will celebrate the Installation of the new Archbishop of Westminster, at midday at Westminster Cathedral. So today, our Gospel reading takes on further resonance. The Archbishop is sent, like the seventy-two, to our local Church not as a lone figure, but as a shepherd within the communion of the Church, charged with teaching, sanctifying, and governing in Christ’s name. Westminster, with its rich history, is one of the places where the Lord longs to dwell. Please let us pray, as a Christian Art community, that the ministry of our new Archbishop may be beautiful in spirit, courageous in vision, and always deeply rooted in Christ, and may we all help him in this mission. William Bell Scott’s 'King Egfrid and Bishop Trumwine persuade Cuthbert to be made Bishop', painted in 1856, captures a moment of quiet drama at the heart of early Christian leadership: the reluctant acceptance of responsibility. The painting shows Cuthbert, long withdrawn to a harsh and desolate island off the north-east coast, where he lived as a hermit devoted to prayer, being urged back into the active life of the Church. King Egfrid stands exchanging Cuthbert’s spade (the tool of solitude and manual labour) for the crozier of a bishop. the spade will be exchanged for a crozier. Cuthbert does not seek authority; it is placed upon him for the good of others. Scott uses real Victorian faces of his own time, lending the scene a striking immediacy. After only four years as Bishop of Hexham, Cuthbert would return to his hermitage, where he died in 684, reminding us that true episcopal ministry always flows from prayers and leads back to prayer.