“I will weep and wail for the mountains and take up a lament concerning the wilderness grasslands. They are desolate and untraveled, and the lowing of cattle is not heard. The birds have all fled and the animals are gone.” (Jeremiah 9:10)

Kanishka Raffel was tonight installed as the new Anglican Archbishop of Sydney. It is indeed a significant position not only for Sydney Anglicans but for Australian Christianity. 

Much as been said about Kanishka in recent weeks, his Sri Lankan heritage, his background in law, his gifts of teaching and preaching, his intellect, and his commitment to indigenous reconciliation. There is something else I have noticed. It’s something I first saw in him some years ago and it has come to fore this month at Synod, during an ABC radio interview with Richard Glover, and again tonight while Kanishka was preaching; Kanishka Raffel is the weeping Archbishop. 

Jeremiah is famously known as the weeping prophet. He saw the hardened hearts of the people and the coming judgment of God. He didn’t preach with enthusiasm or vitriol, but with tears. “If you do not listen, I will weep in secret because of your pride; my eyes will weep bitterly, overflowing with tears, because the Lord’s flock will be taken captive” (Jer 13:17).

Even more staggering is what we learn from the shortest verse in all the Bible,  “Jesus wept”. Jesus wept at the tomb of his friend Lazurus. He shed tears not only because his friend had died, because of course Jesus was about to raise him from the dead. Jesus wept because he more than anyone understands the depths of human sin and the horror of death. It is of course the reason why the Son of God came: to die in the place of sinners and to give new life.

The reason for Kanishka’s tears is, I believe, his deep deep gratitude to God for Jesus Christ and his longing for others to know Him. It’s not difficult to see that Kanishka has never gotten over how amazing God’s grace is and how wonderful it is to know Divine forgiveness. I have been with him and others, when tears were flowing down his face as he prayed.  Tonight at St Andrew’s Cathedral as he spoke of the beauty and power of the cross of Christ, it was again evident how much the Gospel means to him.

As he concluded his sermon tonight , Kanishka said, 

“At the foot of the cross which is all the world to me, I am nothing more than a grateful and forgiven sinner”.

When we strip away all the costume and plastic that covers everyday living and that consumes our affections and effort, we are naked sinners before a holy God. When we remove our hubris and dependence upon health, intelligence, and ingenuity, we really are frail and broken human beings. We can maintain the charade for a while, but not forever. When the Apostle Paul considered his own people, he exclaimed, “I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my people.” Oh, that we would feel a tenth of that anguish for our neighbours, friends, and work colleagues. 

Tonight Kanshiska spoke about the cross of Jesus Christ. Why? This is the Christian message. It doesn’t take much to realise that the cross is often derided and shamed in today’s Australia. The cross represents a part of Australian life that is weak and irrelevant to most. It’s a symbol of oppression and religious idiocy. But of course, the cross held those connotations in the First Century too. It was in this weakened man crucified, that God displayed his glory and love. It is by the cross God saves. Yes, the cross of Christ is everything. It is the centre of the Christian faith, the reason for life and hope. 

Tears of joy and tears of sorrow are familiar companions for pastors. As I once again see Kanishka’s gratitude to God for the Gospel overflow, I too am thankful and am reminded of how wonderful is God’s good news. May we never get over this grace. May we never forget how deep is the Father’s love. May this grace fill us with longing and tears for those who don’t know Christ, so that we might have courage and love to tell them of what the Lord has done for them. 

I’m no Anglican, but I’m a Christian brother who is thankful for this weeping Archbishop, and I’ll be praying for him as he leads the Sydney Diocese into the future.