For yesterday's service I was using the Lectionary readings, which included Psalm 126 (remember the good old days? God can you please make life good again), Isaiah 43 (stop looking backwards, I'm doing a new thing, can't you see it yet?), Philippians 3 (Paul - I haven't got there yet but I keep on keeping on), along with John 12 (Mary anointing Jesus at Bethany).
The linkage of the first three was fairly straight forward, especially in reflecting on the reality for this little church, and indeed all churches... but what of the fourth?
My sermon ran something like this... all through the Bible the same theme seems to recur, people look back at the 'good old days' (Psalm 126) and are told to stop looking back and go forward (Isaiah 43 and Philippians 3) with God saying 'I am already doing something new, can't you see it yet (Isaiah 43)? So is this the case, too with Mary at Bethany... does she catch a glimpse of the new thing that God is doing in the life of Jesus... the preacher who commends her for her desire to sit at his feet ... the wonder worker who lets her down by not coming in time to heal her brother ... the one who brings back Lazarus... the one who now reclines at their table... And does this prompt her to pour out her pension pot (literally) in anointing him? And isn't this actually a bit like the widow's mite of Luke's account, where a woman spends her all... And what is anointing all about anyway? Preparing for death... Healing... Commissioning... (Priests and Monarchs)... And if all this is the case, what's the new thing God is doing, and wants us to catch a glimpse of here and now... and will we throw in our lot, give our all (or at least our best)...
As part of the 'response' I offered anointing, and was really moved as almost everyone came forward, with a few less mobile signalling a request for me to come to them. From babes in arms, to toddlers and school-age children, to Gen Z (just about), millennials, Gen X, Boomers and before-such-things-were-inventered-ers.... The gentle fragrance of myrrh anointing balm, warmed by contact with human skin, the quiet background music, and the sense of people wanting to respond to the God who calls, heals and commissions was very striking.
During our closing the hymn, the children distributed little bags of fragrant pot pourri that they had been preparing during the sermon. As they skipped, and hurled, and almost squabbled, and giggled, and nearly dropped, and ensured that everyone had a gift to take away, it felt good - that in that moment we had indeed glimpsed the playfulness of the God of new things, in whom continuity and change are perfectly held in creative tension to bring new life and new hope.
Psst, says God, I'm doing something new exciting, and I want you to be part of it... will you join in?