Dear People of God
Throughout human history, people have kept different calendars as they mark the turning of the seasons. Our year from 1 January to 31 December is really quite arbitrary but nonetheless convenient. The very name “January” derived form the Roman demi-god “Janus”, the two-faced being who looked both backwards and forwards and marks doorways, gates, beginnings and endings. But whatever else, my best wishes for a happy and prosperous New Year 2024.
My thanks to the “Vestry Angel” who left me a generous bottle of “Scottish Medicine” at Christmas. The doses will be administered according to the correct prescription!
We rejoice with Betty Binderman who shared the good news with us last week that her oncologist has advised her that after treatment she is now in remission.
I will be spending some time over the next few weeks organising things for whoever will be coming as locum priest from 1 February. Notes as to how and why we do things the way we do. The Bishop observed recently that when any of the episcopal team visit a parish they are told that they do things “the normal way”, but their experience is that over the 55 or so parishes in the diocese there are 55 or so different “normal ways” of doing things. I need to make sure that my successor, however temporary, is not blind-sided by our “normal way of doing things”! It’s as simple as knowing where the Holy Oil is kept for Holy Unction (a different place each centre), how and why we administer Holy Communion the way we do, who does what and why…..
Again a briefer than usual mailout
The Lord be with you
Fr George
SERMON (Fr George)
In the Name of God. Amen
In both of the readings before the Gospel we note that both the write of the last part of the book of Isaiah and Paul, writing to the Galatians, are at pains to point out that a new era is dawning. The prophet is declaring the glory of God’s people and in saying that “you shall be called by a new name” there is an implication that a change in status will take place. Women, at least back in the day when we got married, changed their surname and their title became “Mrs” (which is an abbreviation of “Mistress” but we won’t go into all the ins-and-outs of what those various honorifics mean right now), indicating that a change in status had taken place. So restored Israel will be different: God is at work in a new way! In the same way Paul describes the change as ceasing to be slaves but now adopted as sons and heirs of the household. It’s a total turnabout in the relationship with God in both cases.
When we turn to the Gospel passage for today we come across that mysterious “forty” again. In one sense it is shorthand for “a long time”: forty days of the Flood, forty years wandering in the Wilderness, forty days of Jesus fasting and temptation, Moses’ own life divided into three periods of forty years; forty days from the Resurrection to the Ascension. A woman was, to a greater or lesser degree, “unclean” for up to forty days after the birth of a son (it’s a longer period for daughters, for some reason or none). At least a part of the reason is that she was that for some of that period she was likely to be shedding blood, (post-parturition haemorrhaging) and since blood could be understood as being of the essence of what gave a species its unique character, she was therefor unclean. There’s also a very humane side to this: as an unclean person she could not prepare food or be otherwise engaged in household duties other than look after the child. (I can think a several people who might consider forty days to be insufficient; forty years maybe! Their husbands might have other ideas!)
However, when the time comes for her purification and Jesus, as the first-born male is presented to the Lord and must be redeemed, Mary and Jesus, together with Joseph go to the Temple to do as the Law requires and it is there that they have this mysterious encounter with Simeon and Anna. Simeon is “looking for the consolation of Israel”, that is the salvation which the Messiah would bring and recognises this in the Child in Mary’s arms. This recognition is attested by the prophetess Anna. Simeon offers that beautiful prayer which we know as the “Nunc Dimittis”, in effect saying “Lord, I can now die in peace, for I have seen the fulfilment of your promise to restore your people”, but he also sees the division that this restoration will bring.
Luke and Matthew are unique in presenting their stories of the background to Jesus’ ministry. John, the theologian of the Evangelists, comes at it from a completely different angle as we heard in the proclamations at Christmas. Mark cuts straight to the chase when he launches straight into the adult ministry of Jesus. Luke and Matthew both give us genealogy of Jesus: both quite different but each serving their own unique purpose. Both of these evangelists are at pains to point out that something entirely different and new in salvation history was unfolding. God is doing a new thing, just as Isaiah and Paul are pointing out.
This “new thing” is going to be our preoccupation as our Liturgical Year unfolds and once again we are given the opportunity to immerse ourselves in the story and to find new depths in it, as our lives are being transformed from glory into glory, and for this, thanks be to God.
Amen
INTERCESSIONS
As we continue to hold this world and its concern before God:
We pray for the world at large
As there is no true peace without reconciliation and justice we pray for the Land of the Holy One, between Palestinian and Israeli and for unity of purpose between Palestinian and Jew throughout the world; for Ukraine; and for all places of oppression, violence and hatred.
For this land and for integrity and common purpose in our Parliaments: for all who lead us in politics, industry, commerce and society at large, and for those who aspire to lead.
We pray for the Church
For the unity of all Christian people and for dignity and honest in our dealing with other faith traditions; for the Anglican Church especially Justin of Canterbury and all Provinces of our Communion: for our sister Diocese of Guadalcanal, and in this land for the Defence Force Chaplaincy; for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Newcastle-Maitland.
For this Diocese: Peter, Sonia and Charlie our Bishops; the parishes of Kotara South, Lambton, and Merewether; for the ministry of Lakes Anglican Grammar School.
For this parish, our clergy George and Gail; for Stuart, preparing for Baptism; and for our partners-in-faith in Tarro-Beresfield Baptist community.
For those in any kind of need
As we give thanks for Betty’s restoration to remission we remember those whose need is pressing: for the grief-stricken, the sick, the hopeless and the homeless, those who have none to love or to love them; those who receive food parcel distribution; those preparing to die.
Remembering before God those who stand in his nearer presence
Mary the Blessed Mother, Paul and Michael our Patrons; those whose anniversary of deat falls at this time Eliza Thurtell, Norma Smith, John Gregory, Herbert Garred, Pauls Murdoch, May Marsh, Lily Winkler and all those whom we have loved and see no more
Almighty God, you have promised to hear us: grant that what we have asked in faith we may, by your grace, receive.
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