Dear Covenant Community,
We have this treasure in clay pots so that the awesome power belongs to God and doesn’t come from us. We are experiencing all kinds of trouble, but we aren’t crushed. We are confused, but we aren’t depressed. We are harassed, but we aren’t abandoned. We are knocked down, but we aren’t knocked out. (2 Corinthians 4:4-7)
Last Sunday we reflected on Mary of Bethany who poured expensive perfume on the feet of Jesus, an act of brazen beauty, a powerful act of worship. She was criticized by Judas for wasting resources which could have been spent on the poor, but Jesus praised her for her extravagant offering. It was what the moment required. It was an anointing of the feet which will soon carry him to Jerusalem and the cross. It was a sign of the resurrection to come. Yet even this incident, told in each of the four gospels, was not perfect. She likely had to break the jar to pour it out, and it was probably a little messy at dinner time.
A few days ago, Pastor June brought a communion set to the Church, and when she unpacked it, she found the flagon (pictured above) was broken. We both thought this to be a good reminder of the gospel story. The truth is that all our offerings are imperfect, just as we ourselves are full of contradictions, sometimes as miserly and conniving as Judas, sometimes as open-hearted and impulsive as Mary. Both were disciples of Jesus.
The apostle Paul says “we have this treasure in clay pots…” We may be experiencing trouble and feel that the best we have to offer still comes from broken jars, but we aren’t abandoned, we aren’t crushed, God’s Spirit lives and breathes in us as we love one another.
I hope to see you at worship on Palm Sunday as we walk through Holy Week together, broken jars and all.
Lord, help us to pour out what we have to your glory, knowing that our imperfections are met with your perfect love. Amen.
