Exodus 2:1-10, Colossians 3:12-17, Luke 2:33-35

11:00am Eucharist

There aren’t many children’s stories that encourage trouble making…

 Mischief and disobedience are certainly interesting character traits.. and ones that I recognise in myself, (my mum would roll her eyes at that!)

 However, there is an old story about a cheeky rabbit who gets himself into trouble. Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter is just the tale. I’m sure many of us remember the fable being read from the little book, with the watercolour creature wearing his blue jacket with brass buttons.

 This naughty little rabbit is far more adventurous than his other siblings, Flopsy, Mopsy and Cottontail. And even though he has been warned by his doting mother, he finds himself in the garden of Mr McGreggor, thankfully not ending up in a pie, just like his father.

 Peter Rabbit, I am sure is a firm favourite of many of us here and is a favourite of our two children being brought for baptism today.

These two beautiful babies, Oscar and Frankie, born in the same hospital, on the same day, within 40 minutes of one another, on Fathers Day last year, have been a gift.

 The bundle of energy that would change life completely. And today they share their Christian birthday as they are baptised within minutes of one another and are celebrated today with all those gathered here. 

 Preparations have been made, wine has been bought, gifts given and received, celebratory cakes baked and decorated and brought to share, and on the side of the beautiful Peter Rabbit cake, made by Oscar’s Grandmother, their names proudly inscribed ‘Francesca’ and ‘Oscar.’

 But what can this cheeky little rabbit, getting up to all sorts of trouble, teach us this morning? Are we talking about the gospel according to Peter Rabbit here??

 I can’t help thinking about cheeky Peter Rabbit’s poor mother. Imagine hearing the words of the widowed mother warning her child of the same fate as his father.

 The peril of disobedience is trouble.

 This morning we meet another mother, Mary. The old man Simeon’s words to Mary as he holds Jesus in his arms, tells her that her baby would get into trouble too. But not the Peter Rabbit sort of trouble, the very best sort of trouble.

 It’s perhaps not the normal approval an older chap might say to doting parents, not the “gosh, he’s a big boy” or “well look at that lovely smile”. No. This child will be responsible for the greatest cosmic fight against injustice ever. This wee lad will be the bringer of salvation and judgement for all people. Your son will expose every motive of evil and turn it for good.

 And a sword will pierce your own soul too, Mary.

Mary, this child will break your heart.

This boy will be trouble, the very best sort of trouble. 

 Jesus got into all sorts of trouble. He preferred the poor to the rich. He healed those who were unclean. He stood against the rulers of the day and faced the utmost rejection.

 His pain was his mother’s pain. We see the piercing love and anguish of a mother. Which Peter Rabbit’s mum knew well…

 The weight of parenting is costly. Full of joy, absolutely, but costly too. The parents of both Frankie and Oscar can testify to that. And as they bring them forward in a moment for baptism, they are choosing on their behalf for them to make good trouble.

 To turn away from darkness into the light.

Away from harmful trouble to good trouble.

 This doesn’t mean that they won’t ever get into trouble. And it will be heart-breaking for these parents and godparents when they do, I have no doubt. But we pray as we baptise them that they would turn from worldly trouble to heavenly trouble.

 That they would speak out when no one else will, they would choose the right path even if it isn’t the well-worn one, that they’ll fight injustice when they see it and they’d love the unlovely.

 Mary didn’t lose her child at his crucifixion. Instead, she gained him back and got to share him with the rest of the world and her family increased.

 And so we pray for Frankie and for Oscar that in following Christ they will be transformed through the waters of baptism. That they will find life for themselves, true life that transforms the world, and be bearers of that light and life for all who know and love them.

 And that they, with us will get into the best sort of trouble.

Amen