Let us Pray - Creator and maker of us all - bless the words of my lips and the meditations of our hearts - grow thou in us and show us your ways and inspire us to live by your truth. Amen
The 14th chapter of Mark begins the Passion narrative. Sandwiched between verses 1-2 and 10-11 is this beautiful little story of the anointing of Jesus. This story is one of the few that is told in all four Gospels.
Jesus had already made a triumphal entry into Jerusalem. He was staying outside the city at Bethany (the hometown of Martha, Mary and Lazarus) during this festival time because so many pilgrims had come that the city could not accommodate all of them. While he was at dinner a woman came in, unbidden. She proceeded to break open a jar of costly perfume and pour this over Jesus' head in front of all the guests.
Some began to murmur about the cost and the waste. Why, this perfume cost enough to feed over five thousand people. And so the other guests begin to scold and berate the woman. Jesus, however, does not see the woman's act quite the same way the disciples do.
"Let her alone. Why upset her so? She has done something very beautiful and loving for me. YOU always have the poor with YOU and any time YOU want to YOU can do something good for them.
The reference to the poor here may be found in Deuteronomy 15:11. All good Jews would know of this commandment, "There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be open-handed toward your brothers and toward the poor and needy in your land."
Be open-handed towards your brothers and sisters.
This is what the love of God is all about. This is what the passion narrative is all about. It's about open hands
- about having a generous spirit,
- about showing forgiveness without expecting anything in return,
- about giving to others without counting the cost and without
considering the worthiness of those to whom you give...
Contrast the extravagance of this woman's deed of love with the extravagance of love shown by Jesus going to the Cross.
Love that is "measured" or "counted" needs to take a long look at itself.
Jesus said that wherever the Gospel was preached in all the world, that this woman's deed would be told in remembrance of her. And so it has been.
We have been given an example of love's extravagance in order to follow it
- the example of the woman who anointed Jesus for his burial
- and the example of Jesus himself - who gave everything he had out of love - to us.
Praise be to God - Amen.
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