A Gift of Love - March 26
Today’s Readings: AM Psalm 95* & 22; PM Psalm 141, 143:1-11(12); Jer. 29:1,4-13; Rom. 11:13-24; John 12:1-10
Today’s Reflection
“Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus’ feet, and wiped them with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (the one who was about to betray him), said, ‘Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?’ (He said this not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief; he kept the common purse and used to steal what was put into it.) Jesus said, ‘Leave her alone. She bought it so that she might keep it for the day of my burial. You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.’” –John 12: 3-8
In Lent, we hear much talk about what people are giving up. In this penitential season, the scriptures often point us toward the theme of sacrifice. As we are turning our hearts to reflect on Christ’s sacrifice for us, today’s scriptures require us to reflect on what we can give up or sacrifice. We are called not only to give up, but we are also called on to take up something new. Christ gave himself up for us, a fragrant sacrifice, so that we could have something new—new, resurrected life in him.
Let’s consider what is distinctive in John’s version of the story of Mary anointing Jesus at Bethany (versus the versions told in other Gospels):
1) Mary anointed his feet (instead of his head).
2) She used her hair.
3) The aroma filled the whole house (in contrast with Lazarus’ stench).
In addition, it’s important to notice that this anointing took place in his friends’ home not long after Lazarus was raised from the dead. It’s also important to notice that this anointing was done by a woman, Mary, who was his friend. Mary recognized Jesus was doing a new thing, so she responded in a new way.
Jesus was doing a new thing in the way that he, as both fully God and fully human, was breaking into our world and offering people a new way of encountering God. Mary, recognizing he was doing a new thing, anointed him in a new way. Meanwhile, Judas, defender of the status quo/the old thing, did not recognize Jesus’ new thing. So, we are called to cast aside or move away the old things, things that are passing away. We are called to take up or move toward something new. Like Mary, we are called to pour out what we had been holding onto that was precious so that God may anoint something new in us and through us as we take God’s love out into the people we encounter in our lives and in the world around us.
Five years ago this spring, I was at a very important point in my discernment process. That spring, I found out that the Commission on Ministry and the bishop in my Diocese had approved me to move forward with formation for the priesthood. I had also discerned that I should attend the Seminary of the Southwest in Austin, which my bishop had also approved.
During Lent that year, one Sunday I heard a sermon on the woman with the nard. I went back to listen to the sermon from that day, and one of the things our rector, Charlie, preached on that Fifth Sunday of Lent 2016 was this: Mary was “the only person described as loving Jesus... the only one given that distinction in the Gospels. Two great commandments: to love the LORD your God with all your heart and all your mind and all your strength. All. … She recognized that Jesus’ feet were the most beautiful feet, because they had had brought the Good News.”
A couple months later, early in the summer, I had to visit the vestry meeting to ask them to sign a form in support of my postulancy. At that point, I had given my notice at Stetson—notice that I was walking away from my tenure (lifetime job security), which I had earned just three years earlier. We had put our house on the market, a house which when we bought it that we thought we would live for decades to come. Knowing all of this, one of the vestry members asked me whether I was sure that I wanted to do this, whether I thought it was wise to give all this up to go to seminary. Because of course, on paper, this was not safe. This was not wise. And I totally understand that perspective—in fact, in many ways, I kind of agree with it.
In response, I told them that I was reminded of Charlie’s recent sermon about the woman with the nard. Following Jesus is worthy of the sacrifice of status, of salary, of property—of what is most precious and valuable to us. As hard as I had worked to earn tenure and promotion, and all the benefits and privileges that came along with that, discernment had brought me to a place of being able to walk away. This has not come without hardship or regret about what was left behind. But just as God has poured out himself for us in Christ, sometimes we, too, are called to pour out something of ourselves for God.
—Becky+
Questions for Self-Reflection
When have you given away or given up something and found others questioning your decision? Did you try to explain your decision? If so, how did you try to help others understand the reason for your gift or sacrifice?
Daily Challenge
Read more about Mary and Martha of Bethany here.