Gospel text for 13 March 2016

John 12:1-8       Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany, the home of Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. There they gave a dinner for him. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those at the table with him. 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."

Reflection        As a priest given the privilege of anointing let me just say this. Whether I am placing a frankincense scented sign of the cross on an infant’s pristine forehead or anointing an elder person’s  furrowed brow and curled feet on their deathbed, the confluence of touch, and smell, and prayer arouses Divine Presence and reaches beyond time. This is truly holy ground. I believe this is what Jesus’ disciple Mary recognized. She was meeting Jesus on holy ground. Mary could see beyond external appearances to something more, to the spiritual dimension. Mary recognized Divine Presence in and of and with Jesus. 

By contrast, Judas was locked into worldly affairs. He could not see beyond external appearances and so he took advantage of Jesus’ situation for his personal gain. Because his heart was hardened he did not recognize Jesus nor could he recognize himself. The deepest truth of Judas’ self, that he too was a beloved son of God, was hidden from him.  Judas could not recognize divine presence with him. But the heart of Mary, the true disciple, was broken open with love. Putting her faith in something more than external appearances, love poured through her extravagantly, like expensive perfume released from a bottle permeating the air and infusing the holy ground. 

This week I had a glimpse of what extravagant love looks like when a woman shared with me her experience as a caregiver. The person given to this woman’s care is not what we would describe as a docile dying woman. She tends to be querulous and wearing. She has been dying for a very long time. Nonetheless the caregiver sees beyond the unpleasant external appearances  and veritably glows when describing sitting with this woman, ministering to her every need and demand, often at great physical and emotional personal expense. What I saw in the face and heard in the words of the tireless caregiver was extravagant love, poured through her like expensive perfume, recognizing the holy ground hidden in plain sight.

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Gospel text for Sunday 17 March 2013

John 12:1-8       Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany, the home of Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. There they gave a dinner for him. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those at the table with him. 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."

Reflection      The ritual practice of anointing has occurred across diverse cultures for thousands of years for several purposes. Since ancient times smearing oil, scented water, melted butter or perfume on a prophet, priest or king ceremonially imbued them with God’s Holy Spirit so to do their given work. In other words, the ritual had a transformative dimension which ‘empowered’ them to execute their vocation. By contrast, when Mary extravagantly anointed Jesus’ feet not only did she expresss her overflowing affection but she also disclosed her recognition of Jesus as the Christ, Khristós, the man who was already the anointed one.  Mary’s ceremonial action was not efficacious in the sense of being associated with the arrival of the Holy Spirit. Rather, she identified the Divinity of Jesus already present. Jesus interpreted Mary’s anointing in yet another fashion; in ritual preparation for his burial. It was Jewish custom for women to wash and anoint a body with oil and spices as part of ancient funerary rites. Mary’s anointing of Jesus’ feet foreshadowed his death.

Today in the Episcopal Church we use chrism, which is oil that has been consecrated for the purpose of anointing, during baptisms and in the pastoral office of anointing of the sick. During Baptism the bishop or priest makes the sign of the cross on the newly baptized person’s forehead saying, “You are sealed by the Holy Spirit in baptism and maked as Christ’s own forever. Amen.” In other words, in the context of Baptism, anointing identifies who (and whose) the newly baptized person is. In the Laying on of Hands and Anointing of the Sick, the priest or deacon makes the sign of the cross on the person’s forehead praying the person be filled with grace, healing power and be restored to wholeness and peace.  In this usage anointing expresses a transformative dimension and evocation of God’s of Holy Presence.

As a priest given the privilege of anointing let me just say this. Whether I am placing a myrrh scented sign of the cross on an infant’s pristine forehead or an elder’s furrowed brow the compliment of touch, and smell, and prayer arouses Divine Presence and reaches beyond time.