John
12:1-8
Like our lesson from last week this
morning’s reading is all about love. It
is about that big, big, love of God which we talked about last Sunday; and it
is about how we are called to respond to that love.
We have been reading in the gospel of
Luke throughout the season of Lent, so it is a bit jarring to suddenly find
ourselves in John’s gospel. In this
gospel, great things have been happening including the raising of Lazarus from
the dead. Adult Sunday school just read
that story last week, so they are more prepared than the rest of us today.
Most people remember the story. Jesus is good friends with Mary, Martha, and
their brother Lazarus. The women send
word that Lazarus is ill, but Jesus stays away a few extra days. Lazarus dies, Jesus makes his way to Bethany,
and in what will be one of his most amazing acts, Jesus calls Lazarus from the
tomb. It is a pretty upsetting event for
many people, and the writer of the gospel of John makes it clear that at this
point, the religious establishment begins to plot Jesus’ death. In fact, Jesus has gone into hiding and is no
longer among the people in the villages or at the temple.
It is into this background that we
find the setting for today’s reading.
The Passover approaches, and many sense that this may be Jesus’ last
Passover celebration. Jesus again
travels to Bethany to spend time with friends in the home of Mary, Martha, and
the newly raised Lazarus. Martha serves,
Lazarus dines, and Mary sneaks away only to return with a large jar of
expensive perfume. In a beautifully
written scene, she pours the perfume over Jesus’ feet (a foreshadowing of his burial
to come) and wipes them with her hair.
It is a gracious act of complete love and total devotion.
Judas is there, and breaks the spell
of the moment by blurting out his statement.
“Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor.” The author of John makes it clear that Judas’ care is not for the poor; rather it is for himself only. He would like to have his hands on that money, just as he would like the attention of the dinner party turned toward him instead of Mary. Jesus rebukes him, and lifts up Mary’s act as the act of gracious devotion that it is. His time is short, and her gift to him is well received.
“Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor.” The author of John makes it clear that Judas’ care is not for the poor; rather it is for himself only. He would like to have his hands on that money, just as he would like the attention of the dinner party turned toward him instead of Mary. Jesus rebukes him, and lifts up Mary’s act as the act of gracious devotion that it is. His time is short, and her gift to him is well received.
Now, it is probably because I just got
back from another wonderful stewardship conference, but I saw themes of giving
and generosity running throughout the text this week. Jesus has been most generous with Mary. It can be hard for us to imagine, but he has
given Mary her very brother back.
Lazarus was ill, and then died.
He was dead for four days. He was
gone and Mary was moving through the period of mourning, when suddenly Jesus
brings Lazarus back to life. Can you
imagine how grateful Mary would feel?
Can you imagine the depth of love and thanksgiving she felt toward her
Lord?
Mary wants to respond to Jesus’
generosity with generosity of her own.
She wants to give him a gift.
But, what can one give to God?
She thinks of the most valuable thing she owns, her jar of pure
nard. She will give him that. She will anoint him with it. And although it is so little compared to the
gift he has given her, it is a way for her to express her love, her
thankfulness, her joy, and her devotion.
It is a way for her to give to her Lord, a way for her to show him how
she feels. It is powerful, and it is
beautiful, and it is so very perfect.
Jesus doesn’t let Judas spoil the
moment because Jesus knows that Mary is giving a gift from her very heart. Jesus knows that Mary is giving all that she
can give, and he honors her gift and calls others to do the same. Of course, we should give to the poor, and
I’m sure Mary probably also supported them.
Generosity begets generosity, and Mary had to have been a giver before
if she was going to offer a gift now on such a grand scale. But this gift was different; this was her
gift specifically to Jesus. This was her
moving and extravagant response to God’s abundant generosity in her life.
The themes of love and extravagant
generosity will continue through the close of the gospel. Judas does not understand, and he is jealous
of Mary’s ability to be generous. Within
the week to come, Jesus will gather with his friends in the upper room. He will mirror Mary’s act of love, as he
washes the feet of his disciples, another act of generosity and love. Even Judas, whose betrayal looms large in the
future, will have his feet washed by Jesus.
Jesus gives the final commandment, to
love as God loves. To love with a
generous, extravagant, abundance that knows no bounds. Jesus will then demonstrate that extravagant
love as he gives the greatest gift he is able to give, his very life. He gives his life for Mary, for Martha, and
for Lazarus. He also gives his life for
Judas, for the generosity of Jesus is the most extravagant generosity there
is. He gives his life for them all, and
for us as well.
The most profound idea that I took from
the stewardship conference is that we are called to give because we are made in
the image of God. Throughout the
scriptures God is one who gives and it is a theme that is woven throughout this
passion narrative in John’s gospel.
Jesus gives and gives until there is nothing of him left, and then he
rises from the dead and gives some more.
Mary is responding to that love, Mary is playing her part, Mary is made
in the image of God the giver and so Mary gives. She gives abundantly, she gives extravagantly,
she gives all that she has, her most costly and prized possession. She pours out that perfume, worth a year of
labor, all over Jesus and all over the floor.
The perfume is gone, but her act of love remains. Mary gives, because she worships a God who gives. Mary gives because Mary was made in the image
of God.
We will gather at the communion table
today and when we gather here we remember the gifts of our God. We think of the life that Jesus led, of the
things he taught us about living in faith.
We think of the gift he gave of that very life, so that we may know the
depth and extent of God’s love. We
remember his resurrection, and embrace the knowledge that even death cannot
bind God’s generous love. And we look to
the future, when all people, from all places, will gather together at God’s
most generous banquet. Through the
months and years as we gather again and again and again at this table we are
sustained and lifted up by God’s amazing generosity and love.
As we draw near to the close of Lent,
the events of Holy Week loom on the horizon.
We all know that this story of Jesus will get worse before it gets
better. It will grow much darker, before
we reach the dawn of Easter morning. And
so this is a continued time to reflect on our own lives, and to seek
opportunities for repentance. Where in
our lives have we modeled Mary’s generosity and joyously given all that we have
to our God? And where have we modeled
Judas’ stinginess, and hoarded the gifts of God for ourselves?
I ask you today to think for a few
moments and bring to mind the greatest gift that God has given to you. Let us take a moment of silence and hold
those things in our minds. What has been
God’s greatest gift to you during your lifetime? . . . .
And now, with the
thought of that gift before you, imagine how you might respond to God with your
own gift of love and thankfulness.
May we be like Mary and be moved to
give extravagant gifts as we too bear the image of our most generous and
extravagant creator. Amen.
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