We are Fragile; All of Life is Fragile
There is so much to this story – and a version of this story appears in each of the gospels. But John’s telling has a level of detail, a level of intimacy that doesn’t shine through in other versions.
Importantly, in John’s telling, the characters are named and well known.
John’s gospel is also shaped and structured with great literary purpose. The characters placed here are key to connecting various parts of Jesus’ life and ministry as told across this gospel. There are allusions in these eight short verses to what has happened in the past and what is to come, in the midst of what is happening right then.
And the truth is that we could spend hours unpacking this text and drawing all kinds of connection.
Today, though, I want to strive for good enough. I want to touch the tender places of this story and leave some work for our hearts to do as we move forward toward Palm Sunday and the events of Holy Week.
In the text, Mary, sister of Lazarus, a dear friend and the one whom Jesus has resuscitated from death, takes a pound of costly nard – a valuable thing in this community – and lavishes it on Jesus’ feet. She then wipes his feet with her hair.
The text describes how the whole house is filled with its fragrance. Can you close your eyes for a moment and imagine being overcome by a fragrance? For the sake of our reflection, let’s be overcome by a fragrance that is somehow sweet to us, positive for us… a full pound – like four sticks of butter – for volume reference.
Mary has offered a generous and luxurious anointing, celebrating Jesus’ leadership, his presence, his work. Mary’s anointing has meaning and it has power. She’s made a statement. She’s saying something about who this man is and what he means to her. In the context of John’s gospel, this anointing takes place right before Jesus enters Jerusalem with the laud and honor of a King.
And this all happens at a dinner party where everyone is lounging on the floor around good food in her brother’s home.
Just a chapter earlier, Jesus delayed his visit to Lazarus even though Jesus knew Lazarus was dying. During the delay, Lazarus did, in fact, die. So as Jesus approaches, sister Martha meets him outside the house, scolding him sort of for arriving too late.
So now Mary….Mary’s not going to wait for whatever is to happen next. She’s taking this moment to honor Jesus here and now.
As if the family has learned something about delayed expressions of love and honor.
Show love now. Show honor now. Speak your truth now.
Because now matters.
Watching this scene, Judas decries the waste…and I think the drama, the focused attention on the person Jesus. In a time and place when their ministry was stretched and the people in the countryside of Galilee were suffering, Judas can only see the cash value of Mary’s gift, the attention Jesus is receiving, and the PR nightmare for their work.
But Mary has done something extraordinarily vulnerable. She has offered something of a testimony to who this Jesus is. She has done it in a dramatic and intimate way. She has anointed his feet at a dinner party.
And in the middle of Mary’s brother’s house, Judas critiques her action.
I was reminded as I sat with this text this week of how hard it can be in this season to speak your truth at times. Because it seems someone is always ready to suggest a more PC way of doing or being. Someone is always ready to call into question your motive, the use of resources, the words you did (or did not) actually say.
It makes it hard to speak up at times. It makes it hard to act sometimes.
But Mary did. And Jesus defended her.
The poor you will always have with you. She’s offered a precious gift, preparing me for what will come next, Jesus says. And in his words, he alludes not to his kingship but rather to his death.
Who among us has not delayed sharing our love and affection with someone until it was too late? Mary is not waiting.
And, the world seems to have a lot to say about how we love and honor and respect.
How we share our Jesus love in the world. How we give where we can.
And here, so does Jesus.
Show love with what you have.
Do it now.
Now is good enough.
There will always be someone else who needs your time. Your resources.
We have the poor with us always because we are ALL the poor in some way.
Beloved, my prayer this week is that you will find ways speak your truth.
To express love.
To honor God.
Do it now.
With what you have.
Regardless of what the world has to say.
Because what you offer is good enough.
Now is good enough.
You are good enough.
Amen.
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