“Wasteful Love”
A church member recently asked, “What happened on those other days of Holy Week?” We focus on Palm Sunday, skip ahead to Maundy Thursday and Good Friday and wait it out Holy Saturday. But what about the other days?
Today is Monday of Holy Week and while it is not designated for any special observance, the anointing in Bethany is often remembered. While each gospel has its own unique anointing story, the Gospel of John, chapter 12, connects it most closely with Passover.
Most of us in the Christian faith are familiar with the story: a woman (John names her as Mary, the sister to Martha and Lazarus) anoints Jesus with costly perfume. Matthew and Mark tell us that Jesus was anointed on the head and Luke and John tell us the anointing was on the feet.
Attempts to reconcile the differences are impossible and, quite frankly, beside the point. They all tell of a woman so moved by love and devotion that she does an extravagant act.
Love is foolish that way. Some may even think it is impractical in its wastefulness. Mary is even foolish in her behavior: she anoints his feet – the dirty and therefore “profane” part of the body – and wipes them with her hair – the symbol of life and glory.
It is as if she knew that in God all are brought together as one. Nothing separates us from love incarnate. When you know that Holiness is abiding in what everyone else is calling profane, you cannot help but unbind your hair and take your shoes off, because suddenly the earth shimmers in the sacred.
And yet there will always be detractors and objectors, meekly hiding behind their own excuses of excess and self-righteousness. “The money could have been given to the poor,” yet having done little for the poor or anyone else for that matter in the first place.
Without love, our feverish attempts at doing good feel more like obligations to a demanding God and less like engagement with a loving Creator.
John gives us this line: “The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.” (John 12:3b) When you love and are loved extravagantly others share in the gift.
Barbara Brown Taylor writes: Whatever they spend, there will be plenty left over. There is no reason to fear running out–of nard or of life either one–for where God is concerned, there is always more than we can ask or imagine–gifts from our lavish, lavish Lord.
Mary embodies the fullness of extravagance – love, life, forgiveness, giving. All share in the gift.
Friends, let us love generously this day and all our days. The sacred still leaves the earth shimmering.
Amen.
So true.. read this very verse this am ! Thank you for sharing and caring to share .. we, who read are blessed!
Blessed to have had you as our pastor .. praying EASTER blessings to you , Amy & your family🌷
I was pondering the same question this morning – what was happening on these days between Palm Sunday and Holy Thursday. Thank you for sharing this today – just what we needed on Holy Monday. Wishing you, Amy and your family much love, peace and contemplation this week leading up to the Easter.
Grateful for your thoughts on this Holy Week. I look forward to each day.
Amen, Thank you for sharing, Blessings to you and your family.
Thank you, Greg. Your lessons are very meaningful, direct, and right to the heart. May God continue to richly bless you and your family. Cheryle
Thank you for these thoughts today Greg-looking forward to hearing about Tuesday and Wednesday-always wondered what happened “in between”. Have a blessed week-see you Sunday-“He is Risen”!
I needed to be reminded how lavishly I am loved by Jesus. Some days…….Thank you. Blessings my friend.
Thank you for these words, you always know just what to say at just the right time.
So true – “when you love and are loved extravagantly, others share in the gift.”