Meditationen am Gnadenstuhl: Saturday of Laetare (Lent IV)

Saturday of Laetare (Lent IV)

Daily Lectionary Readings: Genesis 49:29-50:7, 14-26; Mark 14:1-11; (Sirach 25)

Mark 14:3–9 [3] And while he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he was reclining at table, a woman came with an alabaster flask of ointment of pure nard, very costly, and she broke the flask and poured it over his head. [4] There were some who said to themselves indignantly, “Why was the ointment wasted like that? [5] For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor.” And they scolded her. [6] But Jesus said, “Leave her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. [7] For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you want, you can do good for them. But you will not always have me. [8] She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for burial. [9] And truly, I say to you, wherever the gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her.”

Mary anoints Jesus with a perfumed oil that costs one year's wages for an average laborer. Can you imagine giving such a gift? So what just happened? As quickly as pouring out a bottle, Mary has replaced getting with giving. And Judas Is not happy about it.

But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (he who was about to betray him), said, “Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief, and having charge of the moneybag he used to help himself to what was put into it. Jesus said, “Leave her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of my burial. For the poor you always have with you, but you do not always have me.”1

The big difference to be seen here is the difference between Mary and Judas. What Mary has done is, forgive the pun, so over the top, so extravagant, that we can not comprehend it. Usually, with these expensive ointments, a little goes a long way! She used all of it! Does Judas have a point here? After all, he talks about selling it and using the proceeds to give to the poor. That's giving! That is a worthy, God-pleasing good work, is it not?

Well, Judas' heart is cluttered with many things, most of them not good at all. In fact, he is no different than those Pharisees that just put a price on the heads of Jesus and Lazarus. Judas' heart is governed not by "give" but by "get." Judas saw a payday coming from the sale of that bottle of nard. Sure, some of the money would have been given to the poor, but not before Judas skimmed off his little taste for his own purse. If the poor are going to get something, he is for sure going to get his as well. His livelihood is threatened, running down the brow of Christ.

Our lesson could not be more black and white. Mary is generous and gives without hesitation. Judas is greedy and miserly. Mary sacrificed that which would put food on her family's table for many months. Judas would not bet a nickel that water is wet. Mary shows her faith by her actions, and it is that faith, not her actions, that saves her eternal soul. Judas' crimes are going to kill him.

Once more, we are led to calvary to behold the cross. Mary believes and takes to heart the words of John that baptist: “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”2 And she believes the words of Jesus Himself: “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”3 “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up.”4 Mary gives Jesus everything she has. In doing so, she prepares Jesus to give everything He has. And the room is filled with the smell of costly perfume.

What Mary did continues to be told of her. Jesus never says that about anyone else. Because Mary shows us how to be like Christ, how to live selflessly and generously. Once again, it is not her act that saves her but the faith behind the act which does. The act flows naturally from her, like the nard pouring out of the bottle over Jesus' hair. She could not do otherwise. When we take the Gospel message to heart, look at what Jesus has done for us on the cross to forgive us all our selfish acts of getting and repent, we, too, will reap the good works of giving and begin to experience the true joy of service to our neighbor. What else can you do with the joy of knowing you are so loved that Jesus died and rose for you but share that joy with others? Then they may come to know Jesus died and rose for them as well!

1John 12:4-8 (ESV).

2John 1:29 (ESV).

3John 2:13 (ESV).

4John 3:14 (ESV).