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In Memory of Her

IN MEMORY OF HER

 

TEXT: JOHN 12:1-8

 

INTRODUCTION TO THE SCRIPTURE
I picked the scripture today in honor of Mother's Day. It is a story of a woman hero-a disciple of Jesus who appears in the Gospels as strong, determined, and unconventional. She follows her heart even when it means that she is likely to be criticized. She is Mary, the sister of Lazarus. The event takes place at the house where she lived with her brother and her sister, Martha.
 

In the New Century Hymnal there is a lovely hymn that interprets this story so I've asked the choir to help me with it. I'll read the text and they will follow with the musical response that takes the story a little deeper. The text is from John 12 and the hymn is found on page 210 in the black hymnal.

JOHN 12:1-8

Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany, the home of Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. 2 There they gave a dinner for him. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those at the table with him. 3 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. 4 But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (the one who was about to betray him), said, 5 "Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?" 6 (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.)

CHOIR "Said Judas to Mary" Verses 1-3
Jesus said, "Leave her alone. She bought it so that she might keep it for the day of my burial. 8 You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me."

CHOIR "Said Judas to Mary" Verses 4-6

NEARING THE END
A well-known church educator developed a method of Bible study that helps people relate the scriptures to their daily lives. First they would read the text and a little background would be provided. For instance we'd be reminded that this scene takes place at the end of Jesus' life, just a week before his arrest, and things are getting very dicey for him. He no longer walked about openly for fear he'd be arrested. He goes rather secretively to Mary, Lazarus, and Martha's house because they are his very close friends and followers.

It was probably a big gathering though. Jesus and his band made 13 not counting wives that might have been traveling with them, plus Mary, Martha, and Lazarus and their children and servants. Twenty people would be a conservative guess. This is Lazarus whom Jesus had sobbed over when he realized that he died before Jesus got to him. The same Lazarus who Jesus raised from the dead. This has got to be a really intense evening; filled with celebration, friendship, and love. And this fantastic gesture: They are all reclining around the table when Mary comes in with her alabaster jar of fragrant oil, opens the top, and pours the precious oil on the teacher's feet.

The background information would include the fact that the pound of nard imported from India probably cost as much as an entire year's wages for a working man.

Now it is Mary who is sobbing. What is it? Grief? Devotion? Loss? She bathes his feet with the oil mixed with her tears and loosening the coils of her bound hair, she wipes his feet with it. Do they have an inkling of the horror that is coming? Probably. Are they facing it or trying to repress it for this evening? For that we'd have to read between the lines.

WHERE ARE YOU IN THIS STORY?
This particular Bible study method asks us to do exactly that. It is an exercise in imagination. It asks us to put ourselves into the story. Who are you? Where are you sitting? What do you see, hear, taste, and smell? How do you react to this scene? What does it mean to you?

Take a moment and imagine. Are you Martha who is serving? Are you the grateful Lazarus? Are you one of the many disciples who seem to be silent? Judas? Jesus? Mary? Who are you?

I'm suspicious of the parenthetical remark about Judas stealing from the treasury; most scholars believe that is a late addition. So if you take that away, the person I'm probably most aligned with is Judas. I'm pragmatic and frugal. I think Judas speaks for me. If you were just going to "waste" that nard, why didn't you sell it and give the money to the poor?" It's very unlikely that I would be capable of an extravagant gesture like Mary's.

I'm so Judas that when I hear Jesus say, "The poor you always have with you, but you don't always have me," I want to talk back to him and say, "That's no reason to neglect the poor now!"


But I could be Martha, the one who makes the party happen. Making sure the house is clean and the oil lamps are glowing just right with no smoke. Fresh flowers, and great food! I like that providing hospitality is an important spiritual discipline in the Bible. But I wonder if Martha had another little hissy fit that night when her sister again upstaged all the work she had done to make that fabulous party. I'm going to hope that she didn't. In fact, I'm going to imagine her saying, "Good for you, Mary, this is just what we needed to do to show Jesus how much we care."

Lazarus. I have never had a life-threatening illness, but if I had, I might imagine myself as the one who came back to life. And I'd be thrilled that I could give this party for the man that was responsible for my healing. It would be like having a celebration for the family, friends, and medical team that saw you through your chemo and radiation. One of the most affirming personal characteristics is gratitude. It is said that those who remember to be thankful for their blessings are usually happier people. Could you be Lazarus?

Could we be Jesus in the story? I asked the confirmation class this year to think about how we could be like Jesus and one of them said, "I'd never compare myself to the Son of God."

But I think we are asked to do that. This is the reason for the doctrine of the nature of Christ-fully human, fully divine. Jesus was no less human than we are; subject to the same anxieties, drives, temptations, egotism, and selfishness as we are. That's the whole point of it. When we follow him and yield ourselves to God as he did, we too can be capable of the same kind of bravery and compassion and self-giving love. We draw from the same well.

Imagine Jesus. He is not sitting there like an impassive statue while this woman is kneeling before him, crying, and pouring oil on his feet. We know what he's thinking because he tells us. "I am going to die. It is like she's anointing me for my burial."

And how is this affecting him? "I'm afraid. I don't want to leave these friends of mine. Can I endure the pain? Oh, Mary, thank you for this beautiful gesture. Someone understands. It's good to know that I will have a companion in the dark days to come. I know you will be praying for me and I'm going to need it." Ah yes, I think we can identify with Jesus.

And finally, Mary. When this story is told in Mark's gospel, Jesus silences the complaining disciples and tells them, "Wherever the good news is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her." As I thought about this sermon, I realized that I really haven't done my part in keeping the memory of this amazing woman alive.

LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, MIND, AND STRENGTH
Remember, the first of the great commandments is to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. I'm good at preaching about loving your neighbor as yourself. But Mary shows direct devotion to God, unmediated by service to others. I had a friend who was studying for the Catholic priesthood. He spent an hour in front of the crucifix in his seminary chapel every morning, praying. I asked him, "What do you do, read your missal? Pray the rosary?" No, he said, I just sit in the pew and look at Jesus and he looks at me.

Catholics are better at this direct contemplation of God in Christ, Evangelicals are better at it. Their praise music is like a love song to Jesus. Maybe I'm just speaking for myself, but I think that the more main-line churches go in for action a lot more than they do adoration.

I also want to keep the memory alive of the woman who didn't calculate the worth of something in terms of its monetary value. What really counted for her was not fiscal responsibility, but a loving relationship. What really counted was not the proper thing to do, but compassion for a beloved friend who was suffering.

Rev. Richard Fairchild writes: How often do we pass up the chance to care for someone because we are either too busy doing ... the right thing, the proper thing...? Love always gives its best-and it does so at the moment of opportunity, it does so now, today, with the people immediately around us. (Rev. Richard J. Fairchild, Kirshalom Website.)

Mary led with her heart. She came to Jesus that evening just as she was. Not trying to fit herself into a mold of ideal disciple, dutiful hostess, or prudent money manager. She gave what she had without counting the cost. She loved lavishly and completely. And Jesus was blessed by her gift. We tell this story today in memory of her. And in anticipation that we too, may come to Jesus as we are, bringing what we have, and mostly bringing love.