Isaiah 43:16-21; Psalm 126; Philippians 3:4b-14; John 12:1-8
The theme for us this season of Lent has been threefold: REPENT, RESTORE, RENEW. Lent 1 and 2 we focused on Repenting of those moments when we fall short. Lent 3 and 4 focused on the restoration of relationship with God through the work of Christ and restoration with each other by our own hard work. This week, Lent 5 our focus prepares us for Holy Week and the final renewal of life in resurrection.
In this weeks Gospel reading, we have a beautiful scene in the home of Lazarus and his sisters. Jesus has just raised Lazarus to life, who had been dead for four days. His friends unwrapped his burial cloths, and John says, “they gave a party for him.” It doesn’t exactly tell us which HIM the party is for, but my guess is for Lazarus. After all, four days is an awfully long time to go without any food or drink. Into this scene, Mary brings a bottle of expensive perfume and she begins to clean and pour the fragrant oil over Jesus' feet.
Mary of Bethany anointing Jesus' feet with nard and wiping them with her hair
by DANIEL F. GERHARTZ, 1965
I want us to come back to that intimate moment, but first, let us explore the complexity and poetic symmetry of this entire scene. John is clear to tell us that it is six days before the Passover. Exactly a week before those beautifully terrible events of Christ Passion would change the history of mankind forever. Jesus is aware of what is to come. Aware of his own death which must take place once he comes to Jerusalem. How at the center of all things, at the remembrance of God’s mercy found in the celebration of this feast to mark the Passover in Egypt and deliverance from death, that the people would reject life. We would reject the love of God so much that we would find ourselves calling for the death of God himself. But now at this moment, he has gathered with his friends.
At the table is a reminder of resurrection; Lazarus sitting up and eating. But also here is a reminder of death; Mary with her nard, a balm of oil and spices often used when preparing a body for burial. In this almost mirror of what will be known to us as The Last Supper. And just as he will later kneel down to wash the feet of his disciples preparing them for life without him; showing them how to serve each other. Mary, the Apostle to the Apostles, the one to always get there first. The one who will actually stay with him through all the ordeal. This is Mary’s goodbye meal with the LORD. This is Mary’s Last Supper. So now she takes the role of the servant kneeling before Jesus and pouring this nard, this burial ointment on his feet. But why? He is very much alive at this point. Why waste this perfume she was supposedly saving for his burial and use it on his feet alone. Why not pour it over his head like the Kings and the Prophets? Because that is not the purpose here.
I never fully understood the beauty of this scene until I was in Jerusalem. You may know that I really dislike wearing socks. I used to practice marching band in bare feet and like to wear sandals as long as possible. For this reason, visiting the aired Mediterranean climate around the Holy Land was perfect for me because I got to wear sandals. After all, that's what Jesus wore. In one way you feel closer to the land, to the earth that Jesus trod because there is less of a barrier between your skin and the sacred dust beneath your feet. But every night I would get back to my room at the college and cringe as I took my sandals off. My feet were dry. Caked with dust. Broken in the desert heat and split by the friction of sandal straps. The cool feel of the linoleum flooring helped a bit but what I really needed was water and oil in the form of some lotion.
I would take a shower, washing away the dust and sweat of that day's experience, and then I would sit and let my feet soak. Always in cool water. After a good soak, I would have to rub them down with lotion, being careful not to slip as I walked from the shower to the bed where I would put them up to rest for the night. If for some reason I did not follow this nightly ritual I would be miserable all the next day. The pain would shoot up my legs with each step as the nerves in my feet fought back against my urging to move on.
Not only is Mary anointing Jesus here, but she is preparing his feet for the journey. She is renewing his body so that it may be ready for what is to come. In just a weeks time he will have another supper this time he will be the servant preparing his disciples feet for the road they would soon walk. But today Mary has prepared his feet for an even greater journey. God will give himself to death and those beautiful anointed feet will have to walk the hardest road anyone has ever walked. In just a weeks time, these feet will tread the hard flat stones of the Roman road which cuts through Jerusalem from the Pavement to the Skull. From condemnation to execution. From life to death.
Although not fully in mind, Mary knows this all in her heart. She is there to help Jesus walk the way of death to prepare him for his burial so that we might walk the way of life and be prepared for resurrection. This is a journey which is required of all of us. It is impossible without preparation and regular renewal.
Fortunately for us, God provides a regular form of renewal in our weekly partaking of the Eucharist. In being fed on the Body and Blood of our Lord we are renewed in spirit for the next steps of our journey. Like the scene in Bethany, this meal has both reminders of suffering and resurrection of death and life. But because we are human, this alone is not enough. None of us should ever have to make this journey alone. This is why the Eucharist is also called communion and we are called to live into that fellowship of renewal. It is in communion––in a community where we become servants to each other. It is our role as equal travelers on the way to bring renewal to each other. We are called to love and serve each other. We are called to anoint each other, to encourage each other, and to prepare each other for the next steps whatever and where ever they may be.
The path through Holy Week is difficult, that is why we have prepared for the last forty days. This road we walk through life is a difficult one but with each other’s help, we will make it through. The oil we pour is the oil of gladness. The fragrance is one of Good News. For the path that we walk is one that will ultimately lead to the renewal of life it will lead to the resurrection.
The oil is poured and the table is set. The end of this season is upon us, and the next steps of the journey are about to begin. Come and walk with me.
AMEN.
Rev. J. Nelson - 5 Lent C - April 7, 2019
St. David of Wales Episcopal Church - Elkhart, Indiana
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