In Remembrance of Her

It was two days before the Passover and the festival of Unleavened Bread. The chief priests and the scribes were looking for a way to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill him; for they said, ‘Not during the festival, or there may be a riot among the people.’ While he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at the table, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very costly ointment of nard, and she broke open the jar and poured the ointment on his head. But some were there who said to one another in anger, ‘Why was the ointment wasted in this way? For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii, and the money given to the poor.’ And they scolded her. But Jesus said, ‘Let her alone; why do you trouble her? She has performed a good service for me. For you always have the poor with you, and you can show kindness to them whenever you wish; but you will not always have me. She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for its burial. Truly I tell you, wherever the good news is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in remembrance of her.’ Then Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve, went to the chief priests in order to betray him to them. When they heard it, they were greatly pleased, and promised to give him money. So he began to look for an opportunity to betray him. Mark 14:1-11

Loving Creator, your love is endless

we know it in the cycle of the seasons

the waxing and waning of the moon

and the rising and setting of the sun.

You sat at table with religious leaders 

who wanted all the power and control

and when you were grateful for a gift

they despised your compassion and love.

The world is tilting off it's axis again

too many voices raised for center stage

yet your still small voice whispers

come and open your hearts to others.

Help us to be like the anointing woman

who gave all that she had for love of you

make us generous, humble and loving

so that world might resound with joy again. Amen.