In Remembrance of Her

When Jesus had finished saying all these things, he said to his disciples, “You know that after two days the Passover is coming, and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified.” Then the chief priests and the elders of the people gathered in the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas, and they conspired to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill him. But they said, “Not during the festival, or there may be a riot among the people.” Now while Jesus was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very costly ointment, and she poured it on his head as he sat at the table. But when the disciples saw it, they were angry and said, “Why this waste? For this ointment could have been sold for a large sum, and the money given to the poor.” But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why do you trouble the woman? She has performed a good service for me. For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me. By pouring this ointment on my body she has prepared me for burial. Truly I tell you, wherever this good news is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in remembrance of her.” Then one of the twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, “What will you give me if I betray him to you?” They paid him thirty pieces of silver. And from that moment he began to look for an opportunity to betray him. Matthew 26:1-16 

For most of history, women's sacrifices and gifts have been overlooked. The church kept women from holy orders for a very long time. Yet Jesus reminds us that her gift and her witness are at the heart of the Gospel. An obscure woman, an outcast, showed love and honor when the leadership did not. In fact, her act ignited their deep seated hate. The plot to kill was put into action. I am reminded of a phrase of my Momma's. "You know you're getting close to God when the devil starts working overtime!"

Gracious Creator, who gives your spirit to us all

and who moves the hearts of the marginalized

to see the hope of your presence and salvation

when those who are in authority cannot or will not.

Move us to our knees for service and love

move our feet to go where you need us to be

help us to be fearless in the face of great violence

and let us serve by caring for the world you made. Amen.