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

A woman anointed Jesus with the deepest gratitude and love. A selfless gift in thanksgiving for the love and healing he had brought forth. The disciples could only criticize her, for her frivolous waste and her selfless gift. Yet, they were told, and we are reminded, that it is her tender generosity and kindness, her selfless giving that is the true essence of the gospel. We are invited to move away from judgment and embrace love and gratitude. She loved fully and completely and offered her most precious possession. That kind of love and sacrifice is always remembered.

Loving Creator, you gave us hearts for love

minds to understand the needs of others

hands to embrace and to serve freely

and eyes to see you light in all seasons.

Our hearts too often go from soft to hard

our minds judge before we know the person

our hands and occupied with selfish pleasures

and we are blind to the needs in our midst.

Help us to be like the woman in Bethany

whose heart was so full of overflowing love

who offered all she had to anoint our Lord

and taught us all how to serve our world. Amen.