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

Most of the stories of selfless love, particularly in the Gospel of Mark, are acts done by women. Most of these women are poor, outcast and an unwelcomed sort, immediately criticized by the religious leaders and other men.  They scolded her. Yet Jesus defended her selfless love, an act of tenderness and devotion, that none of them was capable of. They were quick to judge her, yet Jesus has made her first among the saints. Her story has been told throughout the generations. Jesus' honoring of the woman made Judas take the final deal that would betray his teacher and friend. She teaches us love even in a world full of angry, privileged men. Her fearlessness is a model for us all in these times.

Gracious Creator, you made us all your children

we sing and dance in very different languages 

yet you are among all of us in our diversity

inviting us to fearless love and faithfulness.

We ache to fit in with the times and the culture

while mothers and children are rounded up

we look away from the violence being done

and forget to be the women always remembered.

Lord, help us to be more like the woman

let us be ready to break open what we have

so the world might see your love among us

and be filled with the perfume of great hope. Amen.