John 12:1-8
Lent 5 / Year C
“Mary took a pound of
costly perfume made of pure nard and anointed Jesus’ feet.”
A little background on
nard. It comes from the root of a plant
in the honeysuckle family which only grows in the Himalayas at an altitude
roughly between 10,000-15,000 feet above sea level. Its roots, when crushed and distilled, form a
thick, amber-colored oil with a very pungent, musky aroma. In biblical times this product was used to scent
perfume, included in recipes, and added to wine. In addition, it was an herbal medicine used
to treat a wide variety of health conditions, everything from insomnia to
depression to wound care. And because it
had such a powerful, lingering fragrance, it was used in the burial process to
mask the odor of decay. Rare and
expensive at the time, we are blessed to live in an age when you can purchase
pure nard on Amazon as an oil, an air freshener, and even as a roll on starting
at $11.99 on up.
In John’s gospel, Mary’s
action, like most every other event he records, is deeply symbolic. Jesus himself sees it as foreshadowing of own
burial which is less than a week away.
But, as with the other signs, what holds deep significance also has a
very practical, very human purpose. The
water turned to wine at Cana signals new life, but it is also a basic staple of
a celebration. The water at the well in Samaria points to the living water
Jesus makes available through the Spirit, but is also a refreshing drink at the
noon hour on a blistering day. The wine
and bread at the Last Supper represent Christ’s body and blood, but at a fundamental
level provides nourishment to a group of hungry people.
Mary’s action addresses
a very human need. Jesus’ feet are
dirty. They ache. They may have bruises or blisters or
abrasions. Taken at this level, what she
does is thoughtful and kind. It is a
kind of grace, unneeded and yet much appreciated. It is just one of those things which makes
life easier to bear by easing a little bit of another person’s burden. You never know when a simple act offered at
just the right time will be for another an enormous source of relief and encouragement
in the struggle which is life.
I do not consider myself
to be the most attentive, situationally aware of the needs of others kind of
person, but there are times when I do pick up on something and find myself
inspired to act; and yes, I use the word ‘inspired’ intentionally because the
impulse to do a specific thing to help another most often comes ‘to’ me, not
from ‘within’ me. Pilgrimages helped me
with this. I tended to finish each day’s
walk before many in our group and, after resting a bit, I often backtracked
(particularly on the long, difficult days) to welcome in those who, unaware,
were closing in on the day’s destination, saying, “You are almost there!” It was a small gesture, but always
appreciated.
Mary’s gesture is much
deeper than this. In the culture at the
time, her action speaks of humility, devotion, and service; with perhaps
devotion being most significant to her.
Jesus had healed her father Simon of leprosy. She sat at Jesus’ feet and listened to him
teach while her sister Martha stewed in the kitchen. And, after her brother Lazarus had been in
the grave for several days, Jesus brought him back to life. Yes, she is deeply devoted to Jesus and is keenly
attuned to his needs. The nard must have
felt luxurious as she applied it to his feet.
And more than one commentator suggests its scent would have lingered long
enough for Jesus to sense it even as he hung on the cross.
In Mary we have a model
of thoughtfulness and selflessness, sacrificing an alabaster jar of expensive
nard which some commentators posit was a dowry, others a retirement
investment. And a good sermon might end
with the preacher encouraging listeners to be like Mary, maybe even pointing out
whatever act of compassion you offer to another you extend to Jesus as
well. It is a lesson worth keeping in mind
to be sure.
But what does Jesus
model for us to emulate? He shows us
what it is like to be human – to be physically tired, to be sore to the core,
to be done in by the demands of the daily round. He is aware of how he feels and receptive to
an effort to ease what ails him. He
embraces the ministry of another’s care because he, like us, has physical
needs.
Throughout Lent we have
been focusing on the metaphor of pilgrimage.
To see yourself as a pilgrim is to acknowledge life begins, continues,
and ends in God. Of the three, continues is the most challenging. From time to time, we find ourselves physically
spent, emotionally drained, and spiritually dry. Jesus knows this because he knew it in his
own life. He willingly accepted Mary’s
thoughtful and compassionate act. His
posture invites us to welcome gladly the grace others extend. And it reminds us to seek refreshment at the
Lord’s Table, where our Heavenly Companion offers us a balm which lingers long
to meet our every need.
