Tuesday 21st March
Read John 12:1-8
“Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. 2 Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honour. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. 3 Then Mary took about half a litre of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.
4 But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, 5 ‘Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.’ 6 He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.
7 ‘Leave her alone,’ Jesus replied. ‘It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial. 8 You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me.’” (NIVUK)
There is every likelihood that Mary knew that what she was doing was excessive and very likely to draw criticism. The expense involved was great. Letting down her hair amongst men and wiping Jesus’ feet was quite simply scandalous. Consider also the use of a burial perfume upon the still-living Jesus. Where did she get it? But perhaps more importantly, why was it not used on her brother Lazarus? When Jesus arrived, Martha warned him against going to the tomb because he had been dead four days and the stench would be overwhelming (John 11:39). Why would the stench be overwhelming if Mary had the best burial perfume money could buy? All these criticisms Mary has opened herself up to – and all in a shockingly useless act of love and devotion to Jesus.
However, in doing so, she has also blazed a path for everyone about the nature of worship and love. It often does not make sense. Many would arrive at our church service and wonder why we sing so loudly and single-mindedly in praise of one long dead. What an immense waste of time. We open ourselves up to criticism whenever we do so. Yet such is the nature of love and worship.
CS Lewis perhaps captures this essence of love – evident in both Mary’s act and our irrational worship also – when he wrote about the importance of vulnerability in love.
“To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything and your heart will be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact you must give it to no one, not even an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements. Lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket, safe, dark, motionless, airless, it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. To love is to be vulnerable.”
Are you as vulnerable in your expression of love and worship as Mary? What extravagant act can you do for your Lord today?
