Such extravagance?

The reading for today is:

Mark 14:1-9 New Living Translation (NLT)

Jesus Anointed at Bethany

14 It was now two days before Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread. The leading priests and the teachers of religious law were still looking for an opportunity to capture Jesus secretly and kill him. 2 “But not during the Passover celebration,” they agreed, “or the people may riot.”

3 Meanwhile, Jesus was in Bethany at the home of Simon, a man who had previously had leprosy. While he was eating, a woman came in with a beautiful alabaster jar of expensive perfume made from essence of nard. She broke open the jar and poured the perfume over his head.

4 Some of those at the table were indignant. “Why waste such expensive perfume?” they asked. 5 “It could have been sold for a year’s wages[b] and the money given to the poor!” So they scolded her harshly.

6 But Jesus replied, “Leave her alone. Why criticise her for doing such a good thing to me? 7 You will always have the poor among you, and you can help them whenever you want to. But you will not always have me. 8 She has done what she could and has anointed my body for burial ahead of time. 9 I tell you the truth, wherever the Good News is preached throughout the world, this woman’s deed will be remembered and discussed.”

I wonder who that women was (Mark does not tell us) who was so grateful to Jesus for something, that she made such an extravagant offering to him.  The only response given by those looking on is to scold her harshly because it could have been used to help the poor. There are two things that strike me in what Jesus says. Firstly he accepts graciously what the woman has done, maybe it was extravagant, maybe it could have been sold and money used for the poor, but she chose to use it in this way. Did she have some idea that Jesus was heading for trouble and death? Thinking this, and what he has done for her, does she do this to anoint his body because it is the one thing she can do?

The second is that Jesus says we will always have the poor with us and so we always have the choice whether we help them or not. This passage I believe does not justify using our resources at the expense of the poor, it clearly tells us to help the poor all of the time.

In these uncertain days it is right that we should remember the poor, not just in our nation but beyond, the present situation is causing hardship in many ways for many people. In our prayers and through our giving we can help if we chose to. But maybe it is also good every now and then to be a bit extravagant in our thanks to God for all his daily blessings, perhaps just in the way we pray or how we respond to what is still good and beautiful around us. Last night I stood in my back garden and marvelled at such a magnificent moon, a moon God placed in the heavens.

Marvellous God

Help us at times like these still 
to give thanks to You for all 
that You do for us. 
To see the beauty and wonder 
of all You have created.

Taken 7/04/20

We pray for those in our nation today who are worried about their livelihoods because of all that is happening. 

We ask that the help 
our Government is giving 
will see them through 
these difficult times.

We pray for the poor in other parts of the world and those  working to bring them support.                                   

Help us to use what we have  compassionately and for your glory.

We ask this in the name of Jesus

Amen

l