As we continue in our Lenten series, Uncovering God’s Love, we’ll consider Jesus’ anointing in the home of Martha, Mary, and Lazarus. This family has been on a roller coaster of grief. In John 11, Lazarus died and was returned to life! His sisters were grieving, and then rejoicing! Now, their friend Jesus comes for dinner and the conversation turns to his death and burial. Mary anoints his dirty feet with costly perfume and it causes a stir. How do we uncover God’s love when we feel overwhelmed by the extremes of this life – happiness and sadness, blessing and sorrow, life and death? How does God’s love reveal to us the connection between dirty feet and costly perfume?

Scriptures:

• Isaiah 43:16-21
• Psalm 126
• Philippians 3:4b-14
• John 12:1-8

John 12:1-8

Mary Anoints Jesus
Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany, the home of Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. There they gave a dinner for him. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those at the table with him. Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus’ feet, and wiped them with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (the one who was about to betray him), said, ‘Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?’ (He said this not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief; he kept the common purse and used to steal what was put into it.) Jesus said, ‘Leave her alone. She bought it so that she might keep it for the day of my burial. You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.’