Our house in Michigan was on the main street in a
small town. The annual Memorial Day Parade started several blocks south of our
house, and ended a few blocks north of our house. Each year, we would set out
our chairs on the front lawn. Several friends and neighbors joined us, because
it was a great place to watch the parade. We covered our ears as the sirens
wailed; we stood to honor the flag and the soldiers; we waved at the children
on fancy bikes; we admired the corvettes and Model T’s; we laughed at the
Shriners on tiny motorcycles; we even grabbed a few pieces of candy. When the
parade was over, we put our chairs back in the garage and had a cup of coffee
as we enjoyed the rest of the day off. The next day, it was back to work, as
usual.
There were probably lots of parades in Jerusalem;
especially military parades when the Roman officials came into town. People
were expected to show up to watch and honor the officials. They also wanted to
see what was going on, just as we would today. In this case, as Pilate rides
into town through one gate with his armed guard, Jesus is riding into town
through another gate on a colt. His followers throw their coats and some
branches on the road in front of him. Notice that in Mark, there are no palm
branches, just people’s clothes and some branches from the bushes in the area.
The rumors and excitement abound because many people
expect Jesus to claim his rightful throne, get rid of the Romans and Herod, and
return control of Jerusalem to the Jews. So, everyone goes to take a look,
whether they believe in him or want to help arrest him.
The excitement of the parade continues during the
week as Jesus raises hopes. Preaching and teaching on the temple steps, Jesus
predicts the destruction of the temple, praises the widow’s offering, answers
questions about taxes and the resurrection, overthrows the tables of the money
changers. Also during this time, Judas seeks out the Chief Priest, and the
disciples celebrate the Passover with Jesus, and sleep while Jesus prays in
Gethsemane. As Mark tells the story, Jesus just doesn’t stop this week; he is
constantly setting the stage for his arrest, trial, and crucifixion.
The story of the anointing at Bethany is in all four
Gospels, although it takes different forms in each Gospel. In Mark, the
anointing takes place on Tuesday of Holy Week. The location is the house of
Simon the Leper. We don’t know anything about Simon, except that he apparently had
once been a leper and was now healed – so people could dine at his table with
him.
In this story, Jesus is at a dinner party and a
woman – an unnamed woman – enters the house. It’s possible that the house was
large, and designed to host parties. It was common in those days that a dinner
party would gather around a table in the center of the room, and neighbors
could enter and stand along the walls on the outside of the room to listen to
the guest speaker.
We don’t know anything about the woman, except that
she had a vial of anointing oil. Nard, or spikenard, was used as a perfume, an
incense to be burned in the temple, and was one of the oils used to prepare
bodies for burial. The oil was in a small alabaster jar. Alabaster is a stone which
is easy to carve, and used as perfume containers.
Perhaps the women had been healed by Jesus and she is
there to thank him. She watches for her
opportunity, and takes it. She opens the jar and pours its contents over Jesus’
head and hair, not just a few drops, but the entire jar-ful. The room is filled
with the fragrance of nard; everyone takes notice of her actions.
Pouring oil on someone is called anointing. Think
for a moment – when in the Old Testament was anointing done? ... Oil was used
in the ancient world for cleaning and healing wounds. Aaron and the priests
after him were anointed. So were kings – notably Saul, David, and Solomon. So,
in addition to the parade on Sunday which proclaims Jesus as the one who is coming
in the name of the Lord, Jesus is anointed on Tuesday. He is king and priest,
anointed for his mission of healing and saving the world.
Only Jesus knows the dual purpose of this anointing,
as he brushes off the comments from the disciples and others about the waste. “So
many poor people could have been fed and clothed with this ointment worth a
year’s worth of wages,” they complained. Jesus knew the reason for this gift,
and would not deny the woman the honor of giving it. Jesus claimed this
anointing as proper and just the right thing to do.
From the joy of Palm Sunday to the despair of Good
Friday, Jesus kept his focus on following God’s plan. He was king and priest and
sacrificial lamb; anointed and sent for our benefit, so we could hear from God’s
own mouth just how much God cares for and about us.
We, too, are anointed for mission. Anointing is part
of the rite of baptism. We are anointed to share God’s salvation with those
around us, however we can. We are anointed and part of God’s plans and
purposes.
Think, this week, about your own anointing. How do
your particular gifts and skills fit with God’s mission? If it’s hard to claim
your own gifts, ask someone else to tell you what they see in you.
And take time this week to read the last few chapters
of Mark. Read slowly, from the triumphal entry to the end. Let yourself enter
the story as a disciple and feel the emotions of the highs and lows, the joy
and the fear, the wonder, amazement, and deep sorrow. Attend worship and spend
time in prayer each day this week. When we feel the emotions of this sacred
week, we can approach Easter Sunday and the resurrection with greater excitement.
Please pray with me. Jesus, our Lord and our Lamb,
we cannot comprehend how you could give your life for us. It is beyond our
imagining. Be present with us this week, as we will try to be present with you.
Bless us, forgive us, and restore in us a sense of wonder at the depth of your
love for us. Amen
