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Perfume

Helen Jacobi completes the 2022 Lenten series exploring anointing as part of healing 
Rev Helen Jacobi

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Perfume

Transcript
Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard. It would have been in a jar or a flask of some kind nod or spikenard was from a plant growing in the himalayans and was used for its strong perfume in the ancient world. In the song of songs, we hear a love poem, describing a bride. Your plans are an orchard and pomegranates with Choice, few fruits, with henna and nard nard, and saffron, calamus, and cinnamon with every kind of incense tree with myrrh and aloes and all the finest spices, As Mary, we removed the lid from the jar, the aroma would have filled the room. People would have recognized the perfume. But what was she about to do? I imagine, as usual Martha had prepared the meal while Mary was floating about listening to the discussions of the men. Lazarus. Their brother was there this time last time Jesus visited the house at Bethany Lazarus had died or so they thought the gospel writer. John tells us that it is six days before the Passover. So religious politics are crackling in the air. The Passover, when the people of Israel remembered, how they were freed from Egypt, and how the angel of death had passed over their houses and let them live. The Passover was a celebration of freedom. But they celebrated it now in a city full of Roman soldiers and pilot and his troops were on their way to be sure that the people didn't get out of hand. Mary and Martha's House wasn't Bethany, only a day's, walk from Jerusalem, down the valley and up the other side. Bethany looks over Jerusalem from there. You can watch The Walking pilgrims beginning to stream into the city. so in the midst of all this Mary opens who jar of perfume, What is she doing? They want to get on and sit down for dinner. She approaches Jesus. Will she anointed him as a king? Kings were always Anointed with oil on their heads, this kind of oil and perfume. Exactly. Will she anointed king and call for the people to rise up? A story or a similar one, is also recounted and Mark and Matthew, but located at the house of Simon the leper and an unnamed woman. Their paws, the perfume on Jesus head and the biblical Scholars debate, whether these are two different events or whether the accounts are based in the same event with some of the details important details changed in the Tali. So here, Mary could have anointed Jesus head. But she kneels at his feet. And massages, the oil, and the perfume, and to his feet, there would have been a sharp intake of breath from everybody. What is she doing? She takes her time, massaging his feet and then worse. She lets down her hair her hair which must be pinned up and covered at all times. She lets it loose and wipes. Jesus feet with her hair. My imagine Hootie has completely embarrassed. No one knows where to look. Maybe they're thinking of other verses from the song of songs. While the King was at his table, my perfume spread its fragrance. My beloved is to me a sachet of myrrh resting between my breasts. My beloved is to me a cluster of henna blossoms from The Vineyards of in Getty. Jesus encourages the woman who follow him to take their place with the men, but this is a bit too much. It's personal and intimate and quite shocking. Judas is the first to speak to break the awkward silence. Why was this perfume? Not sold? And the money given to the poor? Then we wouldn't have to witness this unseemly act. Then we wouldn't be embarrassed like this cell. The poof human give the money to the poor. That's what we're all about. After all, isn't it C is for Judas? Who's on his way to collect his 30 pieces of silver for betraying Jesus, But he still doesn't want to criticize Jesus for allowing the woman to approach him like this. So let's criticized her for her wasteful spending and Stead but Jesus knows. Jesus knows what Mary is doing. Leave her alone. He says she's preparing me for my burial. Another sharp intake of breath, what? Jesus and reply to Judas quotes, the book of Deuteronomy since they will never cease to be, summon need on the earth. I therefore command you open your hand to the poor and needy neighbor and your land. You can always assist those in need but today, Mary is helping me preparing me doing something. She will not be able to do later. Touch me, massage me, anoint me. Yes, it's extravagant excessive like God's love. Like my love. Barbara Brown Taylor says, this bottle will not be held back to be kept. And admired, this precious substance will not be saved, it will be opened and offered and used great price. It will be raised up and poured out for the life of the world emptied to the last drop. The gospel writer John layers, the story with images which point us to death and Resurrection anointing and burial. We're supposed to get all the connections to the Passover, the politics to Lazarus. But the still the personal moment of realization that their friend and teacher will not always be there. And as usual, it's one of the women who intuitively knows that It is mirroring who having seen her brother raised from the dead understands that Jesus true must pass this way. And Mark and Mathews versions of the account. They conclude with Jesus saying of the unnamed woman, truly I tell you wherever this good news is proclaimed in the whole world. What she has done will be told and remembrance of her. So Mary's a profit this day, echoing, the prophets who have gone before her. I'm about to do a new thing. Says the Lord, I will give water in the wilderness and rivers in the desert so that my people might declare my praise And you saying I said thing, a beautiful thing. A generous outpouring of life-giving love. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. In our church tradition, we carry forward, this practice of anointing with oil. Anointing at baptism, anointing at death, anointing for healing. Every year on morning, Thursday, and Holy Week, the clergy of the diocese gather with the bishop to renew our ordination vows and during the Eucharist oils are blessed, which are then given to us to take back to our parishes to use during the year. The oil for anointing for healing, has a fragrance added to it. The scent lingers in the air as we pray for someone. New Zealand prayer book. Has a beautiful liturgy for healing. The central part goes like this. Like the first disciples before the coming of God's power and Pentecost we wait and faith and pray. Be with us, holy spirit. Nothing can separate us from your love, be with us, as of old, fill us with your power, direct, all our thoughts, to your goodness. Be present. Holy Spirit, bring Faith, and Healing and peace. And then the priest makes the sign of the cross on the forehead of the person being prayed for with oil I anoint you with this, holy oil receive Christ's forgiveness and healing the power of the Savior who suffered for you flow through your mind and body lifting you to peace and and with strength. And then we conclude God out healer. Keep us aware of your presence support us with your power Comfort us with your protection. Give us strength and establish us and your peace. When we have the privilege to pray this liturgy with someone, I always think of Mary and anointing Jesus. And when words, run out as they always do in the face of some friend, when there's nothing to be said the oil, the fragrance and the touch, bring the abundance of God's love. We might not get to see the same miracles of Jesus time, but we can receive the miracle of peace or calm, or hope or strength. So today, after communion after you've received the bread that we the opportunity, if you would like to receive their Prayer of Healing, I'm going to be over at the Saint Thomas chapel. And so once Diane has brought you the bread, if you would like to obligation, if you want, what a lineup, nice and separate. And I will pray that prayer for you. It could be for yourself or it could be for someone else. Just an opportunity, if you would like that. There are so many sticks on a journey to Healing. We've seen during this Lent, a thread woven through our seemingly unrelated readings, reading seemingly. Not really about healing at all. Apart from maybe today is We've seen a thread of seeing things as they are lamenting repenting returning home. And now anointing with prayer and touch. All of these actions are part of healing. And there are many more, I'm sure but these are the ones that have appeared to us this season. And these actions apply to us as individuals as far. Now as communities, as a global community. We can pray that Prayer of Healing that I prayed individually. We can certainly be praying at for our world at the moment. But today, we've been witness to the personal and the intimate. Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.