The Oscar Goes to...?

Lent 5C

John 12:1-8

April 7, 2019

St. Matthias

If Oscars were given for Bible stories, then this morning’s Gospel reading would almost certainly be nominated.  The scene is set in the town of Bethany at the home of Lazarus and his sisters, Mary and Martha.  It was here – just weeks before – that Jesus had raised Lazarus from the dead.  Mary and Martha had argued during an earlier visit over who should clean the kitchen.  And now Jesus is preparing for his triumphant entry into Jerusalem - when the crowds will cover the streets with Palm Branches and shout Hosanna to the King!  Jesus has come to the home of his friends for dinner before he faces Jerusalem and a cross on Golgotha.

          

The scene opens with Martha, our Best Supporting Actress, once again in the kitchen preparing the meal.  But it is Mary in this story who is clearly our leading lady because the plot centers on her anointing of Jesus’s feet with expensive perfume.  Judas Iscariot – the villain – questions Mary and the expense.  There are subplots and subthemes running all through John’s telling of this story.  Jesus is already talking about his death even though the disciples have no idea what will happen over the next few days. Mary pours perfume on Jesus’ feet that would normally have been used to prepare his body for burial.  She wipes his feet with her hair - which would have caused quite the scandal in Jesus’ day.  Women were supposed to keep their hair pinned up in public and I can just see the look on her sister Martha’s face when Mary let her hair down in the presence of the Savior.  Judas objects to the whole act under the pretense of feeding the poor - while all along plotting to steal the disciples’ money.  And we reach the story’s climax when Jesus looks first at Mary pouring the perfume on his feet - and then at Judas - and says, “You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.”

          

When we think back on so much of what Jesus said in his sermons and teachings, John’s story just doesn’t seem to fit.  What about feeding the poor and hungry – the first shall be last and the last shall be first – or when you care for the least of God’s children, then you care for me!  I was once teaching a Sunday school class about our responsibility to care for the poor and the hungry when a woman used this verse from John to suggest that we need to keep the poor – POOR - to obey the Scriptures.  Obviously, this is not what Jesus or John meant. 

           Instead, the story points to a higher truth and to the everyday business of life which so often distracts us in our spiritual lives.  Martha is concerned with getting the food on the table as if the disciples had a stopwatch and she was being timed.  Judas, on the other hand, has his focus set on the money and how much he can pocket from the sale of the perfume.  And who knows what the disciples are doing – but since John doesn’t even bother to mention their role in the story – we can assume they are little more than extras with nothing important to do or say.  But it is Mary who is at the feet of Jesus and despite the scandal of letting her hair down – of anointing his feet with expensive perfume – Mary worships Jesus.

          

It is the distractions that GET in the way – that cause us to turn away from God.  When we find ourselves feeling separated from God – we are the ones who have gone off in so many other directions.  So why do we leave God? 

When I was in North Dakota pulling alerts at an Air Force missile site – we would play this game on the long drive back to the base.  Two crews from different Launch Control Centers would meet at a crossroad and the rules were simple – one crew went 1 way and the other took another road and whoever got back to base first was the winner.  There were no MAPs, NO speeding, and GPS had not been invented.  Roads in North Dakota are 2 lane – narrow – and go in all directions.  Your only tools were your sense of direction and the hope that the road you took actually went somewhere.  In the winter you could end up turned in all directions because everything looks the same under 4 feet of snow.  In the summer the fields were covered in sunflowers that would stand 7 to 8 feet high.  The key to victory was TO NOT get distracted and keep your sense of direction.  Follow the straightest path and you would win. 

           Mary knew what was important and she is our example in this Gospel story for Lent.  It is so easy to get distracted and wander with no direction in this life.  We can start off on a Sunday with the best of intentions to follow Jesus throughout the week, but then we let the distractions take us off in other directions.  Too many demands – obligations – and concerns that we allow to get in the way.  And if we are honest – MUCH of what gets in the way is not really THAT important.  We just make it so when we should be worshipping at the feet of Jesus.  Lent is the season when we focus on our Savior.  When we remember what it is that’s really important.  That salvation is more important than our to-do list.  That eternal life lasts longer than anything we own. That forgiveness is far more important than any appointment.  There is an old Gospel song that echoes John’s message this morning as we prepare for Easter.  I sang it recently at Camp McDowell. The words call us back to the feet of Jesus during this season of Lent. Turn your eyes upon Jesus.  Look full in his wonderful face.  And the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of his glory and grace.  AMEN.