by Rev. Canon David b. Tabo-oy
v1Six days before the Passover, Jesus went to Bethany, the home of Lazarus, the man he had raised from death. v2They prepared a dinner for him there, which Martha helped serve; Lazarus was one of those who were sitting at the table with Jesus. v3Then Mary took a whole pint of a very expensive perfume made of pure nard, poured it on Jesus’ feet, and wiped them with her hair. The sweet smell of the perfume filled the whole house. v4One of Jesus’ disciples, Judas Iscariot—the one who was going to betray him—said, v5″Why wasn’t this perfume sold for three hundred silver coins and the money given to the poor?” v6He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief. He carried the money bag and would help himself from it.
v7But Jesus said, “Leave her alone! Let her keep what she has for the day of my burial. v8You will always have poor people with you, but you will not always have me.” – John 12:1-8
Last Tuesday I was treated for lunch at a famous restaurant in Baguio City. My hosts are two active church women who are now retired one from the academe and the other from the medical profession. The purpose of the generous treat is for my five cents thoughts on some unfinished and ongoing program in the church schools and in the health ministry of the church. Aside from the main subjects the meal was also garnished with sharing and views of current events in the life of the Episcopal Church in the Philippines. One of my host shared (quite proudly) of the recent financial assistance extended by the Episcopal Church Women to a congregation in Palawan. The congregation’s house of worship was totally destroyed by the recent typhoon that devastated that part of the country. She said that despite the short notice and limited time to raise funds they were able to collect and donate tens of thousands of pesos to rebuild the chapel. They are the biggest donor among other women’s organizations of the church. This is quite an extraordinary feat given the financial effect of the pandemic and also of the known stinginess of most of their members. In the church women’s service of Pasasalamat (thanksgiving) it says, “Give until it hurts!” and I’d rather say, “Give until it helps!” and Jan Grace writes, “Everyone can experience the joy and blessing of generosity; because everyone has something to give.”
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This Sunday is the 5th and last in Lent and we are reminded of the invitation made when this season started in the service of Ash Wednesday, “Let us therefore observe a holy Lent by self-examination, penitence, prayer, fasting and almsgiving, and by reading and meditating on the Word of God.” As we are about to enter in solemnity the observance of Holy Week let us continue meditating on the Word of God and strive to do more to help by giving to those who are in need. John Wesley exhorts, “Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, in all times you can, to all people you can, as long as ever you can.”
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Today’s reading from John’s gospel tells a story of extravagant giving – giving that made Judas just as uncomfortable as it might make us. Jesus is in the town of Bethany, on his way to Jerusalem for the very last time. He stops to spend the evening with Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead not long before. Mary and Martha, Lazarus’ sisters and Jesus’ good friends, are there as well, making dinner, catching up and sharing in fellowship. Then it happened. Mary took ‘a whole pint of a very expensive perfume’ and poured onto Jesus’ feet and wiped them with her hair. What made Mary do such extravagance and strange actuation? John did not tell us but we can make speculations based from what Jesus did to Lazarus their brother. Jesus raised him from the dead – a miraculous and priceless gift to Mary and Martha. Could it be an extravagant show of graciousness? Or extravagant show of generosity? Or an extravagant show of gratitude? It could be all.
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Judas’ reaction, “Why wasn’t this perfume sold for three hundred silver coins and the money given to the poor?” But of course Judas’ retort is not out of his compassion for the poor but of his covetousness of the money that should have come to his possession as insinuated in verse 6, “He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief. He carried the money bag and would help himself from it.” What happened at Jesus’ anointing in Bethany has plagued the followers of Jesus from then until now. How much do we spend on ourselves and how much do we give to missions? Couldn’t we do more good by giving all this money to the poor instead of spending it on, say, a new building? I am sure that there is scarcity of churches that put in their annual budget an item for the poor.
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The above questions remind me of the experience of a university chaplain which I read in the web that I somehow edited for our context. The university faculty were discussing a proposal to renovate the university chapel. They had received a modest proposal from the architect. But, would the chapel be renovated? No. “With all the poverty and hunger in the world,” said one faculty member, “how can we as Christians justify spending 100,000 pesos to pretty-up our chapel?” Of course, this person failed to offer similar objections when faculty salaries were raised each year, (a figure that collectively exceeds P100,000) nor does he question the morality of the luxurious faculty lounge. Obviously the man was posturing, just as Judas was posturing. Even so, the problem is tough. How much should we give to others and how much should we reserve for ourselves?
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Mother Theresa in her address to the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington, D.C. on February 1994 said, “This is the meaning of true love, to give until it hurts.” From thence, this statement has been quoted numerous times relative to giving either in or outside the church. It is an act of giving all that we have, be it finances or services, until the point where we feel the pain of our sacrifice. Giving until it hurts can be easy for some people but to others, it’s hard to practice. But as I have said earlier I would rather give until it helps. Saint Paul said, “Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7). I believe that God wants us to give with free will and with love and not hurting but helping. God wants us to give joyously, “God loves a cheerful giver.” It is of human nature that when we help others we feel that unfathomable joy within us.
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Looking forward to Holy Week brings us to the suffering of our Lord. His sufferings were not for the sake of suffering but of helping us out of the quagmire of suffering due to our sinfulness. He gave us his body and blood so that it will transform us to be like him and to overcome the pain of death because of sin. We are to become what we receive. We are called to grow in holiness and to be able to offer our lives in a generous and happy way. Do not give until it hurts. And don’t give in order to be admired for your generosity. Give because it reflects the loving and generous God who gave His Son, Jesus Christ, so that we would have the opportunity to be blessed and to bless others by giving.
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Going back to our gospel story of such extravagance of gratitude that Mary displayed, I love how a preacher puts meaning to that loving act of Mary. She wrote, “When a heart is filled to overflowing, don’t quench it. When a throat sings of love and praise, don’t silence it, just because others are weeping. An expression of love that rises beyond the absolute necessities of life is acceptable, Jesus is telling them. This is a special occasion. He knows that he will not be seeing his friends again. He will carry with him the aroma of their love and devotion. As he stumbles with the cross on his back, the stink of the crowd, of blood and sweat and ugliness all around him, he will remember this moment of overwhelming gratitude. His earthly life has not been easy and comfortable. This dinner with friends, their laughter, Martha’s good food, and Mary’s gift of love are the last reminders of what is good in this earthly life. We are glad that he is being given this last gift among dear friends.” (Sermon that Works)
Let us pray.
Almighty God, you alone can bring into order the unruly
wills and affections of sinners: Grant your people grace to
love what you command and desire what you promise; that,
among the swift and varied changes of the world, our hearts
may surely there be fixed where true joys are to be found;
through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with
you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. (Collect, 5th Sunday in Lent, BCP)
