Thought For The Week April 3 2022

Welcome to the first of our combined services for April. The combining of services to one site eases pressure on our stretched human      resources as many are affected by the current covid wave.  Thank you for your patience and understanding at this time. We are confident we will return to ‘normal’ services on 1 May. Although, if this pandemic has taught us anything it is to hold our plans lightly!

Our reading for the 5^th Sunday in Lent is full of scandal! (John 12:1-11). The scene is a dinner party held in Jesus’ honour after raising his friend Lazarus from the dead. It was an intimate affair with just the 12 disciples, Mary and Martha and Lazarus, their brother. Mary, true to form, expresses her deep devotion to the Lord in a very unconventional and shocking way. She takes a pint of pure nard, worth one year’s wages for a day labourer, and pours it on Jesus’ feet. She then wipes it with her hair. For Jewish women the hair was kept tied up and covered, only let down in the most intimate settings, usually for the husband’s pleasure only.

Judas expresses the scandal we all may feel at this wonton waste of expensive perfume and inappropriate expression of devotion. But Judas was also a scandal as the author points out his habit of stealing from the common purse. There are 2 views of discipleship offered in this scripture. One is concerned with money and self and is condemned. The other offers her all- her wealth and dignity- and she is lauded for this.

We will always live in a world of need and have opportunities to meet needs. But we will never have this day again to express our devotion to Jesus.

Nga mihi,

Brent