Thought For The Week 2 April 2023

Last week’s Lent reflection considered the event John places right before Jesus’ triumphal entry, his anointing at the house of Mary, Martha and Lazarus in Bethany (John 12:1-11). The image on the cover of the newsletter won’t do the painting of Mary washing Jesus’ feet by Lars Justinen justice. But you may still get a sense of what an intimate moment this must have been. Someone in the group   noticed how, even though we don’t see his face, Jesus appears fully involved, his tender hand a gentle assurance to Mary.

In the way John writes his gospel, both Judas and Mary are foreshadowing things that are about to take place. Judas is portrayed as a dishonest treasurer. Someone who perhaps “knows the price of everything and the value of nothing”. He knows the price he will receive for Jesus’ betrayal, but only afterwards in his remorse will he understand what he has done.

Perhaps Mary also doesn’t know what she has truly done in covering Jesus’ feet in an  expensive aromatic perfume. She may have perceived what was to soon occur, but she may also have been showing her profound gratitude for what Christ did for her and Martha in raising their brother Lazarus. Jesus makes it clear her act of devotion is preparing his body for burial.

It was not long before this that Mary and Martha prepared Lazarus for burial. Now, perhaps unknowingly, Mary is preparing Christ’s body for burial. Raising Lazarus was a foretaste of Christ’s full, and complete victory over death. Lazarus would die again, but Christ’s resurrection would be of a different sort. A resurrection filled with hope and meaning for all humanity. His resurrection means we too are raised from death to new life in Christ.

As we enter Holy Week and the bright sad season of lent gives way to Easter, may we, like Mary, know and honour the true worth of who Christ is and what he has done for us.

Luke Blackbeard