Echoes and Threads
Gate Pa – Year C 5th
Sunday in Lent,
Readings:
Psalm Psalm: 126
First
Reading Isaiah
43:16-21
Second
Reading Phil 3:4-14
Gospel John
12:1-8
What I want to say:
Explore some of the threads
and echoes in this important story
-
in every gospel in some form so tells something
of “way”
-
relationship with Luke 15 – scandalous love
-
fragrance of death vs fragrance of life?
-
echoes of Cana – giving Jesus courage to do what
needs to be done
-
poor are with us always – Deuteronomy 15
What I want to happen:
The Sermon
1. Introduction: - Father and his 2 Sons
last week spent
time on unfinished story of Father and his 2 sons
story scandalous
love
story told because
Pharisees and scribes getting antsy about how Jesus seemed to be accepting and
honouring tax collectors and sinners by eating with them.
In past used Brian McLaren's idea
that we all see world through one of number of lenses or world views
·
rivalry
·
compliance
·
meaningless
mechanism
both sons
more importantly people listening to
story
all see world and God
rivalry
and compliance
let you decide which
both sons in story felt entitled
neither understood who they truly
were
both are beloved sons
despite
all that both of them did
beloved
sons
2. Beloved Sons
sonship not something to be attained
something
to be lived
everyone who listened to story also
struggles with this
Pharisee and scribes thought they
sons because obedience to law
they too thought entitled because of
obedience
that made them better than anyone
else
get really cheesed when groups people
shown no inclination to follow law as they do
being treated with honour and
blessing by Jesus
told that they are beloved children
of God
Scribes + Pharisees clear - those
groups are not entitled to that honour
so Jesus tells this story
sadly we usually miss this point.
we think sonship is earned through
repentance - compliance
tell the story in light of that
say
younger son repented and asked his father’s forgiveness
doesn't
comes up cunning plan return as
servant - no repentance in that plan
Father sees him far off
runs to him
embraces him
at
that moment he was found
found
by father's love
he realised who truly was – beloved
son
realises not worthy
not entitled
not better than anyone
simply loved
then repents of all
that stopped him knowing that or living that out
We
left other son still locked into seeing self as entitled because of his service
still
thinking he had done enough to earn his place as son
unwilling
to see anyone else as beloved son
not
even his brother
so too Pharisees and scribes
feel entitled through obedience
unwilling to see anyone else as beloved
do we
see ourselves as beloved sons and daughters?
if not
what need to let go of
if so
how respond?
3. Mary
hear this evocative
story
important story
in every gospel
in some version
woman who found
in Jesus
she is beloved
daughter
not earned this
not better than
others
simply is beloved
daughter
responds with
this scandalous and evocative gift of love
in this house
with stench death lingering all just out of reach
death stench
Lazarus so recently dead and now alive
threat death
enfolding Jesus
she gives him
gift of care and love that will carry him into days ahead
one commentary
compares this story with wedding Cana
Mary Mother Jesus
meets him in his deep need
sparks Jesus into action
out of which comes beautiful and fragrant wine
here another Mary
meets Jesus in depths of his pain
in John the walk
to crucifixion begins as soon as Jesus returns
knowing
Lazarus has died
Thomas
says “we will go to Jerusalem and die with you”
in this meal he
stands at edge precipice
facing
unthinkable death
she responds with
this scandalous act
taking place
slave – as Jesus will do in a few days’ time
massaging the
feet of a male not her husband
shamefully exposing
her hair in public to wipe his feet
using oils not
water – is this left over from Lazarus’ anointing
offering burial
anointing that any crucified body never receives
-
they are left for
the birds
-
and thrown into
the rubbish
It is what he
will need
as he leaves here
to ride a donkey into Jerusalem
that fragrance
will stay with him through all that lies ahead
betrayal
abandonment
trial
death
this is her response
to love
her response to
being a beloved daughter
outrageous, scandalous,
unthinkable
life the father
last week.
4. “You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me,”
One last thread want
to explore
Jesus comment to Judas
“You always
have the poor with you, but you do not always have me,”
or
Have the poor with you always. Or Keep
the poor among you always.2
echoes here of Deuteronomy
15:11
“Since
there will never cease to be some in need on the earth…. I therefore command
you, ‘Open your hand to the poor and needy neighbour in your land.’”
Marys action wasn’t
and either or
Jesus in gospels
always on side of poor
one things gets
him into so much trouble
Marys response to
Jesus didn’t preclude and equally scandalous response to the poor and her
beloved brothers and sisters
Maybe it even
invites it.
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