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SERMON FOR MARCH 17TH
CATHY HIRD
These days, as the temperature climbs above zero every afternoon, our boots get even
more dirty than in the middle of winter. They get those white salt lines, and the treads
are packed with grit. Much of the year, walking on cement sidewalks and paved roads,
our feet don’t get this dirty. In places where the roads are not paved, where paths are
packed dirt, shoes are always dusty. In places where open sandals are worn, your feet
always get dirty.
In Jesus’ day, it was customary to provide water at the door for guests to wash their
feet. In a wealthy home, the lowest servant in the household hierarchy would wash the
guests’ feet for them.
John tells us that when Jesus gathered with his disciples for their last meal together,
Jesus washed the disciples feet. He clothed himself like a servant, wrapping the towel
provided around himself. Then he cleansed the feet of his twelve followers. Peter
objects that this is not what the rabbi is supposed to do. Jesus explains at the meal
that they are to be servants of one another, just as he their teacher became their
servant. He goes on to say quite a lot, but the key message at this meal is that they are
to love one another and that means being willing to give up power and position, even
give up their life, to be as servants to one another. The next day he will model what he
means.
Just five days earlier, Mary the sister of Lazarus, did this same service for Jesus.
When Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead, the people cannot dismiss his power
anymore. Crowds come to him. The priests and Pharisees realize that his following has
become a movement. The time has come when they must stop him.
Jesus can no longer appear in public. He moves quietly, hidden from the leaders and
the crowds, known only to his followers. Until the Passover approaches. Then he will
enter the city publicly, declaring his role as Servant Messiah, the new leader of God’s
people. A new style of leader, one who is both servant and Lord.
But that is the next day. For this night, he has a quiet dinner with his disciples at the
home of his close friends Lazarus, Martha and Mary. This is where he stays when he is
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in the vicinity of Jerusalem. They know his sense of humour, his love of conversation;
they have heard as much of his dreams and plans as the twelve. They are friends.
This family has experienced his power: he raised Mary’s brother from death. They are
deeply grateful for this gift. Lazarus must feel awe, a strange wonder when he is in
Jesus’ presence. His life is a gift from his friend.
The disciples, this family, all Jesus’ followers know that he is going to Jerusalem for
the Passover. They know this is dangerous, that the religious leaders are after him,
and that he will enter the city anyway.
So when he comes to their home, Mary takes the role of servant and cleanses Jesus’
feet. Another thing about walking in thin sandals in a hot country, your feet develop
thick calluses which can crack. These cracks can become deep and painful. When you
can, you use ointment to keep them soft, to avoid the cracks. On this night, Mary takes
an expensive ointment to rub into his feet. First, she washes off the dirt, cleansing him
of the grime and germs of the street. Then, she rubs a thick sweet smelling ointment
into the hard calluses of his soles. The air is full of the fragrance.
Mary has chosen to kneel at Jesus’ feet. She has unbound her hair and uses her own
long hair to wipe away the water, then to take up any extra ointment. She has become
his servant. We know Judas is there, probably all the disciples are present, maybe
other followers too. She has unbound her hair, something she should not do at a meal
this public. She makes herself like the poorest, least respected servant. In gratitude for
the gift of her brother’s life, in recognition of the sorrow she senses in him as he heads
to Jerusalem, she offers this gift of caring for his body. This tender, intimate service is
a comfort to him.
Judas is upset. He objects to her action. “We could have sold that ointment for 300
denarius.” That much money would feed a poor family for a year. Why did we not give
it to the poor. John tells us he would have taken the money. It feels like he is offended
by the generosity, the tenderness, the lavishness of her care for Jesus.
Judas’ anger runs deep. He will go from here to betray Jesus to those who will arrest
him and take his life. Letting a woman touch him like that in public offends him.
Wasting money on himself disgusts him. Judas does not trust his plans, what Jesus
thinks he is called to do.
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Jesus says, “Let her alone. Let her keep the rest to anoint my body for burial.” He
knows his life will end, that this anointing is a prelude to the one they will attempt after
he dies. It is a comfort to him, but also a comfort to her. We have given the care of the
body of a loved one to the professionals, but anointing the body of one who dies is an
act which allows the expression of sorrow in the grieving person. Just six days ahead,
she will prepare to use the ointment again to deal with the grief of his death.
Jesus says one more thing. “The poor you always have with you, but you do not
always have me.” There is a challenge to Judas, to all the disciples in these words:
what do you do when you see poverty; what do you do when you see grief? Mary has
given a lavish, intimate, caring gift to Jesus. In thanks for the gift of her brother’s life,
she gives him a lavish gift. In response to the danger he faces, she does what she can
to comfort him.
Judas holds back. He gives nothing to Jesus or to the poor. The other disciples do not
offer Jesus comfort either. They don’t offer their service to him or to the poor. Mary has
modeled true discipleship: she made herself his servant. Because the disciples don’t
get it, Jesus will do the same thing at his last meal with them. He will do as Mary did,
getting down on his knees to clean their feet. He will tell them that this is what they are
supposed to do, be servants of each other and all in need.
“The poor you always have with you…” is a challenge to us as it was to the first
disciples. Will we notice the poor among us? Will we give them what we can? Will we
act as their servants? These words of Jesus push us to look at our lives and ask if
there are needy people we have ignored? Have we walked past those who could make
good use of the change in our pocket? There are those who do serve the poor. Mother
Theresa was one who modeled this kind of service to the poorest of the poor. Her
followers continue to live among the poor and care for them with their own hands.
There are those in our community who look after people in need. There are ways in
which each of us have given to others when we notice that they need care.
The question that remains is, have we been the servant of the poor? Too often our acts
of charity are signs of our pride not our humility. Too often, when we give we think, “We
are so fortunate, and they are so unlucky.” That is different than getting down on our
knees and offering our best expensive ointment. Can we see the poor and treat them
as we would Jesus if he were in their place?
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Mary did what she could for Jesus when she sees him walking into danger. The
disciples will learn to love each other, and then to love their people as Jesus loved
them. We can walk the same path, becoming servants of one another and servants of
those in need around us.