Oil of Praise
6 “Leave her alone,” said Jesus. “Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. 7 The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me. 8 She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial. 9 Truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.” (Mark 14:6-9)
The gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke each tell the story of an unnamed woman who anointed Jesus. In Luke that story occurs at the beginning of Jesus' ministry, and the woman anointed Jesus' feet with oil mixed with her tears. Some of those who witnessed her actions characterized the woman as sinful, and Jesus did not deny that but said that her faith had saved her, and then pronounced her sins forgiven. In Matthew and Mark, the anointing takes place at the end of Jesus' ministry, the woman anoints Jesus' head, and there is no mention of her sinfulness - only a distain for the supposed waste of pouring the expensive oil on Jesus rather than selling it to benefit the poor. The gospel of John shares the event as recounted in Matthew and Mark, but names the woman - Mary. We don't know if the stories are different tellings of the same event, or separate events. And we don't know which Mary - the oft assumed Mary Magdalene or some other Mary. The unifiers of these stories are the gratitude expressed by the woman and the acceptance and appreciation of Jesus for her offering of praise.
Contrast this with the anticlimactic "triumphal entry" (Matthew 21, Mark 11, Luke 19, John 12). Yes, Jesus road into Jerusalem on a colt, and onlookers joyfully waved leafy branches and lined the path with their cloaks. But, at the end of the procession, Jesus expressed no joy. Only the gospels of Mark and Luke give us Jesus' reaction - in Mark, Jesus merely went into the temple and looked around; in Luke, Jesus wept. Jesus was not deceived by, nor swept up in, the emotion of the moment. He knew the hearts of the people.
True praise is not just a moment of joy, but a life of thanksgiving for a cleansed heart and a changed mind. May our gratitude for all of God's blessings - especially for God's grace, Jesus' sacrifice, and the clean slate of forgiveness - pour out of us in our love for, and our service to, one another.
24 This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. 25 Save us, we beseech you, O LORD! O LORD, we beseech you, give us success! 26 Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the LORD. We bless you from the house of the LORD. 27 The LORD is God, and he has given us light. Bind the festal procession with branches, up to the horns of the altar. 28 You are my God, and I will give thanks to you; you are my God, I will extol you. 29 O give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,
for his steadfast love endures forever.
(Psalm 118:24-29)
Always a favorite, by CeCe Winans!
