Gracious, Unknowing Servanthood

Devotional Reflection, Thursday, February 24, 2022

The week of the seventh Sunday after the Epiphany

The Rev. David W. Perkins, Th.D.

Key phrases for reflection from today’s reading:

12Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany, the home of Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. 2There they gave a dinner for him. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those at the table with him. 3Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus’ feet, and wiped them* with her hair. . . .

7Jesus said, ‘Leave her alone. She bought it so that she might keep it for the day of my burial.

Daily Office Lectionary Readings (BCP, 949)

AM Psalm 131, 132, [133]; PM Psalm 134, 135

Prov. 7:1-27; 1 John 5:13-21; John 11:55-12:8

Today we celebrate the Feast of Emily Malbone Morgan. (See below.)

Morning Prayer, Rite 2, page 75, Book of Common Prayer

Evening Prayer, Rite 2, page 115, Book of Common Prayer

Compline (Night Prayer), Page 127, Book of Common Prayer

Daily Office Gospel, John 11:55-12:8

55 Now the Passover of the Jews was near, and many went up from the country to Jerusalem before the Passover to purify themselves. 56They were looking for Jesus and were asking one another as they stood in the temple, ‘What do you think? Surely he will not come to the festival, will he?’ 57Now the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that anyone who knew where Jesus* was should let them know, so that they might arrest him.

12Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany, the home of Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. 2There they gave a dinner for him. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those at the table with him. 3Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus’ feet, and wiped them* with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. 4But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (the one who was about to betray him), said, 5‘Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii* and the money given to the poor?’ 6(He said this not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief; he kept the common purse and used to steal what was put into it.) 7Jesus said, ‘Leave her alone. She bought it so that she might keep it for the day of my burial. 8You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.’

David’s Reflections

The person least aware of the lavishness and significance of their self-giving might well be the giver. In today’s Gospel, Mary poured expensive ointment on Jesus’ feet as he reclined at table and wiped his feet with her hair. When her action was criticized, Jesus defended her with the observation that she had (evidently unknowingly) anointed him for his burial. We learn only by finishing the story that the events surrounding Jesus’ death prevented his followers from properly washing and anointing his body after his death. Mary’s anointing beforehand would be the only one he would receive.

Also, unwittingly, Mary had emulated Jesus’ washing of the disciples’ feet—an act of unhesitating servanthood that Jesus would perform a week later. Here Mary lavishly expressed her gratitude and her devotion, and her action brimmed with significance she could not have known.

Jesus’ rebuff of Judas’s criticism alerts us to several dimensions of the limitations of human vision and understanding. First, Judas revealed his own ingratitude and insensitivity in his criticism. He was pilfering from the common treasury, even as he lamented the wastefulness of Mary’s action. When I look on as someone performs an act of servanthood and find myself grumbling or fault-finding, am I aware that my griping reveals more about me than about the person I am criticizing?

Jesus’ affirmation of Mary and his interpretation of the meaning of her actions awakens us to the reality that we cannot know the full significance of our acts of service and love. We might not even see them as serving and loving acts. So often the people I affirm respond with surprise. In their view, they really are not doing anything unusual. Yet, their actions teem with gratitude and impact others with a profundity that would shock the doer to know.

What a poignant image. Mary approaching Jesus at table, pouring this oil on his feet, rubbing with her hands, and then wiping his feet with her hair. The aroma of the ointment bore testimony to the depth of her love and gratitude.

Would that more houses would be filled with the sweet scent of our grateful servant behaviors.

Collect of the Day, Seventh Sunday after the Epiphany

O Lord, you have taught us that without love whatever we do is worth nothing: Send your Holy Spirit and pour into our hearts your greatest gift, which is love, the true bond of peace and of all virtue, without which whoever lives is accounted dead before you. Grant this for the sake of your only Son Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. (BCP, 216)

Today we celebrate the Feast of Emily Malbone Morgan, prophetic witness (died 27 Feb 1937 CE.)

http://www.satucket.com/lectionary/emily_morgan.htm

Collect of the Feast of Emily Malbone Morgan

Inspire us, Gracious God, with that same spirit of devotion that animated your servant Emily Malbone Morgan; that, like her, we might dedicate our lives to your service and to the welfare of others; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

A Collect for Protection

O God, the life of all who live, the light of the faithful, the strength of those who labor, and the repose of the dead: We thank you for the blessings of the day that is past, and humbly ask for your protection through the coming night. Bring us in safety to the morning hours; through him who died and rose again for us, your Son our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. (BCP, 124)

A Collect for Social Justice

Almighty God, who created us in your image: Grant us grace fearlessly to contend against evil and to make no peace with oppression; and, that we may reverently use our freedom, help us to employ it in the maintenance of justice in our communities and among the nations, to the glory of your holy Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. (BCP, 260)

A Collect for Early Evening

Almighty, everlasting God, let our prayer in your sight be as incense, the lifting up of our hands as the evening sacrifice. Give us grace to behold you, present in your Word and Sacraments, and to recognize you in the lives of those around us. Stir up in us the flame of that love which burned in the heart of your Son as he bore his passion, and let it burn in us to eternal life and to the ages of ages. Amen. (BCP, 113)

A Collect for Mission

O God of unchangeable power and eternal light: Look favorably on your whole Church, that wonderful and sacred mystery; by the effectual working of your providence, carry out in tranquility the plan of salvation; let the whole world see and know that things which were cast down are being raised up, and things which had grown old are being made new, and that all things are being brought to their perfection by him through whom all things were made, your Son Jesus Christ our Lord; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (BCP, 280)