Today is Wednesday of Holy Week and we remember Jesus is in Bethany. Here we read he is with Simon the Leper –a man whom scholars seem to endlessly try and identify with someone else, with little success. It seems to me this man is simply another character in the story –one we could spend endless time imagining a life story around. We can assume he is still identified by what he once was, a leper. His role as host affirms he is no longer a leper, so we can guess that he is one of those healed by Jesus. Here he is living out his response –offering hospitality. We can guess that this hospitality is still new, as he learns how to live back in community having been isolated for so long. It makes me ponder on what things I will need to relearn when I leave my isolation.
However, today I want to focus on what happens as these men recline around the dining table. Remembering this is a world of gender division –when visitors came, men were in one room, and women in another. Women isolated from men. In walks a woman with an alabaster jar of expensive perfume. She pours it on Jesus’ head. The disciples are indignant –on so many levels. The one they voice is indignance at the waste –money that could have been spent for the poor. Jesus tells them the poor will always be there to give to, I won’t –and this is a beautiful thing that has been done for me.
I wonder if the disciples’ indignance went deeper than their voiced concern for the poor. Perhaps that was the easiest part to voice. This woman had entered their male world, and done something they had not done –something that obviously Jesus so appreciated. And she had performed the priestly act of anointing –another act isolated from women. Maybe that was all wrapped up in their response too. They are challenged by boundaries being crossed, barriers being broken down. They are challenged by what they had failed to give. Jesus is not saying that the poor are not important –he is simply recognising the gift in this moment –no excuses. That is worth remembering. And in other versions we read of the fragrance filling the house. We see this act of worship in all its beauty then starkly contrasted with Judas’ betrayal. Judas leaves the table. He seeks out the chief priests and asks what he will get for his betrayal -30 pieces of silver.
The woman comes to the table. Judas leaves the table.
Amidst all the rules of isolation, Jesus remains at the table inviting us to join. We have a choice, to draw near in costly worship, to moan when others don’t follow our rules or to leave the table in betrayal.
And so as we work our way through another day of Holy Week, .I light a candle beside my fourth square –the place where I choose to worship…
