Holy Monday

John 12:1-9

The Anointing at Bethany raises three distinct contemplations: 

selflessness

compassion

sacrifice

SELFLESSNESS

The most remarkable element of this story is the woman’s complete unselfconsciousness. She cares not a whit what anyone thinks of her. She simply acts. She gives herself completely to Christ in ministry to him. We might immediately think that her act was motivated by desperation—there is no limit to what someone completely out of options will do to find a resolution to their despair. Perhaps. Traditionally, the woman is a whore. Her life is emptied of meaning. No one acknowledges her except to use her. She will do whatever it takes to regain being seen as a human being—anything—so she throws herself at this rabbi with a seemingly unlimited supply of compassion. She will not be dissuaded by the mockery of the witnesses. She will not fear a loss of status. She will will only love. She empties herself of herself. That is the essence of ministry.

COMPASSION

First, the compassion of Jesus—he does not recoil from the woman, try to extricate himself from an awkward moment, or make excuses and explanations to the other diners. He welcomes her gift. He welcomes her presence. He accepts her act of love. His gratitude is a palpable moment of complete compassion. He understands her. He understands why she is doing what she does. he understands her desperation. He understands her hope. He understands everything that makes the woman who she is. Here is how God meets all of us. Here is what God waits to offer us as we come to our senses. No judgment; only acceptance.

Second, the compassion of the woman—she somehow sees the troubled nature of Jesus’ presence in this moment. She somehow perceives the looming darkness in his immediate future. She sees a fellow traveler in need of traveling mercies. She perceives his pain. She cares for him. She accepts him as he is. Now, here we might be perplexed—who are we to minister to God? Yet, Christ is one with us—one of us—one for us. We tend to Christ as we accept his call to love others as we have been loved. Our service to anyone is service to Christ. We meet his compassion with our own compassion—to truly experience compassion, we become compassionate.

SACRIFICE

The woman gives all that she has to embody love for Christ. The disciples complain and mock her extravagance as wasteful—what she spent on ointment could have fed many mouths, clothed many backs, or helped house many families. But she has done all of those things in giving all that she has to Christ—he will transform and transcend her offering into God’s love, mercy, and redemption for all. The reason why her material gift is marked with such transformative possibility is that her gift is more of her own person than anything else. She sacrifices herself in her devotion to Christ. There will be nothing left of her when the event closes. She will be less than nothing to the onlookers—but in the eyes of God? She will be full beyond measure. She will have met the model of Christ—other-centered, self-emptying love—finding full redemption through her practice. So, too, is the path laid before us.