March 17, 2013 Fifth Sunday in Lent

John 12:1-8

1 Six days before the Passover, Jesus arrived at Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. 2 Here a dinner was given in Jesus' honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. 3 Then Mary took about a pint[a] of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus' feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.
    4 But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, 5 "Why wasn't this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year's wages." 6 He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.
    7 "Leave her alone," Jesus replied. " It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial. 8 You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me."


Extravagant Love

The prayer of the Day gives us a clear hint what this text is all about: “Open our hearts to be transformed by the new thing you are doing, that our lives may proclaim the extravagance of your love given to all through your Son...”

There are times and places for extravagance - even when there are plenty of poor who also need our attention, and our help.

Jesus words - “you always have the poor with you” were not spoken as a “prescription not to care.  He meant it as a description about a reality that we should address even if we don’t get any results.”  Timothy Shapiro

But not at the expense of extravagance in celebrating the love we feel, both human and divine.

We can do both!  Be extravagant in our celebration of life and be equally extravagant in our care of the poor!

Do not eliminate celebration - to be able to compassionate towards those who have little to celebrate.  It is both/and not either/or.