April 7th, John
SERMON: APRIL 7, 2019
JOHN 12:1-8
I can still smell the sweet smell of the nard from when I opened the bottle for the children to smell it this morning. My guess is that each one of us have a number of scents that we particularly like. For me, to name a few, I love the smell of lilacs, the smell of the earth when the sun comes out after the rain, and the smell of turkey roasting in the oven on Thanksgiving. However, there are also scents that do not smell so good that I also like. For example, when I smell “Perry County Gold” that has been spread on the fields, I wrinkle my nose, but even though it just plain “stinks,” the smell brings back happy childhood memories of the days spent with my mother and brothers, fertilizing and tending our large garden. Of course, those were the days when such activities did not phase me.
Today’s Gospel lesson makes us think about scents and what they mean; for scents are about much more than just smelling. Rudyard Kipling wrote, “Smells are surer than sounds or sight, to make your heart-strings crack.” In fact, our sense of smell relates closely to how we experience life and process the memories that we have.
John tells us Jesus returned to Bethany to visit the home of Lazarus, Mary and Martha close to the time of Passover. Although we don’t know for sure, we can imagine the home probably smelled like freshly baked bread and other exotic spices that were used in the food of that day. Most likely, Mary true to form was rushing around preparing the meal for Jesus and the other visitors.
Despite the good aromas that day, however, the guests most likely were also reminded of the smell of death even though Lazarus was alive and sitting at the table with them. Who can forget the story of the death of Lazarus, when his sisters Mary and Martha sent word to Jesus to come quickly as Lazarus was very ill? We all know how this story plays out. For some reason Jesus delayed going and when He and the disciples finally arrived, Lazarus had been in the tomb for several days? When Jesus went to the tomb and ordered the stone on the tomb rolled to the side, He was warned that Lazarus “stinketh.” Although Jesus raised Lazarus from the grave that day, one can imagine that the smell of death lingered in the memories of those who had been present.
Most of us do not like to think about death, particularly our own. Even though we may have strong faith, none of us really want to die today. Yet, death hangs over our heads, for we all know that one day it will come, just as Jesus knew that He was to die on the cross soon. The faint smell of death in this time of Lent reminds us to examine ourselves, our behavior and to contemplate on what it means to really believe in Christ, and what it means to follow Him as a disciple.
Along with the memories of the smell of death that day, the sweet smell of nard spread throughout the house, rapidly covering the scent of everything else. There is a vivid and sensual nature connected to the sweet smell of the nard. John explains that “Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair.” Often, people focus on the inappropriateness of Mary’s actions, instead of focusing on the scent of love and respect that the scene exemplifies. In Jesus time, women covered their heads and just uncovering her hair would have been seen as scandalous. Yet, without thought of what others would think, Mary demonstrates her great love for Jesus as she acts out the anointing ritual of burial, not the romantic type of love that we might think of, but the pure love that each of us should have in our hearts when it comes to our Savior. It is love that radiates out to others, love that focuses on others, not on our own wants and needs. It is selfless love.
Then we have the scent of Judas. Judas, is without doubt, the most notorious of the disciples and known as the man who betrayed Jesus, leading to His death on the cross. At first, it appears that Judas may have the fresh scent of a new spring morning as he scolds Mary for wasting the nard that could have been sold to feed the poor. Then we get a whiff of foul odor as we realize that he is the keeper of the purse and just wants the money so he can steal it to use for himself. As the foul smell becomes even stronger, we realize Judas sees nothing but scarcity, while Mary sees the abundance of Jesus mission, love and grace that is sufficient for everyone. Judas on the other, views the situation as one where something valuable has been wasted and so there is less for him, and he finds it impossible to give generously.
Luckily, the sweet scent of Jesus, the scent of compassion and grace are also there. Although Jesus admonishes Judas for scolding Mary, “Leave her alone. She bought it so that she might keep it for the day of my burial. You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me,” we can be sure that Jesus still loved Judas just as He loves each of us even when we do wrong. Something that is hard for many of us to phantom.
The passage also clearly lets us know that Jesus is well aware that His time here on earth is quickly coming to a close, and that we will no longer have Him here on earth. Jesus know that he is moving toward the dark stink of death and the cross. Yet, He keeps going because of His love for each of us.
Some of you may remember the opening scene from a popular daytime soap opera that began in 1965. The show always began by showing an hourglass with sand slowly trickling to the bottom against the backdrop of a partly cloudy sky, and then you would hear these words resonating in the air, “Like sands through the hourglass, so are the Days of Our Lives.”
As we approach Palm Sunday and Holy Week, we realize that the sands of Jesus life here on earth are quickly dropping through the hourglass, and soon will come to the end. Lent is about watching those grains of sand gradually fill the bottom of the hourglass and contemplating what the coming darkness of the cross means for each of us. As we journey to the end of Lent, let us resolve not to waste the sands of our life. Let us, as disciples of Christ, step forward showing Christ’s great love to all those around us in free response to God’s great love for us. John’s recounting of this event shows us that we need to be people of action. People of prayer and devotion to God, and people that can show the love of Jesus to others, just as Mary showed her great love of Jesus by anointing him with the expensive nard that day.
Let us not forget, that Christ is worthy of everything that we can do for Him, because we love Him, and want to please Him. A life spent in selfless devotion to Jesus in not wasted, but a life spent on focusing on ourselves and our own lives is totally wasted. Let us not forget the foul smell of the cross and the sweet fragrance of the Resurrection!
Amen