by Ed Cyzewski
Editor’s Note: This continues Ed Cyzewski’s series of Lenten meditations on the gospel of Mark. This week, Ed focuses on Mark 14. It is a day late because Marcus Goodyear got behind and missed his deadline. Sorry, Ed.
While meditating on Mark 14 one morning, I almost fell out of my chair. Something so profound grabbed me that I needed to skip ahead in my meditations on Mark to seize on this lesson for us during this week of Lent.
Throughout the Gospel of Mark, Jesus taught that the greatest should become servants. Jesus himself came to serve: teaching, healing, and comforting others.
The disciples demanded higher positions in the Kingdom, shooed away children, and rebuked anyone outside their inside group who healed in the name of Jesus.
The crowds sought Jesus for healing and teaching wherever they could find him with little regard for his hunger, time, or general needs.
The religious authorities maligned his reputation, challenged his teachings, and took issue with his miracles and works. They demanded signs in the heavens and doubted him.
One person in Mark’s Gospel grasped what Jesus was all about and actually put his teachings into effective practice. When this person took the kind of action Jesus craved, the disciples rebuked her, ever-mindful of their turf. Jesus would not tolerate their self-righteous bickering.
The woman with the jar of perfume in Mark 14 understood that loving Jesus and serving him mattered more than anything else. She poured her expensive perfume on him, and risked the criticism of his disciples and possibly her family.
Jesus defended her because someone finally didn’t come to him with a request.
She came to Jesus and, prompted by pure love and not the desire for position, served him. Her only request was that he permit her to serve him.
Rather than hedging her bets and hanging on to the perfume for financial security, she gave her perfume to Jesus who was so near to his death. She was all-in with Jesus—her financial, spiritual, and emotional investment in him was complete.
While Jesus journeyed to the cross, a time when his disciples were trying to secure their positions in the Kingdom, she realized it was time to serve him. It was time to offer herself to him completely and to let him know that nothing mattered more than him.
Jesus could go to the cross knowing that at least one person grasped the kind of service and love he was modeling.
Post written by Ed Cyzewski. Photo by Kirsten Michelle. Used with permission.
{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
That is pretty jarring — the thought that there was one that could bring comfort to Jesus’ mind, as He was about to walk the most horrifying path to die.
I wonder how we can do the same, given the rejection Jesus experiences on a daily basis?
It’s such a tender thought — I think I’m consider what my jar is and I’m gonna to take it with me all the way to Good Friday. To move be so close to Him in this way. It takes my breath away.
And she asked Him for . . . nothing.
Oh. Oh.
Thank you for this thought. I too have never seen this aspect before.
I wonder if she was a student of scripture, if she had access to the Torah or if she had a connection within the temple? I wonder if she knew what lay ahead for Him? Or was she simply a loyal follower who understood what He said when He told the crowds that He would die and then be raised in three days?
Thanks Bonnie. It’s certainly a challenging lesson to take with us! It’s one thing to be amazed by her, but to seek to imitate her devotion is… well… wow.
Lyla, yes, she didn’t ask him for anything. Isn’t that amazing?
Claire, she certainly had a lot of faith and loyalty if she could hold on to the hope of the resurrection. It’s interesting to think that no one seemed to have it figured out and even took some convincing when they saw the angel and the empty tomb. She seems rather exceptional and so it’s interesting to speculate… Whatever she thought, the timing of her act is pretty incredible. My teacher in seminary noted that Judas sought out the Pharisees right after this event took place. Her profound moment because his final straw.
Convicting: “…someone finally didn’t come to him with a request.”
I think I’ll be changing my prayers tonight.
oh… to have that type of devotion.
I never before noticed that she was the only person who wasn’t seeking something from Jesus; just seeking to honor him with her best.
The parallel story in the Gospel of John paints of very unflattering picture of Judas as the chief one complaining about the waste of money (and more importantly a lost opportunity for him to further line his pockets).
Isn’t the message here so typical of what happens today? We focus in so tight on a single area of Christ’s teachings and lose sight of the overall picture. Yes, Jesus commanded we give to the poor, but he also instructed the greatest commandment was to love God with all that we are. That’s exactly what this woman did. She gave to Him completely and unconditionally.
A great example for us all.
Thanks everyone for the comments. Tony, good point. It does remind me of the Mary and Martha episode.