The anointing at...?

Yesterday I commented on the gospel lection from the Revised Common Lectionary for the fifth Sunday in Lent.  The lesson is John 12:1-8: the anointing at Bethany.  I observed, “When we read this account, the story sounds familiar, and yet some of the details seem – what else to call it – wrong.  That is due in part to the fact that all four gospels contain a similar story.”

The stories are at the same time remarkably familiar and significantly different.  I don’t say this as a mere intellectual exercise, or as someone caught up in minutiae.  The trappings of these accounts can make remarkable differences in the meaning of the tales.

Mark 14:3-9 and Matthew 26:6 tell the story in essentially the same words.  The event happens two days before the Passover in Bethany, in the home of Simon the Leper.  During the meal an unnamed woman opens an alabaster jar of “valuable perfume made with real nard” and pours the perfume on Jesus’ head.  An unnumbered group of unnamed disciples protest, saying the perfume could have been sold and the proceeds could have benefited the poor.  Jesus defends the woman.  Then he echoes Deuteronomy 15:11:  Since there will never cease to be some in need on the earth, I therefore command you, ‘Open your hand to the poor and needy neighbour in your land.’ (NRSV)  He interprets the act as an anointing for his burial, which unbeknown to his audience is in just a couple of days’ time.  Jesus concludes by saying, Truly I tell you, wherever the good news is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in remembrance of her.  (NRSV)

Luke tells a story (in 7:36-38) that occurs much earlier in Jesus’ public life.  It takes place during Jesus’ Galilean Ministry.  In an unnamed town in that region Jesus is eating a meal in the home of Simon the Pharisee.  While Jesus and the others are at table a woman, who is characterized as “a sinner,” approaches Jesus with an alabaster jar of perfume.  She first weeps on Jesus’ feet and dries his feet with her hair.  Then, she anoints his feet with the perfume.  Jesus perceives the disapproval of Simon and tells his host a parable of two debtors, one forgiven a great deal and the other a small debt.  He then says something a bit confrontational: Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has bathed my feet with her tears and dried them with her hair. You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. Therefore, I tell you, her sins, which were many, have been forgiven; hence she has shown great love. But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little.  This story concludes with Jesus extending forgiveness of sin to the woman.

  

That brings us once again to the Fourth Gospel.  Here, the Evangelist reports an occurrence six days before the Passover, once again in Bethany.  As I observed yesterday, textually the meal may or may not have been in the home of Lazarus, Mary and Martha.  But here Mary of Bethany – clearly identified – comes to Jesus with “a pound of perfume made from real nard.”  She anoints Jesus’ feet and dries his feet with her hair.  It is Judas Iscariot alone who condemns Mary for the extravagance.  The gospel writer characterizes Judas as a thief who coveted the money for himself.  Then the writer reveals the value of the gift (300 denarii).  Jesus defends Mary with almost the same words that he uses in the similar story in Matthew and Mark: “Leave her alone.”  Here, too, he evokes Deuteronomy and its observation on the poor.  Then, he re-interprets the act of Mary in a little more detail than the other writers.  He again states that this anointing has prepared him for his burial – though again, his contemporary audience is unaware of the immediacy of the event.

Commentators go ‘round and ‘round with this.  Any two accounts have marked similarities.  But, no two records are identical.  Rather, they have profound differences one from another.  Where?  When? Who?  Head or feet?  Why?  It would take a long time to plumb the questions, much less to begin to offer satisfactory conclusions.

I believe that one of the bits of genius – and mystery – of these accounts is that each writer, under inspiration, takes a core bit of material and weaves it into his own narrative for a purpose that may be much larger than the occurrence itself.  Is it about penitence and forgiveness?  Well, yes.  Is it about an offering of homage, perhaps on behalf of all to whom Jesus comes?  Of course.  Is it an act of thanksgiving for mercies extended by Jesus – including the resuscitation of a brother?  Does this include an affirmation of faith that may have been somewhat lacking earlier (“If you had been here, my brother would not have died!”).  I think so.  But each writer tweaks the core truth in such a way that its circumstance and significance reflect each writer’s large proclamation.

Do we have just one story? Yes… and no.  Are there three different stories?  Again yes… and no.  Are we right in the middle of them all?  Oh, yes.

Further thoughts on Lent

The liturgical season of Lent has a long history.  As you can imagine, some aspects of the seasonal observance change over time.  The church adds some things.  Other features fall away.  It can be a fluid time. 

One of the practices of days gone by was that the church took this time to instruct and examine people who had left the church or who had been dismissed from its fellowship.  It was a bit easier to do when the church was more monolithic.  Now, if someone becomes disaffected but does not desire to live outside the church altogether, they can join another congregation or denomination.  They can remain anonymous regarding their past church affiliation.  Beyond affirming that they have received baptism (and perhaps answering some questions regarding the mode of baptism) most churches receive membership transfers no questions asked.  If the receiving congregation bothers to contact the individual’s former church at all it is a formality.  It has to do with membership totals rather than spiritual nurture.  So, the idea of expulsion in the name of church discipline is effectively non-existent.  Likewise, a member who chooses to leave for even the most trivial of reasons does not have to explain or justify their uniting with another church.

In a different time, a dismissed church member petitioned the congregation for re-admission.  Church and individual examined the separation and a time of inquiry and instruction followed.  Then, on Easter Day, the approved member re-entered the community of faith.  It was a time of true reconciliation between a congregation and a returning person.

Now, I am not advocating kicking people out of the church’s fellowship.  Likewise, pressuring folks with too many questions provides a sure-fire guarantee to run them off.  But I see an ideal world where -- if someone presents themselves for church membership after being a part of another fellowship – the receiving church might ask, “Why?”

People relocate.  They need a church home.  They fall away and look for a fresh start.  I’m good with that.  But, “I didn’t agree with everything my former church did or believed or said it stood for” might require some more examination.  The “it’s easier to leave than work out our differences” practice brings a lot of malcontents into local churches for a lot of the wrong reasons.  Again, I look at an ideal where churches look to make disciples and not claim scalps.

I also look to an ideal where the search for genuine reconciliation is real. 

I can dream, can’t I?

Ash Wednesday

Today is Ash Wednesday.  It is the beginning of the liturgical season of Lent.  The day gets its name from the historic Christian practice of retaining the palm branches that adorned the church sanctuary on the previous year’s Palm Sunday.  In making ready for Ash Wednesday the church burns the palms and then the priest/pastor applies the ashes in the shape of a cross to the foreheads of those who worship on that day.  Wearing ashes is a traditional sign of penitence. 

In the Bible persons frequently wore ashes as expressions of grief or penitence (2 Samuel 13, Job 42, Jeremiah 6, Daniel 9, Hebrews 9, Matthew 11 and Luke 10 among others). 

When Christian worshipers receive the imposition of ashes in worship, the presider usually says some form of Genesis 3:19, "Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return."  The presider will often conclude with, “Repent, and believe in the gospel.”

Because the date of Ash Wednesday depends on the timing of Easter, this observance moves around the calendar a bit.  It can fall anywhere between February 4 and March 10.

Ash Wednesday marks the commencement of the season of Lent.  These are the forty days immediately preceding Easter (excluding Sundays, which are reflections of Easter Day itself and are therefore inappropriate occasions for denial). 

Some folks erroneously teach that Lent is an extended period of “getting ready for Easter.”  Lawrence Hull Stookey reminds us that

Lent, until its final week, is a time of disciplined consideration of our life and death as transformed by our covenant with God and is closely related to the administration and reaffirmation of baptism at Easter.¹

This season is a kettle that sits on its own bottom.  It is related to – but independent of – our observance of Easter.

The liturgical color for the day (and season) is purple.  This is a solemn hue that represents penitence in the lives of Christians.

The liturgy for the day includes confession and absolution in preparation for the imposition of ashes.  Psalm 51 is a traditional expression of confession and many churches use this as part of their ritual for the day.

^{1 Lzwrence Hull Stookey, Calendar: Christ's Time for the Church}

^{(Nashville: Abingdon, 1996).}

Shrove Tuesday

Today is Shrove Tuesday in the Christian calendar.  Some people refer to the day as Mardi Gras (literally “Fat Tuesday”) – especially as they refer to the carnivals of New Orleans and elsewhere.  It marks the last day before the beginning of Lent.  Since the date for the beginning of Lent depends on the timing of Easter, Shrove Tuesday also moves around the calendar and it can take place anywhere between February 3 and March 9 inclusive.

Shrove is a form of the verb shrive, which means “to obtain absolution for sins by way of confession and penitence.”  The day has a long history in the church.  Going back into the Middle Ages penitents would go to their confessors on this day in preparation for Lent.

It is a day in which households consumed fat – and all pleasant or indulgent foods in the house – as families made ready for the self-denial of Lent.  The tradition of eating pancakes on this day goes back to at least the seventeenth century.

It is a global holiday with a multitude of regional celebrations.  Christians observe the day in one form or another in almost all areas of the world.  Most area festivities carry a sense of a great party or fete prior to entering into the spirit of Lent.