Dollars and Cents.

12 1-3 Six days before Passover, Jesus entered Bethany where Lazarus, so recently raised from the dead, was living. Lazarus and his sisters invited Jesus to dinner at their home. Martha served. Lazarus was one of those sitting at the table with them. Mary came in with a jar of very expensive aromatic oils, anointed and massaged Jesus’ feet, and then wiped them with her hair. The fragrance of the oils filled the house.4-6 Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples, even then getting ready to betray him, said, “Why wasn’t this oil sold and the money given to the poor? It would have easily brought three hundred silver pieces.” He said this not because he cared two cents about the poor but because he was a thief. He was in charge of their common funds, but also embezzled them.

This story has always seemed so weird to me, I guess because of the intimate nature of Mary's anointing of Jesus.  It is pure adoration, giving of not only an expensive perfume but of her very self.  She loved Jesus, especially since he had raised her brother Lazarus from the dead.  And then there's the voice of Judas, one I expect came above all the other voices in the room.

"What a waste."

It seems like there is always one of those voices around.  The person who disagrees with what is being said or done, the one whose voice is louder than the rest.   The practical one who is seeing the dollars and cents rather than trusting in the powerful movement of the Spirit.  For Judas of course, it wasn't even really about what the money could have done for those in need.

Faith seems to encompass this balance between the practical and the mysterious, challenging us not to get too caught up in details at the expense of the larger movement of God.  It is certainly a delicate balance, isn't it?

As we enter into this holiest of weeks we walk this tightrope - watching and waiting as Jesus last days are remembered and celebrated.  We realize we are a lot like the Pharisees, caught up in keeping people out rather than embracing the love of God for all people.  We're like Judas, tempted by the practical things of the world, worrying more about ourselves than anyone else.  And I hope tonight that we are also a lot like Mary who sought out ways to be a friend to Jesus, to adore the one who came to save her, no matter the cost.

The challenge is to listen more to the Spirit than we do to the Judas' in our midst.  Offering ourselves to this journey rather than remaining caught up in the dollars and sense.  May God move in and through our lives this week, as we watch and wait, journeying to the cross.  Amen.