Monday of Passion Week – Apr 14

Mary Anoints Jesus’ feet with Her Hair

Mary Magdalene with spikenard, by Jan Van Scorel, 1530, Wikipedia

Meditation

Monday of Passion Week addresses perspectives. The Old Testament lesson teaches us that God’s perspective of Isaiah is that as a prophet, he is chosen even though he doesn’t ‘shout it out in the streets’ and doesn’t call attention to himself. God’s perspective as the creator of the universe, the one who set in motion the formation of the earth and breathed life into all people—that Omnipresent, Omnipowerful God—declared he would hold the hand of anyone on earth and would be protection. The human perspective was to be a light for the nations—to show how God was at work.

God reminded the people that he didn’t give credit to statues, but took the glory that he deserved for himself. We should not be frivolous of how we give our allegiance. Money and power often trump the true God. Christians must be wary of fixating on money and power or suggesting that it becomes the goal.

Our goal: to give God the glory.

The New Testament lesson revealed a woman that got it right. The men at the table complained that the expensive ointment should have been sold to do more. But the woman (some suggest that this was Mary Magdalene; and art work has suggested it over the years, but the Scriptures don’t identify it as the prostitute.) showed such a great love that she used her finest perfume and anointed Jesus’ feet, washing off the excess with her hair.

I was at a church, who was discussing a foot washing ceremony. They decided against it, since it was too humiliating for the participants and uncomfortable for the congregation. Interesting. The concept discussed was about people’s comfort and humiliating circumstances associated with it. Those things were clearly more important than the symbolism of the task of washing feet.