Mark 14:1-11
In today’s gospel reading Mark tells us the story of the woman who anointed Jesus with a costly ointment. Some who witnessed the event complained that the ointment could have been sold for 300 denarii and the money given to the poor (Mark 14:4-5). If that is the case then the woman herself must have had considerable means, for presumably she had bought the ointment to begin with. Her gesture, then, is a demonstration of her extravagant love for Jesus.
How would I rate my love for God through Jesus Christ, as extravagant or as miserly, as generous or as tightfisted? There are times when I feel like I am doing what God expects of me—at least to some extent. But most of the time I know that I have fallen far short of God’s will. And even when I get close to where God would like me to be, I can hardly call my offering extravagant. And if I do love the Lord with heart, mind, soul, and strength is that really a profound gift, or simply the way it should be? What would I be willing to give up for the sake of my faith, what offering would I make?
I’m not sure how to answer questions like these. But I do know this, that even when my gift to God is nowhere near what it should be, God’s gift to me in Jesus Christ is far and away more than I deserve and something I can never repay. The woman with the jar of ointment showed what was possible, but Jesus did what was necessary to forgive the sins of the world. And love like that is truly extravagant.
Prayer: Lord forgive us when we do not love you fully, nor show love for one another. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
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