John 12:1-6 (Common English Bible)

Six days before Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, home of Lazarus, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. Lazarus and his sisters hosted a dinner for him. Martha served and Lazarus was among those who joined him at the table.

Then Mary took an extraordinary amount, almost three-quarters of a pound, of very expensive perfume made of pure nard. She anointed Jesus’ feet with it, then wiped his feet dry with her hair. The house was filled with the aroma of the perfume.

Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (the one who was about to betray him), complained, “This perfume was worth a year’s wages! Why wasn’t it sold and the money given to the poor?” ( He said this not because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief. He carried the money bag and would take what was in it.)

Then Jesus said, “Leave her alone. This perfume was to be used in preparation for my burial, and this is how she has used it. You will always have the poor among you, but you won’t always have me.”

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Pastoral Prayer

O Extravagant God,

Our daily bread you provide in excess.

The warmth of our beds and homes.

The food in our pantries and refrigerators.

So many clothes that we need to get rid of some.

Jobs and friends.

Art and music.

Laughter.

Dogs and cats.

Birds at the feeder.

Every day, life speaks out to Your generosity.

Teach us to mirror God’s extravagance.

In the ways we worship.

In the ways we serve.

In the ways we model love.

In the ways we model grace.

Give us Mary’s love for you as we serve with extravagant love our neighbors and the strangers we encounter,

In the name of Jesus,

Our brother and our friend,

AMEN