March 16, 2024 

Today's Reading: Psalm 116:1-4, 8; antiphon: Psalm 43:1 

Daily Lectionary: Genesis 49:29-50:7, 14-26; Mark 14:1-11

But Jesus said, “Leave her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you want, you can do good for them. But you will not always have me. She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for burial.”  (Mark 14:6-8)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Imagine what it must have looked like: everyone is gathered around having a civilized dinner with this fascinating teacher, then this woman bursts in and breaks her jar of oil and pours it on His head. You can picture the stuttered incredulity, yet she is presumably unfazed, even in the face of a scolding over her wastefulness. The Bible has a great deal to say about care for the poor, and with this backdrop it seems perfectly reasonable that people would be concerned about this woman’s waste of three hundred denarii, as that was almost a year’s wages. One expects Jesus to whole-heartedly agree with their concern, yet Jesus commends her, calling her act beautiful, and declaring that wherever the Gospel is proclaimed in the world this story will be told in memory of her. Funny that despite that Mark seemingly still forgot her name. 

Jesus sees and understands the devotion of the woman in Bethany. Her actions are not frivolous, rather they are an unrestrained act of worship. She also recognizes the urgency of the moment, as Jesus will soon die, and dedicates her savings to the care for Jesus’ body. This is really an extraordinary thing, as one can surely understand dedicating your savings to a cause that will continue, then it seems like more of an investment, but to dedicate your savings to anointing a soon dead messiah is foolishness. Yet the woman in Bethany brings what she has and willingly pours it all out for Jesus. She has a job to do, worship to offer, love to bring to the soon crucified king, with no time for concerns about practicalities. With these actions she places His death in the center of her own life, literally pouring out her savings to honor it, and in this way shows us all the meaning of discipleship. As we begin to turn our faces toward Golgotha, we too have an opportunity to contemplate what it means to honor the body poured out for us for the forgiveness of sins. We do not honor Jesus by somehow trying to pay Him back, but by receiving the gifts in His body and blood as He has ordained, and perhaps we can consider the delicious impracticality of clinging to that promise.  In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

What language shall I borrow To thank Thee, dearest Friend,  

For this Thy dying sorrow, Thy pity without end?  O make me Thine forever!  

And should I fainting be,  Lord, let me never, never, Outlive my love for Thee. (LSB 450:5)

-Deac. Eleanor Corrow, Higher Things Board Member and coordinator in LCMS Missionary Services. 

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, Ky.

Unforgivable? Unforgiveness is a prison—mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. In a world full of turmoil, many use forgiveness as a coping mechanism without understanding what true forgiveness is. Learn what forgiveness from Christ looks like, and how He forgives His people.