“It was two days before the Passover”

Read the Text: Mark 14:1-11

Did you notice the context?

Jesus brings His followers around, staying at the house of an outcast, and is served by another. Then is betrayed by one of His own.

Of course, you were naturally drawn to that age-old debate: should they sell the ointment or not? I always get stuck in that morass, too. But this story isn’t about selling stuff or charity. This isn’t about maintaining an economic system that keeps people poor, either. So that they’ll always be there.

It’s a story of generosity, participation, intimacy.

The money line is actually the rest of Jesus’s response:

Truly I tell you, wherever the good news is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in remembrance of her.

The story is about her doing this amazing thing. The gospel is her action. When we preach, we preach her!

Last year, I had lunch with my daughter at her school. It was a special “Easter lunch” and parents were invited to eat with their kids. My daughter was in Kindergarten. My wife made us a feast: ham, strawberries, cranberry jelly, cheese, and Rice Krispie treats! As her friends sat down at the table, my little sweetheart introduced me to each one by name, giggling as she said “This is my Daddy. His name is Drew [snicker]!”

Of course, these little boys and girls all wanted to talk with me about their lunches or how one just lost a front tooth like my girl. Each, longing for some of the attention I was there to give my daughter. And yet, she was so eager to share me with them. Her friends.

My daughter not only gets the good news, she is the good news. And as her father, I have to remember that every day of my life. Something tells me that’s part of the good news, too.

[This is Part 4 of a series of meditations for Holy Week. If you haven’t, you might want to start from the beginning.]