Station Six
Makoto Fujimura: Fragrance at Bethany (Lithograph with Hand Coloring (gold) 22.5" x 30")
John 12:1-8
Six days before the Passover, Jesus arrived at Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. Here a dinner was given in Jesus' honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus' feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.
But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, “Why wasn't this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year's wages.” He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.
“Leave her alone,” Jesus replied. ”It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial. You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me.”
Luke 7:36-47
Now one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, so he went to the Pharisee's house and reclined at the table. When a woman who had lived a sinful life in that town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee's house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume, and as she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.
When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is-that she is a sinner.”
Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.”
“Tell me, teacher,” he said.
“Two men owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he canceled the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?”
Simon replied, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled.”
“You have judged correctly,” Jesus said.
Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven-for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little.”
anointing
mary paced in bethany
eyes searching toward jerusalem
warm heart
sweaty palms
he’s coming back—this time
even martha will sit at his feet
those tired feet I’ll soon rub clean
woman you haven’t any clue
the value of that tiny vial
how many mouths it could have fed
water to wine—is that your wish
next time entrust the goods to one
able to turn myrrh into gold
situations into silver
mary longed to do much more for him
with rumors of a certain prostitute
who made herself a fool over his feet
crying
wiping
perfuming
no fool in mary’s eyes—just forgiven
woman you haven’t any clue
the value of that tiny vial
how many mouths it could have fed
water to wine—is that your wish
next time entrust the goods to one
able to turn myrrh into gold
situations into silver
mary deplored the crowd
so great that when he finally arrived
supper was held at simon’s house
an hour passed before she met his eyes
so black
so full of light
and penetrating to the bone
woman you haven’t any clue
the value of that tiny vial
how many mouths it could have fed
water to wine—is that your wish
next time entrust the goods to one
able to turn myrrh into gold
situations into silver
mary approached the tired teacher
unweighted
instinct driven
intended fragrance for his wooly head
but found herself anointing feet as well
with motions of the misread prostitute
she wiped the feet of her forgiver
R. S. Condit
April, 2003
Sometimes we feel dirty, unlovable, and worthless. Our sins cling to us and tie us up in knots. But Jesus cuts the knots, frees us from our sin, binds our wounds and all the while whispers, “I love you!” What gracious love. What unbelievable acceptance. Spend some time now reflecting on Christ's forgiveness, love and acceptance; and how that causes our own hearts to swell in response to him. If you had an opportunity to physically be with Jesus, like Mary had, what would you do; how would you show your love? While meditating on Christ's love Ambrose, the bishop of Milan, wrote this prayer in the fourth century. Let us pray it with him.
Jesus, I wish you would let me wash your feet, since it was through walking about in me that you soiled them. I wish you would give me the task of wiping the stains from your feet, because it was my behavior that put them there. But where can I get the running water I need to wash your feet? If I have no water, at least I have my tears: let me wash your feet with them, and wash myself at the same time.
