Gratitude

Lent 5

Fr. Tim Nunez

May my spoken word be true to God’s written word and bring us all closer to the living word, Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen

I asked the children, what’s going on outside? I’m sure if I asked that to this group, we would come up with a lot more! We’ve got all manner of issues going on locally, and in the world. Crime. Traffic. Tariffs. Wars. Hostages. We see all manner of trouble, and we have no control over it.

In today’s gospel, we have a story with a story. Inside we have the scene with Jesus, Lazarus, Martha and Mary and Judas among his other disciples. But in order to understand their gathering, we need to look at what’s going on outside in their world, beyond the walls of the house. And we need to consider what happened before this moment and what is to come. I’ll set it up for you!

The scene comes shortly after Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. You may recall that Lazarus, Martha and Mary lived in Bethany, which was only about two miles from Jerusalem and Jesus’s disciples were reluctant to go there because they knew that already Jewish leaders were scheming to kill Jesus.

After Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, two big trends happened outside. One was that the report of what he did spread like wildfire throughout the region. People were extremely excited by this. He raised Lazarus from the dead! There was already a great deal of buzz about Jesus, but now it was going viral, as we might say today. The people are fired up, they’re seeing something new and different in Jesus. That’s what drives the huge crowds waving palms and shouting hosanna when he comes to Jerusalem.

That buzz is also creating a sense of crisis among the Jewish leaders. There is and has always been tension in Israel because they are occupied by a foreign power. The Jewish leaders see Jesus as an irritant that could lead to riots, insurrection and violence that would ruin the balance they now enjoy. They had all the more intent to kill Jesus. John quotes Caiaphas as saying, “…it is better for you that one man should die for the people, not that the whole nation should perish.” John 11:50

That build up to this moment is going to play itself out in the coming week as Jesus makes his triumphant entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, and tensions build even further leading to his arrest, trial and crucifixion. That’s what is coming outside.

Inside the house we find a scene that is driven entirely by the same events, but in a much more intimate, personal and entirely different way. After having been away from the area for a little bit, Jesus wants to keep a low profile as he returns to Bethany to get near to Jerusalem for the Passover. Everyone in that house witnessed what he did for Lazarus, including Lazarus himself. So, of course, Lazarus, Martha, and Mary are all overwhelmed by the grace and wonder of who Jesus is and what he has done.

Set aside the story of busy Martha vs. adoring Mary. This time, Mary is expressing what they all are coming to see. Jesus is the resurrection and the life. John draws parallels between this scene and the Last Supper.

They are at the table as they will be in the upper room. Mary is washing Jesus’s feet; Jesus will wash his disciples’ feet. The house is filled with the fragrance of the nard. Jesus will fill the upper room with his love for them, his teaching and his prayer for them. He will give of himself. Judas is not on board at that dinner and he will not be despite all he has seen and heard.  His heart has turned to the outside and his own schemes.

We cannot control what goes on out there. The world is filled with good and with evil. There is joy and suffering everywhere, close at hand and far away. Few people have much influence even locally. Every year or two or four we - we - get to vote. Not many bothered in our election last week. And the USA has about 4% of the world’s population.

We do have some say about what goes on in here. We choose the time, the place, the liturgy, the music. You chose to be here or to join us online. We’ve set this time together to draw us together into that very same atmosphere.  We do not have the perfume of the nard, but we do have Jesus’s teaching, we share his prayer, and we join him at the table. “Do this in remembrance of me,” he said.

And we have even more say about what goes on in our hearts, in our minds and in our spirits. We spend way too much, maybe most, of our time being rubbed by the world. I say rubbed because it’s a constant friction. Much of the time it’s normal, like the air on our skin we barely notice. At times, it really gets to us. Family issues. Current and past hurts. Politics. Worries. Stress. Strain.

Lazarus, Martha, Mary and the disciples could have focused on the swirling controversies outside. They could have focused on any and all of the ways the world was rubbing them. Like them, we have choices. We can always choose to spend more time at Jesus’s feet.

When you approach the altar this morning, and I pray hereafter every time you approach an altar, set everything at his feet. Every care. Every worry. Everything. Come with your heart approximating Mary’s heart, as best you can. Simply focus on Jesus and love him. Love him for all he has done for the world. Love him for all he has done and will do for you. But most of all, love him for who he is. He is the resurrection and the life.

When we get that simple and profound piece of our faith right, everything else is soothed and redeemed. Make a habit of pure worship, praise and thanksgiving to Jesus. He will cure what ails you.

AMEN