The Second Sunday after Trinty

13^th June 2010 9:00am & 11:45am

Preacher: The Dean

Readings:2 Samuel 11:26-12:10, 13-15, Galatians 2:15-end , Luke 7:36-8:3

Break the jar to show love

The Gospel reading today tells us the story about that a woman anointed Jesus with the ointment. It is a deeply moving story. This account of the woman who anoints Jesus, displays his profound sensitivity to the longings of the human heart for God’s love and forgiveness.

In this story, Jesus directly confronts the leader of the people, and us as well. He presents them with the example of a woman, a sinner, whose authentic faith and love moved her to anoint him, an act which the host had neglected. She acknowledges her sinfulness; the Pharisee leaders’ closed minds and hearts prevented them from admitting theirs. Aware of the way Jesus accepted her without condition, future generations remember this woman by her act of anointing rather than by her sin. Because this description of God’s relationship to sinners is deeply rooted in the Christian tradition and is closely aligned to other similar gospel stories, it challenges us to believe in God’s merciful love with the same unquestioning attitude as the unnamed ‘woman of the city’.

This story is also found in Mark. In Mark 14:6, this woman who broke her ointment jar to anoint Jesus. Today, let us also read the same story from the other Gospel and find out a deeper meaning of the story. This woman’s action caused criticism from amongst the people.

According to the Gospel of Mark, a disciples Judas (who betrayed Jesus later) said, ‘Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?’ Yet, it seems that Judas’ criticism makes sense. Three hundred denarii, is more or less equivalent to an annual income of a middle class person. Is there anyone will to spend his annual income to buy a jar of ointment for the other? However, is the woman’s worth taking such action mentioned in the gospel?

Not only purchased a jar of ointment with three hundred denarii, this woman broke Breaking the jar means total surrender without reservation. Jesus described the action is a good work. In Greek, there are two vocabularies defining ‘good thing’. The first one is ‘agathos’. It means right and good in moral and in laws. Another word is ‘kalos’. It means beautiful. The vocabulary Jesus used to describe Mary was ‘kalos’. What she did was beautiful.

In fact, love is not focus on the argument of right or wrong. The dispute which is about right or wrong just answers to the third party. However, if a person loves anyone, he/she will try his/her best to do beautifully for whom he/she love. Like the woman mentioned in the Gospel reading today, she just wants to praise Jesus.

If we are without this love, what we try to do is just to fulfill our duty. The only concern is whether we are right or wrong. As such, we are degrading our vocation from ‘kalos’ to ‘agathos’.

Today, many of us come to the church are with a lot of wounds as we take more and more services because we are only concerned about ‘right or wrong’. Without love, without compassion, without understanding, in short, we lost the aspect of beauty in our church lives. It’s really a sad thing.

If we only appeal for human standard, it’s quite impossible for us to have a breakthrough in our lives. There is no human standard which teaches us to expend an annual income to buy a jar of ointment for Jesus. Therefore, people criticized that woman was so extravagant. However, her beautiful (kalos) action made the place where Jesus was full of aroma. Modern man is very prudent. We only do what is right, no extravagant thing will be done. They know the precious aesthetic beauty but they have never taken action to pursue it. Gradually, they lose momentum to love. However, this momentum is an essential necessary in perfect salvation.

In the story of this woman, we can see a lot of people judge every action by market value. Market value is never the means of obtaining forgiveness and perfect salvation. It is impossible for us to understand the significance of ‘love Jesus’ by market value. The Pharisees’ comment and Judas’ counting three hundred denarii are exactly based on market value.

All in all, what is the teaching of the story? Is that the gospel writer requires us to love Jesus until we bankruptcy? However, we do not follow the example set by this woman even if we donate all our money until bankrupt if we still use market value to judge our action. At the moment this woman broke the jar, forgiveness and salvation came on her.

What do we learn from this woman in this story?

First, let’s ask what the jar is. ‘Jar’ is our selfhood, the most important and precious thing in our lives. If we can dedicate this thing to the Lord, we may have change in our lives. It’s true that there is nothing if we donate an amount of our annual income. However, if we can dedicate our self, our personality and our most precious thing to the Lord, I am sure that your change will make you feel amazing.

Second, to break the jar without any left, aroma will penetrate into our daily lives, into our church, into our community, even into the history to witness the perfect salvation.

In the past, number of Christians has demonstrated such kind of dedication in order the power of perfect salvation on them. For example, St. Francis Assisi is a good example. Some prudent persons may say, ‘Why don’t you keep your properties and be a landlord? You may help the poor by the money you earn. Why are you so silly to become a monk with poverty?’ You see, so reasonable!

Let’s look at John Wesley, one may criticize him, ‘You have a great chance to be political party leader. Why don’t you use your influence to help the people in needs? Why do you preach in the street everyday? You see, they are so in good sense!

However, St. Francis and John Wesley did not apply market value to judge their vocation. They broke their jar to let aroma come through. This is the beautiful thing they did for Jesus. They can change the others’ lives and demonstrates the perfect salvation.

Beautiful work transcends one’s duty. Fulfilling our duties is our obligation, nothing is worth being claimed. However, beautiful work is out of the extend of legal binding, it exceed our duty, like pouring oil on Jesus. Jesus’ death is this sort of dedication.

When we work, not because of duty, but for love, we are doing beautiful work. As Christians, we are called to transcend our duty into dedication. Beautiful work is sublimates transcending from the status of ‘is’ to that of ‘ought’, then we may exalt and give thanks to our lord wholeheartedly. This level of spirituality can never be understood by the persons who judge their action by market value.

In our lives, there are a lot of sadness, anxiety, disappointment, and sorrow. The perfect salvation does not make us to deny the existence of such happenings, but teach not to be bound by them and lose the ideal of doing beautiful thing. Forgiveness and perfect salvation grant us momentum to breakthrough ourselves to love.

In its specific context in the Scripture, each passage has its own role to play in forming the faith of the Christian community. By placing the Gospel of Luke and of Mark together, it forces us to grapple with the paradox involved in the process of being reconciled with God and offer ourselves to him. We are expected to repent and seek forgiveness in a spirit of faith and love; yet, it is only on God’s initiative that we are able to believe and love at all.

Jesus said to the woman, ‘Your faith has saved you; go in peace.’ Brothers and sisters, never think that our lives are just coincidences. On the contrary, because of the faith and love, we can have our dignity to explore our further possibilities with peace. Do you will to break the jar to show love?