The Art of Community 
Season 4, Session 5 
Lent: A Holy Anointing 

Scripture: John 12:1-8
Podcast Episode: Lent: A Holy Anointing 
Song: In The Garden by Page CXVI
Meditation: Prayer of The Heart - Meggan Watterson 
Art: Mary Anointing - Wayne Forte 
Book: The Whole Language - Greg Boyle 

Curriculum

Theme

Lent is an opportunity for us to take inventory of our lives, clear our minds and  prepare our hearts  so that we might be ready for the ultimate celebration...Jesus overcoming death! But before we get to the resurrection we need to walk through some difficult situations and some challenging Scriptures. 

Mary anoints Jesus with expensive perfume essentially preparing him for his death. The multiple characters within the story represent the various places we might find ourselves at any given time on our journey. 

Welcome and Opening Prayer

O God, you created us to love and be loved. You continually call us back into relationship with you and one another. Daily your grace and blessings are poured upon us. Hep us to receive gratefully and share generously. May we have the courage to give ourselves away in service to others as Jesus did for us. Amen.

“Jesus gives us himself generously, lavishly in love, and we are meant to fully and freely accept that love and to share it in fellowship and communion with everybody else. To give love, to receive love, to share love is what it is all about …”  ~ Dr. Peter Gomes 

Gathering Exercise

            Mary’s gift to Jesus filled the room with a beautiful scent.  What smells remind you of love given or received?  

Feasting on the Word/Context/Group Discussion

            John 12: 1-8

All four gospels have a version of this story. Matthew and Mark don’t name the woman and give no description. Luke also doesn't name her. He calls her a “sinner”. John names her “Mary”, the sister of Martha and Lazarus. He puts the scene right after Jesus’ raising of Lazarus from the dead. Mary anoints Jesus’ feet with a pound of perfumed ointment. It’s called “nard”; it’s very precious and expensive. It’s worth 300 denari. That’s about a year's wages for the average worker in Jesus’ time. (Today it’s around $20,000.) She rubs the oil into Jesus' feet.

She lets her hair down and wipes his feet with it. It's a very intimate gesture. Women didn’t uncover their heads or let down their hair for any man other than their husbands. They never did it in public. Mary’s gesture is extravagant, excessive, and slightly scandalous; a display of deep affection that’s public and profuse. It’s also a prophetic act. Oil is used to anoint kings. The term "messiah" means "the anointed one". The crowds hailed Jesus as King. This woman now marks him as one. Oil is also used as part of the Jewish burial ceremony. The body is anointed with fragrant oil and spices. Mary acknowledges Jesus as Lord and points to his death. 

1.   What do you think prompted Mary to act in this way? Has someone ever given you an “extravagant” gift? Have you ever given one? What did the experience mean to you?

2.   Both Mary and Jesus demonstrate what’s been called, “postures of vulnerability”. In what ways are we called to make ourselves “vulnerable” to others? How is being vulnerable an act of faith? How does this relate to Chelsea’s and Claire’s discussion about justice in this passage?

3.   How do you interpret Jesus’ reference to “the poor”? What is our responsibility to “care for the least”?  What does this suggest about how we use what we have? How do you relate this to Judas’ comment about what might have been done with the money?

4.  It’s been suggested that “death” is another presence/character in the room. Would you agree or disagree? Do you think it’s important we talk about death? Why or why not? What questions did Chelsea’s and Claire’s discussion about death raise for you? 

5. If you knew your death was sooner than later, what would you do or do differently? Can acknowledging our death free us to live more fully?

Closing Exercise

The leader begins by taking the hand of the person on the right. Place a small amount of sweet-smelling lotion on his/her/their hand. Rub it gently into the skin and share a blessing for that person. (i.e., a gift you’d give them, something special about them that you appreciate…) Go around the circle until each one has been blessed and has a chance to bless another.

Closing Prayer

Give the group an opportunity to share joys or concerns.

Carlos Wilton calls what Mary did, “the ministry of the alabaster jar”. He invites us to practice it. He offers this prayer. 

O God, may we be freed to pour out, before you, the precious feelings that are on our hearts ... to surprise others with fragrant and unexpected gifts of love ... to bring the oil of gladness into the midst of tragedy ... to celebrate in all circumstances the presence of our risen Lord, Jesus Christ who has promised to be with us always! Amen.