Holy Monday, Service of Lament and Public Witness

Presiding Bishop Sean Rowe requested dioceses and churches hold a service of lament on Holy Monday. This is the reflection on John 12:1-11 which I wrote for that service:

John 12:1-11

Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany, the home of Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. There they gave a dinner for him. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those at the table with him. Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus’ feet, and wiped them with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (the one who was about to betray him), said, “Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?” (He said this not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief; he kept the common purse and used to steal what was put into it.) Jesus said, “Leave her alone. She bought it so that she might keep it for the day of my burial. You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.”  When the great crowd of the Jews learned that he was there, they came not only because of Jesus but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. So, the chief priests planned to put Lazarus to death as well, since it was on account of him that many of the Jews were deserting and were believing in Jesus.

Reflection                                                                        Rev. Dr. Ramona Hayes

One can kill the messenger, but the message cannot be killed.

Something the chief priests overlooked in their plan to put Lazarus to death. This situation is getting out of hand. Now Lazarus is walking about, a living testimony to Jesus’ power. This will never do. The more people who follow Jesus, the higher the danger that Rome will notice the movement and ruthlessly quash it, and all of Judea will be the collateral damage. To preserve the status quo – as repugnant as the chief priests find it – Lazarus must die – again.

What they overlook is that the message that Lazarus proclaims just by living is that Jesus is the resurrection and the life. They can try, but even Jesus’ death won’t kill the message. The one who has the power over life and death cannot be bound by death.

One can kill the messenger, but the message cannot be killed.

Something Judas overlooked in his attempt to shame Mary’s extravagance. “What a waste! What a silly woman buying expensive perfume instead of giving the money to me. I could manage it much better.” The thing that rankles is that he can’t take his cut from perfume poured out in love. He can’t profit from this act of love and gratitude. So, he pours out shame as Mary pours out grace. He attempts to humiliate her and belittle her offering. If he can’t control the money – ostensibly to be given to the poor, after he secretly takes his cut – then he will control the narrative.

Judas can try to control the narrative, but the message of generous love poured out extravagantly, by Mary to Jesus in this reading and then by Jesus to his disciples in the next chapter, continues to be proclaimed throughout the centuries. The One who loves extravagantly, to the point of laying down his life for his friends, for us, cannot be shamed into silence.

One can kill the messenger, but the message can’t be killed.

Something that those that twist scripture to support their views overlook. Scripture is twisted to justify abusing, misusing, oppressing, brutalizing, and even killing. Scripture is twisted to say this world that God loves is disposable. Scripture is twisted to say God hates those they hate. Scripture is twisted to say those who don’t agree with them are not worthy of the necessities of life, not worthy of dignity, not worthy of compassion. Scripture is twisted to say that it is not the life here which God has gifted us, but the life to come that matters, and any means to achieve that life to come, to hasten Jesus’ return are acceptable, even mandated.

What they overlook is God creates out of love, and calls all created things good. God created humans to care for God’s world. God loved the whole cosmos enough to take human form to live and die as one of us. God created humans – in all the wondrous variety of race, ethnicity, gender, ability, all humans - in God’s image. The One in whose image we are created, assumes our image, proclaiming the dignity of everyone and the beauty and value of creation.

One can kill the messenger, but this message cannot be killed. Even though they try.

Throughout the centuries, faithful people have called kings and governments, institutions, kings, and governments to treat people equitable, justly, with dignity and compassion. Throughout the centuries, faithful people have been condemned, reviled, and persecuted. Some have been even killed.

One can kill the messenger, but this message cannot be killed.

The message of God’s love for the whole of creation, of God’s care for the poor, the vulnerable, the unhoused, the immigrant, the undocumented cannot be killed.

No matter how hard they try.