Holy Week Monday

Firstly, sit in a comfortable position, take a few deep breaths. A guide is to breath through your nose for the count of two, then breath out through your mouth for count of four.
Open yourself to the Gospel, experience the words, enter into the story and
read through the verses two or three times slowly.
Imagine you are just a few feet away from Jesus.
Imagine you are a witness to this event and the other events as the week unfolds.

The Anointing at Bethany

While he (Jesus) was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at the table, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very costly ointment of nard, and she broke open the jar and poured the ointment on his head. But some were there who said to one another in anger, ‘Why was the ointment wasted in this way? For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii, and the money given to the poor.’ And they scolded her. But Jesus said, ‘Let her alone; why do you trouble her? She has performed a good service for me. For you always have the poor with you, and you can show kindness to them whenever you wish; but you will not always have me. She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for its burial. Truly I tell you, wherever the good news is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in remembrance of her.’ (Mark 14:3-9)

o Picture the scene at Bethany, note the contrast between this meal and the crowded streets of Jerusalem.
o Watch as the woman with care and gentleness pours some ointment onto Jesus’ head and massages it into his scalp.
o Catch the fragrance (nard or spikenard is an aromatic essential oil, known for its distinct woody, spicey aroma and used as a base for healing ointments).
o Now you start to hear the murmurs and angry tones of disapproval and Jesus’ words of rebuke addressed to the critics.
o Notice the look on the women’s face as she hears the words of criticism
o How do you feel about Jesus’ words?
o Now notice the look on the women’s face on hearing Jesus’ word.
o How do you feel witnessing the moment of tenderness or are you concerned by the extravagance? Are there moments when there is room for extravagant tenderness?

Sit quietly for a while and then pray the Lords Prayer followed by

Lord Jesus Christ, you humbled yourself in taking the form of a servant,
and in obedience died on the cross for our salvation: give us the mind to follow you and to proclaim you as Lord and King, to the glory of God the Father.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship if the Holy Spirit be with us all evermore. Amen

Rev Derek Akker