Lent 5: Soul Mates
Sunday 6 April 2025
Nourished by companionship
Bible readings
Psalm 126
When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion,
we were like those who dream.
Then our mouth was filled with laughter
and our tongue with shouts of joy;
Then it was said among the nations,
“The Lord has done great things for them.”
The Lord has done great things for us,
and we rejoiced.
Restore our fortunes, O Lord,
like the watercourses in the Negeb.
May those who sow in tears reap with shouts of joy.
Those who go out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing,
shall come home with shouts of joy, carrying their sheaves.
John 12:1-8
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 reclining with him. Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus’s 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.”
Songs and hymns
- Fear not, for I am with you (website only) For the beauty of the earth (StF 102)
- O Lord, my God, when I in awesome wonder (“How great thou art”) (StF 82)
- O thou who this mysterious bread (StF 597) Said Judas to Mary, “Now What Will
- You Do”(Sydney Carter eg godsongs.net/2019/03/said-judas-to-mary-ointment-so-rich-and-so-rare-cross-of-the-world-carter.html)
- Thanks for friends who keep on loving (StF 619)
- Thou God of truth and love (StF 620)
- We walk the way of love (Stephen Best worshipwords.co.uk/we-walk-the-way-of-love-stephen-best-uk/love-stephen-best-uk/)
- We will walk with God, my brothers (StF 484)
- What a friend we have in Jesus (StF 531)
Opening liturgy
Give us this day our daily bread to cement our friendship…
That we may feel loved, wanted, needed, cared for,
that we may offer love and care where it is needed.
Give us this day our daily bread to cement our friendship…
That we may live companionably with you our soul friend,
that we may live companionably with our friends and neighbours.
Give us this day our daily bread to cement our friendship…
That together with you we can be love and hope for others,
that together we are there for each other.
O Lord our God, on this Lenten journey,
be our friend, let us be friends and let us be be-friended, we pray. Amen.
Object
Friendship bracelets
Background notes
Jesus came to Bethany...
The four Gospels seem to record two distinct events that are sometimes conflated. This dinner at Bethany appears here in John and in Mark 14:3-9 and Matthew 26:6-13, where it takes place in the house of Simon the Leper, who is not mentioned in John. In Mark and Matthew, an unnamed woman anoints Jesus’ head with nard. In contrast, Luke 7:36-38 describes an unnamed “sinner” who anoints Jesus’ feet and wipes them with her hair, but this takes place in the house of Simon, a Pharisee, in the Galilee region. John’s account seems to blend elements from both traditions, depicting the anointing of Jesus’ feet and omitting Simon the Leper. Later in church history, these stories were further merged. Luke’s reference to the woman as a “sinner” was associated with Mary in John’s account and then mistakenly linked with another figure, Mary Magdalene, who had seven demons cast out in Luke 8:2. This fusion of stories may have contributed to the questionable tradition that Mary Magdalene was particularly sinful or even a former prostitute – an idea not supported by the biblical text.(1)
There they gave a dinner for him. Martha served...
The scene is one of close companionship and intimacy, Jesus among his friends.(2) The same Greek word for “served” appears shortly afterward in John 12:26: “Whoever serves me, the Father will honour.” Here, service is viewed positively, in contrast to Luke 10:38-42, where Martha’s service is critiqued in light of Mary’s contemplative devotion. In John’s account, both service and contemplation are commended, presenting a complementary balance between active service and spiritual reflection.(3)
Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus’s feet, and wiped them with her hair.
Mary took a pound of expensive perfume made from pure nard, anointed Jesus’s feet, and wiped them with her hair – a gesture that would have seemed shockingly intimate, expressing her profound devotion to Jesus. This scene evokes passages from the Song of Songs (1:2-3, 12):
For your love is better than wine; your anointing oils are fragrant; your name is perfume poured out; therefore the maidens love you ... While the king was on his couch, my nard gave forth its fragrance.
The fragrance filling the room may also symbolise the Spirit: unbounded and all-encompassing.
Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?
Oscar Wilde is credited with the quote, “The cynic knows the price of everything and the value of nothing.”(4) Mary’s action was abundantly generous and extravagant, but ultimately worth it – connection to God, and each other, is priceless.
Leave her alone.
This story has often been used to affirm the various roles of women within and beyond the Church, offering a strong defence against misogyny. Mary’s act of devotion and leadership in this moment highlights the significance and agency of women in the ministry of Jesus, setting a model for their valued place in the Christian community.(5)
...for the day of my burial.
The anointing in John is connected to Jesus’ burial, which may explain why Mary anoints Jesus’ feet. Anointing the feet was unusual for living people and was typically part of preparing a body for burial. This act foreshadows Jesus’ impending death, adding a layer of solemnity and significance to Mary’s gesture.(6)
1 Raymond E. Brown, The Gospel According to John (1966) Doubleday, New York, pp. 449-452.
2 David Ford, The Gospel of John, (2021) Baker Academic, Grand Rapids, p. 234.
3 Ford, pp. 231-232.
4 Oscar Wilde, Lady Windermere’s Fan.
5 Ford, p. 245.
6 Brown, p. 454.
Questions for discussion
Here are some discussion questions that delve into the themes and context of Jesus’ anointing at Bethany.
- Mary’s act of devotion Mary’s action in anointing Jesus’ feet with costly perfume is both intimate and extravagant. What does this reveal about her relationship with Jesus? How does this act of love challenge us in our own expressions of faith?
- The fragrance as a symbol The fragrance of the perfume fills the entire house. How might this symbolise the presence of the Holy Spirit or the effect of acts of love on a community? How can our own “fragrance” of faithfulness impact others?
- “Leave her alone” Jesus’ defence of Mary’s act has often been seen as an affirmation of women’s roles in ministry. How does Mary’s example challenge traditional views on the role of women in the early church, and how might it inspire us today?
Prayer ideas
Give each person two pieces of embroidery thread. Tie them together with knots to represent their most important friendships, giving thanks for each one.
Pray for people who are isolated and lonely, who need more companionship in their lives.
The good news to get across
We all need companionship, which requires a generous investment of our time and resources. The rewards of building meaningful relationships, however, are priceless, enriching our lives and fostering a sense of belonging and connection that enhances our wellbeing.
Ways people can respond
Invite people to share a story with the person sitting next to them about a time when they most benefitted from someone else’s companionship.
Hands-on activity
Make friendship bracelets.
Prayer of blessing
May God, your friend,
be like a pleasant fragrance for your soul today.
Amen.