What’s that
smell? 031316
(Light incense
at Children’s time)
Story: what’s that smell OR Something smells good
what smells
evoke what memories? Coffee, bread
baking, soup in the pot, Friday BTw, Sunday dinner, oils after a massage—the
aroma can permeate the place, but more than that, the memories evoked speak of
deep, good experiences usually…as much about the experience as the aroma,
Bread baking
smell really means my grandfather’s love, for example
In some
churches, incense
Our gospel
story today has this phrase “The fragrance filled the house”
The
fragrance of what, filled the house?
Unlike other
gospel writers, John has this story of Jesus getting a foot washing and much
more, a massage, a sign of deep respect, care and hospitality, by his friend
Mary……other stories have different settings and characters. So obviously, what fills the house is the
smell of the ointment from Jesus’ footrub.
But really,
as with our aroma memories, it’s more about the experience, and Jesus moves the
critics from the obvious to the Real:
of love
given, suffering acknowledged
but life affirmed.
It’s Mary’s
motivation in the act that causes something to fill the available space. She went beyond the simple expectation of
hospitality’s foot washing in that dusty climate, and anointed him. Yes, it’s about his upcoming death, he says,
but as a woman and friend I also know its about his presence, then and
there—her delight in him, her love for him,
offers not only comfort but also
points to beauty and the very human need for tender loving touch. And the house could become either a place of
critical complainers or of extravagant generosity. Awkwardly embarrassing, financially
extravagant, smelly it may be. But Jesus
affirms it, and that’s what permeates the whole house
This incense
too fills our church space with more than an aroma: it smells of babies being baptized, love
being celebrated, tender touch at funerals.
The aroma of praise wafts through our songs and anthems, our tears and
laughter, and the fragrance fills the house…
love given,
suffering
acknowledged
but life affirmed
And what
about what we do beyond this particular space?
What do we do that points to the beauty of divine love, God’s
extravagance, that offers tender loving touch?
Nursery
huggers and ss teachers, Sunday dinner preparers for the community, hands held
in small groups as we pray together, are they given extravagantly and
lovingly? So the fragrance fills the
house?
love
given,
suffering
acknowledged
but life affirmed
And beyond
these walls? Brows wiped at Advent
House, hands held in prayer at Francis Center, food for the body and soul at
Sanctuary house, ashes marked on foreheads in our parking lot……and the
fragrance of divine love and extravagance fills the available space.
love given, suffering
suffering acknowledged
but
life affirmed
And what
about in our families and personal relationships and work places? Do our actions speak
love
given,
suffering
acknowledged
but life
affirmed.
Does the
fragrance of our friendship with Jesus fill the spaces we occupy?
Mary’s love
for Jesus gave her an open heart, and caused her to spend extravagantly, act
outrageously, endure embarrassment calmly….and the fragrance of her behavior
filled the house. Does yours? does
mine? Does ours?
Long after
the incense is gone, will the memory evoked be enough to keep our hearts and
homes, our church and community, a
fragrant house of generosity, or will we forget and go back to being dank homes of critical complainers?
May the
house of each of our hearts, and this house of God, be filled with the
fragrance of
love
given, suffering
acknowledged
but life affirmed.
Amen.
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