Mark 14:1 - 15:47
Passion Sunday - Year B
We ended the Palm text with going to Bethany. Between the Palm and the Passion text we bounce into Jerusalem and back. Here in the Passion text we begin with Bethany and an anointing.
Preparing ourselves and one another for our burials is holy work. Works of Mercy are always available (either side of the grave?). That which is more infrequent (perhaps like Paul's weaker parts) is here more highly honored. We don't spend as much time as we might on the Works of Virtue. This is probably especially true for those of us on the prophetic end of things.
This is a pretty amazing state of affairs because our very nature or the gift we have been given leads us so consistently to dying.
Instead of focusing quite so much on the "Jesus died for my sins" approach to Good Friday, we might look at what it would take for us to join Jesus and be prepared to so live that others might live and take the consequences of that from every age's world. What anointing do you still need to open your eyes to how o.k. it is to live and die faithful to your nature or gift? This anointing would also allow us to know that it alright to die before we see the completion of our work.
May you have your Bethany anointing, and that right soon.
http://www.kairoscomotion.org/lectionary/2003/april2003.html
[Anointing Oil] She anoints my body for its burial.
[Waving Palms, Laying Coats] They herald my ministry for its trial.
[Wrapping Linen] He wraps fear and death in compassion.
[Living Life] We imitate Christ to learn forsaken faithfulness.
Wherever good news is proclaimed these stories will be told of a woman, a crowd, a man, and you.
http://www.kairoscomotion.org/lectionary/2006/april2006.html
Palms: Here at least permission is directly given for the lending or leasing of a colt (perhaps because it only entailed one animal? [grin]). Or, a young donkey is "found".
It is instructive that the Gospels (at least part of them) are written from the perspective of the resurrection. Later folks remembered more than they knew at the time. This remembrance was just in time to be recorded as eternal truth for all time. In this circle we are freed, if we desire to live in freedom, to anticipate future insight as well as newly appreciating past experiences. It is helpful to both name the original understanding and the later revision. This grounds both in a larger reality of growth and allows a better appreciation of the witness.
A process of "midrash" is still of the utmost importance to breaking through the religious restrictions that have accumulated down through the years about expected meaning of particular passages. These midrash moments are appropriately responded to with, "Hosanna!"
Passion: Any of the numberless deadly sins could be used as a lens for this section. An easy one to use is that of greed. The set up is John's version of an anointing story and the harassing of the woman on the basis of perceived loss of revenue (greed excused as a good thing because it is "concerned" about the poor - not that they would have received any real help after an appropriate amount of administrative costs and overhead were taken out).
From there we can ask about greed of position, greed of power, and greed of control (all experiences can be commoditized).
We can also ask about generosity as we follow the story of a number of Marys. They offer their time and energy to a faithful presence. It is not as though they have any position, power, or control - they simply are witnessing. I am reminded of the women of the disappeared who publicly dance in solitude with the missing loved ones. To speak would be to be disappeared, but their act of witness is critical.
= = =
looking back brings new insight
mining experience is valuable
we polish events
bringing their deeper significance
to the surface
standing quietly by
witnessing events is valuable
we avoid secrets
pushing common realities
into the background
hands over eyes, mouth, ears
quickly diminish values
we increase ignorance
keeping insight restricted
to authorized versions
looking standing vulnerable
caring presence is valuable
we join life
partnering common good
with uncommon good