MICAH 6.8

An Alabaster Jar A Pouring Out Of Love A Liturgy For Worship The Fifth Sunday In Lent April 3, 2022 We invite each person to have a small quantity of olive oil, or another fragrant oil, to anoint each other or yourself, as indicated in the service.
		The extravagant, even scandalous gift Mary gives Jesus, anointing his feet with perfume and her own hair, makes us wonder if we will give so much of ourselves to God. CENTERING IN PREPARATION Come close with Mary, Martha, Lazarus, So close the candles flare with their soft breath, And kindle heart and soul to flame within us, Lit by these mysteries of life and death. For beauty now begins the final movement, In quietness and intimate encounter, The alabaster jar of precious ointment Is broken open for the world’s true lover. The whole room richly fills to feast the senses With all the yearning such a fragrance brings, The heart is mourning but the spirit dances, Here at the very centre of all things, Here at the meeting place of love and loss We all foresee and see beyond the cross. —Guite, Malcolm. Sounding the Seasons: 70 Sonnets for the Christian Year. Canterbury Press. OPENING SONG (Click Here For Music) "Something Beautiful, Something Good" Gloria & Bill Gaither Something beautiful, something good All my confusion He understood All I had to offer Him was brokenness and strife But he made something beautiful of my life If there ever were dreams That were lofty and noble They were my dreams at the start And hope for life's best were the hopes That I harbor down deep in my heart But my dreams turned to ashes And my castles all crumbled, my fortune turned to loss So I wrapped it all in the rags of life And laid it at the cross. CALL TO WORSHIP Psalm 141.1-2 I call upon you, O God; come quickly to me; give ear to my voice when I call to you. Let my prayer be counted as incense before you, and the lifting up of my hands as an evening sacrifice. OPENING PRAYER Break open the Scripture through the power of your Spirit, O God. Let your word, read and proclaimed, pour out until its fragrance fills this house and our lives. Then, anointed with your word, send us out to share the good news we have received. We pray in the name of Jesus, who is our brother, example, and compansion. —Feasting on the Word Worship Companion: Liturgies for Year C, Volume 1: Advent through Pentecost.(altered) A READING Exodus 30.22-31, 34-37 22 God Most High said to Moses: 23 “Take the following finest spices: five hundred weight wild myrrh, and aromatic cinnamon, half of that, two hundred fifty weight, and aromatic cane, two hundred fifty weight. And cassia, five hundred weight by the shekel of the sanctuary, 24 and olive oil, a hin. 25 Take all these and prepare a sacred oil for anointing, a fragrant oil blended with a perfumer’s skill. This is to be the sacred anointing oil. 26 Use it to anoint the Tent of Meeting, the Ark of the Covenant, 27 the table and its utensils, the lampstand and its accessories, the altar of incense, 28 the altar of burnt offerings and its utensils, and the basin with its stand. 29 Consecrate them and make them the holiest of holy things, and whatever touches them will be holy as well. 30 “Anoint Aaron and Aaron’s heirs, consecrating them to become my priests. 31 Say to the Israelites, ‘This oil is to be my sacred oil of anointing for all generations to come. 34 God Most High said to Moses, “Take aromatic plant substances — balsam resin, sweet onycha root and bitter galbanum gum — these spices along with frankincense, all in equal quantities; 35 and make incense, blended and perfumed as would an expert perfume-maker, salted, pure and holy. 36 You are to grind up some of it very finely and put it in front of the testimony in the tent of meeting where I will meet with you; you are to regard it as especially holy. 37 You are not to make for your own use any incense like it, with the same composition of ingredients — you are to treat it as holy, for God Most High. —Priests for Equality. The Inclusive Bible. —Stern, David H.. Complete Jewish Bible: An English Version of the Tanakh and B’rit Hadashah. A READING Song Of Solomon 4.10-5.1 10 What a joy it is to love you, my sister-bride—the taste of your love is sweeter than any wine; the scent of you is better than any spice. 11 You taste as if you had just eaten a honeycomb, with the honey still dripping from your lips. Honeyed milk is the taste of your tongue; the scent that fills your clothing brings back memories of the beauties of Lebanon. 12 You are a garden behind walls, my sister and bride, a spring running clear that no one can drink from; a fountain that flows behind a locked gate. 13 You are an orchard, planted with fine flowers and fruit: with pomegranates, saffron, henna, and nard, 14 and with trees of spice: cinnamon and calamus, with aloes and myrrh. 15 Oh, what a garden you are, with a fountain of water streaming down from Lebanon, a sweet running fountain— oh, how I thirst! 16 Winds of the south and winds of the north, wake up and blow now: breathe through my garden, drive him mad with my fragrance, draw him into my garden; let his tongue stop its talking, let it taste my choice fruits. 1 I enter your garden, my sister-bride, to gather myrrh and spice. I eat of your honeycomb, and drink honeyed wine with sweet milk. Eat, friends, and drink! Sate yourselves, oh lovers. —Priests for Equality. The Inclusive Bible. A READING Ephesians 5.1-2 1 Try, then, to imitate God as beloved children. 2 Walk in love as Christ loved us, and offered himself in sacrifice to God for us, a gift of pleasing fragrance. —Priests for Equality. The Inclusive Bible. A READING John 12.1-8 1 Six days before Passover, Jesus went to Bethany, the village of Lazarus, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. 2 There they gave a banquet in Jesus’ honor, at which Martha served. Lazarus was one of those at the table. 3 Mary brought a pound of costly ointment, pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus, wiping them with her hair. The house was full of the scent of the ointment. 4 Judas Iscariot, one of the disciples—the one who was to betray Jesus—protested, 5 “Why wasn’t this ointment sold? It could have brought nearly a year’s wages, and the money been given to poor people!” 6 Judas didn’t say this because he was concerned for poor people, but because he was a thief. He was in charge of the common fund and would help himself to it. 7 So Jesus replied, “Leave her alone. She did this in preparation for my burial. 8 You have poor people with you always. But you won’t always have me.” —Priests for Equality. The Inclusive Bible. A READING Pure Nard A final time at Bethany in old, familiar company Jesus, were your thoughts pierced through with knowing what you had to do? And did you clutch within your heart a world about to break apart— or steady, with a conscious will, a brimming cup so soon to spill? Lazarus sat next to you so grateful, and yet puzzled too the dark thoughts of his tomb not quite extinguished by the rising light while diligent Martha, unreserved and practical as always, served her living brother, sitting by the healer who had let him die and round the table, sharing food, those dear disciples loved and known a band as close as flesh and blood in whom the kingdom seeds were sown yet no companion understood the fullness of the fears you faced until that generous sister with a love learned from the master poured out a salve so precious that it seemed just like a waste. —Amy Robinson, engageworship.com SONG OF PRAISE (Click Here For Music) "When We Are Called To Sing Your Praise" —Mary Nelson Keithahn, Ralph Vaughan Williams When we are called to sing your praise with hearts so filled with pain that we would rather sit and weep or stand up to complain, remind us, God, you understand the burdens that we bear; you, too, have walked the shadowed way and known our deep despair. When we are called to sing your praise and cannot find our voice, because our losses leave us now no reason to rejoice, remind us, God, that you accept our sad laments in prayer. you, too, have walked the shadowed way and known our deep despair. When we are called to sing your praise and life ahead looks grim, still give us faith and hope enough to break forth in a hymn, a thankful hymn, great God of Love, that you are everywhere; you walk the shadowed way with us and keep us in your care. A THOUGHT She comes to the table. She comes from beyond the boundaries. She comes as if she belongs. She comes as if her whole life has been distilled into this one gesture that she offers: lifting, breaking, pouring. She comes with no words, yet with her entire being she proclaims a message both prophetic and priestly as she ministers to Jesus just days before his death. We in the church often think of acts of beauty and grace as somehow separate from—and less important than—acts of justice and caring for others. Like Jesus’ dining companions that day, we tend to think of what is creative and artful as a luxury, as tangential, as wasteful. Yet this woman’s graceful gesture—and Jesus’ grateful receiving of it—dispels such a notion. This story impresses upon us how beauty and justice are not separate from one another but are each part of our response to the Christ who offers himself to us with extravagant love and grace, and who calls us to offer bread and beauty from the same hand. As we reflect on this woman’s lavish gift that ministered to Jesus’ deepest need, I share a question I want to share with you. What are you willing to waste on Jesus? —Jan Richardson, http://janrichardsonimages.com Blessing of Balm When we see the body of Christ still broken in this world, may we meet it with lavish grace and pour ourselves out with extravagant love. —Jan Richardson, http://janrichardsonimages.com You may dip the tip of your finger into the oil and then touch it to your forehead making a sign of the cross. PRAYER Extravagant God, lavishing your love on our poverty of heart: inspire us to give with generosity, to love life so that we may find it again, and thus the world will be filled with the fragrance of your love; forevermore. Amen. A MEDITATION A unique part of John’s account is that he is the only one to give this woman a name. And it turns out that this is not just some random person; it is Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus. This puts John’s account in a new and different light. Having an identity lifts up the humanity of Mary. It also brings voice to Judas who is not pleased with what she is doing. Jesus then responds with a comment that, on first hearing, sounds jarring and uncaring. He says, “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.” Jesus is not telling us to disregard the poor; the overwhelming witness of the Gospels convinces us of that. Jesus is saying that this gift, at this moment, is needed, appreciated, and profound. It is the beginning of his body being prepared for its burial in less than two weeks. Only Jesus could have known this. What would we have done? Have you ever received a gift that left you speechless? I don’t mean the one that you couldn’t figure out or the one that made you wonder if the giver even knew who you were! No, I mean the one that took your breath away, the one that seemed beyond the reach of the giver, the one that must have caused an accountant to gasp and you to be left speechless. Then when you finally find your voice, the only thing you could think to say was, “You shouldn’t have!” Perhaps it is an honest expression of humbleness--"You shouldn't have...I am not worthy of such extravagance." Or, maybe a less than honest expression of the same: "You shouldn't have...it makes me look deserving, but, hey, I do deserve to be splurged on. But, I suspect it is more an expression of incongruence--"You shouldn't have...now I have to live up to the value and meaning of the gift, or even tje value the giver attributed to the recieny!" Jesus didn’t think about the cost, only the love behind the giving. Mary shows him that she understands the kind of loving service that Jesus calls for. Even Martha shows she understands this time. The only comment about Martha that appears in this story is the two-word phrase: Martha served. For Mary, it was a pouring out of self and soul; it was an act of surrender and of giving to the one she came to love so deeply. She didn’t think about the cost, only the giving. Jesus points out, to all of them and to us as well, that no gift is wasteful when it is given in love, no matter how extravagant. No act of service can be demeaning when it is given in love, no matter how humble. We should give so that those who receive might be moved to say, “You shouldn’t have.” Even though we know we should. Our worship of God is an essential part of what enables us to respond when we are called upon to do so. This is precisely what Mary was doing. This was an extravagant gesture; you might even call it an expensive one. But it came from the heart. May we worship God with just the same love and devotion. Let us pray: Giver of the most expensive gift of all, help us to learn from you. May we who are so adept at catering for our own wants, make ourselves more vulnerable to the needs of others. Let us live unselfishly and more sensitively, that we may spread love’s fragrance wherever the odor of cynicism and despair hangs in the air. To give of ourselves completely is breathtaking. To be generous is to be vulnerable, for we may fail or be judged by others. But let us not live life in measured, hesitant giving. Let us give all that God has blessed us with, even as Jesus gave himself. Amen. PRAYER OF INTERCESSION We pray to the God of all mercy and compassion, lifting in prayer like the fragrant whisp of incense.br /> For the Church, that we may give witness to the extravagant love of God by our lives and be instruments of hope to all who are experiencing loss or limitation...God of all mercy and compassion, hear our prayer. For the gift of a new beginning,that God will transform our fears into hope, selfishness into love, and deaths into new life...God of all mercy and compassion, hear our prayer. For growth as followers of Jesus, that like Mary, we may place ourselves at the feet of Jesus to learn and accept the gift of life that Jesus alone offers...God of all mercy and compassion, hear our prayer. For all who must face death each day, particularly emergency personnel and hospital chaplains, that God will strengthen their spirits and help them honor the life of each person they assist...God of all mercy and compassion, hear our prayer. For all who confront the death-dealing forces of our society, that they may bring the light of God peaceable Kin-Dom to those struggling with the darkness of violence, assault, prejudice, discrimination, abuse, addictions, crime, and disease...God of all mercy and compassion, hear our prayer. For all who are experiencing broken relationships, that God will heal their pain, give them the courage to face the issues, and hope for tomorrow...God of all mercy and compassion, hear our prayer. For all God's people, that God will lead them from the death of brokenness to newness of life through the love that is freely given but never cheap...God of all mercy and compassion, hear our prayer. For all the people of Bethany, Palestine, and Israel, that God will turn hearts from violence, protect the innocent, open a new understanding of each...God of all mercy and compassion, hear our prayer. other's fears and hopes, and heal the wounds and mistrust that exists For those who are mourning the death of a loved one, that they may know God’s loving and sustaining presence with them in their time of loss...God of all mercy and compassion, hear our prayer. For those with a terminal illness and those on death row: that they may surrender their life into God’s embrace and come to know fullness of life in that never-ending love...God of all mercy and compassion, hear our prayer. For conversion of heart, that the Spirit will help us recognize the dignity of all human life and help leaders to find alternatives to capital punishment...God of all mercy and compassion, hear our prayer. For all who are suffering for their faith, that God will strengthen them and help them to offer faithful witness to the love of God that is greater than all or any challenge...God of all mercy and compassion, hear our prayer. For all who are suffering, particularly refugees and those affected by natural disasters: that they may know the power of God's healing and restoration and the hope that God offers for tomorrow...God of all mercy and compassion, hear our prayer. For all who are ill, that God will bring healing to all with long Covid, give strength to those undergoing rehab, and courage to those struggling with addictions...God of all mercy and compassion, hear our prayer. For peace, that God's Spirit will change hearts, bring an end to violence, and establish peace and justice in every land...God of all mercy and compassion, hear our prayer. —Joe Milner, https://liturgy.slu.edu (altered) CLOSING COLLECT Giver of the most expensive gift of all, help us to learn from you. May we who are so adept at catering for our own wants, make ourselves more vulnerable to the needs of others. Let us live unselfishly and more sensitively, that we may spread love’s fragrance wherever the stench of cynicism and despair hangs in the air. CLOSING SONG (Click Here For Music) "When Mary Poured a Rich Perfume" —Carolyn W. Gillette When Mary poured a rich perfume On Jesus’ weary feet, Her caring filled that humble room; The fragrance there was sweet. But full of anger, Judas said, We could have used this more! Why was her gift not sold instead And given to the poor? The Lord replied, Leave her alone! She bought it for this day. This caring love that she has shown Is faithful to God’s way. The poor will always be with you, But you will not have me; He blessed her and he thanked her, too, For giving lavishly. O Christ, what can your people bring To show you thanks and love? You need no fragrant offering; For now you reign above. Since there will never cease to be The poor throughout the land, May we, your church, serve faithfully By offering them our hand. DISMISSAL WITH BLESSING May our service to others become a fragrant gift in God’s name. It is by your holding fast to the word of life that I can boast on the day of Christ that I did not run in vain or labor in vain. But even if I am being poured out as a libation over the sacrifice and the offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you—and in the same way you also must be glad and rejoice with me. —Philippians 2:16-18 As for you, always be sober, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, carry out your ministry fully. As for me, I am already being poured out as a libation, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. —2 Timothy 4:5-7