It is not often talked about…but the gospel of John is also known as being the book of contrasts…

For example: If I say, “Good,” you say, “Bad.”

If I say, “Hot” you say, “____.”)
If I say, “In” you say, “_____.”)
If I say, “Dark” you say, “___.”)
If I say, “Rich” you say, “_____.”)
If I say, “Heaven” you say, “_____.”)

These are all contrasting words…maybe even opposites…but not necessarily…so…

Well, that is exactly what John-the-Gospel-writer is doing today! He is contrasting “love versus greed.”

There is the “sweet smell of love” that fills the entire household and that is being contrasted with “the stench of greed” that could only come from Judas!

It is an interesting text to say the least!

Actually, it is a kind of a strange text.

It might have been one of the “strangest dinner parties ever!”
For one thing, Lazarus was there. Not long before, he had been dead. Then Jesus raised him “back to life,” an event that no doubt “stirred up” the entire village of Bethany. It appears this dinner party was given in Jesus’ honor to “thank him” for raising Lazarus.

John notes that Lazarus was reclining at the table with Jesus.
What exactly do you say to a man who has been raised from the dead? Do you ask what it felt like? That’s not a normal topic for a dinner party.
But that’s only a small part of the story. It goes on…

At some point, Mary does something “so startling” it shocked even Jesus’ top guys. They couldn’t believe “what” they were seeing.

“Every part” of what she did bothered them on some level.

That’s why this story appears in all four of our gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. It really truly resonated with the early church. Love wins. Greed fails.

Mary knew Jesus in a way his disciples did not. She saw “clearly” what was about to happen when Jesus entered Jerusalem. And it was not good! If she didn’t know the details, she knew that “trouble was coming.” It was out there, on the horizon.
Big trouble…huge trouble… “troubling trouble.”
She knew Jesus was going to die. It was not going to end well…
So she prepared a gift that shocked – even the disciples.
But Jesus loved it. He thought it was great. Not over board at all. Not extravagant. But, perfect.

Her extravagance, her great love and devotion, her caring concern is contrasted with the stench of Judas’ greed and love of money…

It is the caring-love of Mary that is being lifted up!

I tell you, it is an interesting text!

Extravagance is always in the eye of the beholder…and so apparently, is greed!

It was Mary’s desire to honor Jesus that moved her – to violate the “customs of the day.”

It was “reckless abandonment”…she loved Jesus that much…

And, as much as she cared about Jesus, Judas cared about money and wealth…

He cared about the treasury, the money in his bag, for we are told, Judas was the “keeper of the purse.”

I tell you they are being contrasted, love and money…

It is a current Biblical theme…

The scripture says, you cannot love both…and we have to decide, each for ourselves…WHOM WILL WE SERVE?

Mary made it clear, she would serve Jesus…she would serve her Lord.

As the season of Lent continues on these forty days, think about whom you are willing to serve?

I pray, it is Jesus.

Amen.