What a waste!
The story of Mother Teresa is told in Malcolm Muggeridge moving biography ‘Something beautiful for God’. Her ministry was to the destitute and dying on the streets of Calcutta and her only purpose was to give them dignity in death. This made no sense to Malcolm Muggeridge, a journalist who could only see that time and money were being spent on those who are about to die rather than on those who had a chance to survive.
“What a waste” many would say.
“That time and money could have been spent on healing the sick or invested in the young, rather than being thrown away on someone about to die!”
The fragrance of Love
Mother Teresa’s love for these destitute and dying scraps of humanity transformed not only their lives but the many lives that she touched, even that of the cynical, atheistic Malcolm Muggeridge.
Love has a fragrance that spreads and lingers in the air transforming ugliness and squalor into ‘something beautiful for God’.
Mother Teresa’s story finds an echo in the ministry of Mary the sister of Martha and Lazarus who pours out a costly perfume over Jesus' feet and then wipes them with her hair. The perfume we learn from Judas was worth around 300 denarii, about a year’s wages. It is likely that Mary had been keeping this secret treasure for a special moment, maybe her own wedding or for a funeral.
Worship is not worth it!
Now Mary believes a special moment has arrived. John tells us that Mary believed in Jesus but knew that death might soon separate her from him as it had separated her from Lazarus her brother.
She decides to show her love for him in this extravagant even excessive way.
“What a waste,” the disciples said
“Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor” John 12: 5
“Leave her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of my burial. For the poor, you always have with you, but you do not always have me” John 12: 7/8
Mary is pouring out this perfume on someone who will soon be dead, it looks like a waste when it could be used for so many useful things to help the living but it is an act of worship that comes from a heart that is full of love. Love that leaves a fragrance and lingers in the air such that Jesus tells us that Mary has done something beautiful for God, a story we are to remember:
“Wherever the gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her” Mark 14:9
Memories
Those words “In memory of her” are significant. Think back to your earliest memories I expect there will be a smell associated with them. I remember the smell of carbolic soap at my Primary school and am taken right back to those days when I smell it!
When Jesus lifted up the bread and the wine at the last supper just a few days after this act of love he said to his disciples.
“Do this in remembrance of me” Luke 22:19
When in John’s account of the last supper Jesus washes the feet of the disciples he says:
“I have given you an example that you also should do as I have done to you” John 13: 15
Just as Mary offered up what was most precious to her so Jesus offers up his life for us, poured out for us in total abandon for this poor scrap of humanity! Mary’s act of worship foreshadows Jesus and in the same way, is to be remembered and imitated by his disciples.
Mary’s act of love is not just prophetic but is a model of the way in which we are to love and serve each other in response to the total love that Jesus has for us.
That is why her excessive, wasteful act of love is remembered whenever the gospel is preached. It is the gospel itself!
‘Ode to Joy’ and the Bethoven Frieze
Gustav Klimpt celebrates the triumph of beauty over power by telling the story of humanity's search for joy as told in the poem that has now become the European anthem ‘Ode to Joy’ written in 1785 by the German poet Friedrich Schiller. This poem in turn inspired Beethoven's 9th Symphony and the famous music that accompanies the final movement.
The Frieze was designed for the ‘Secessionist’ building in Vienna, the exhibition hall of the dissident Austrian artists who had abandoned the academy. The themes of the frieze repeat the story of suffering humanity, shown in the painting as whispy spirits. These Spirits first turn to an enormous armed Knight representing power however they are moved on to confront demonic spirits that threaten to overwhelm humanity. Only through the beauty of music, poetry, and art does humanity find its joy, represented in the Frieze, by a choir of angels lifting humanity up to the Elysion fields!
Joy!
Joy!
Joy, beautiful spark of divinity,
Daughter from Elysium,
We enter, burning with fervour,
heavenly being, your sanctuary!
Your magic brings together
what custom has sternly divided.
All men shall become brothers,
wherever your gentle wings hover.
Mary’s gift of scented perfume is offered up because his love for her has made her once ugly life beautiful again. Love like art transforms the ugliness of life into beauty, it brings dignity and meaning to the brutal death of Jesus, it is an offering of love that reminds us that we are servants to each other.
At the heart of loving God is this same gratitude that springs out of the love made known to us through Jesus's own offering of himself. This is the bread and wine by which we remember him but it is reinforced by the daily reminder of the suffering of others, who are our brothers and sisters, especially those in Ukraine at this time
“You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me” John 12: 8
Seeing the Poor in us:
‘The poor’ or shall we say suffering humanity are amongst us to remind us of the love that like a fragrance pours itself out on those the world sees as worthless.
For Mother Teresa, the poor were a reminder to her of the dignity that Jesus gives to suffering and death, in giving dignity to them she was daily reminded of the love and forgiveness that transforms life.
Maybe, as we care for the poor we see reflected in them our own poor humanity which God loves and in Jesus pours himself out for:
The next time the disciples met for supper with Jesus he offers them the bread and wine with the words, “this is my body... this is my blood, given for you. Do this in memory of me” The fragrance of that love is still with us today as we renew that love and gratitude by our worship today and our service for others as we go out into the world to serve our neighbour.
Rev. Simon Brignall