Matthew and Mark tell us that during this Holy Week, Jesus was in Bethany at the home of a man known as Simon the Leper. John identifies this as the home of Martha, Mary and Lazarus. While there, Mary came to him with an alabaster jar containing about a pint of very expensive perfume. She poured it on Jesus’ head and feet and wiped his feet with her hair. John adds that “the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.” [John 12:3]
Some of the disciples became indignant and thought that was a waste of something that could have been sold for money that would benefit the poor. Jesus told them that what Mary had done was a beautiful thing, she had prepared him for burial, and that her sacrificial act would be remembered long after she was gone. [Matt 26:6-13]
The other day I went on a short walk, venturing into the fresh air. When I came back into the house the aroma of cinnamon was pungent. I had left a wax burner on with a cinnamon wax in it. While I was in the house I had grown desensitized to the aroma of the cinnamon. What one commercial now calls “nose blind.” It was not until I was away from it for a while and returned that I was aware of the beautiful fragrance of the cinnamon spice.
The house of Simon the Leper was filled with the perfume that anointed Jesus. Mary’s hair used to wipe the excess from Jesus’ feet would have also been steeped with the same fragrance. I often wonder if that fragrance lasted to the end of the week, beyond the crucifixion, maybe as far as Resurrection Sunday?
The sweet aroma of Jesus shared together with other Christians in our local buildings is absent this year … but it’s still with us. Maybe we took that for granted, grew a little desensitized to the wonderful fragrance of Jesus in our midst. Now, hopefully, when we get together once again, we’ll appreciate it a bit more.
