Journey to the Cross - Sixth Sunday

SIXTH SUNDAY OF LENT - April 1
Mark 14:1-3        Expensive Perfume
"While he was eating dinner, a woman came up carrying a bottle of very expensive perfume.  Opening the bottle, she poured it on Jesus' head."  (The Message, verse 3)

     Preparations are being made for the God-ordained events of Holy Week.  In verses 1 and 2, the Jewish religious leaders are scheming on ways to do away with Jesus without creating a riot.  And in Bethany, Jesus dines with friends.  An unnamed woman prepares Jesus for burial using a first century sign of honor and respect: to anoint with oil.  It is an act of great love, extravagant in nature, perhaps "reckless love" to use the term from last week. 
     What signs, what rituals, what practices do we perform today to honor Christ? To prepare for the Christ in our lives?  Are we willing to use our most expensive "perfume" to show our respect, to reveal his holiness?  How do we prepare to honor the relationship we have with God?  Every act of service, every gift, every uplifting or supportive word, when done in the name of Christ, honors him and makes the action holy.  We can anoint Christ daily.  Let's all take the time to deliberately perform a holy action this week, to open the expensive parts of our lives, and demonstrate our love for Christ in a tangible act of service. How reckless can we be?