Two Sacrificial Acts

Two Sacrificial Acts

You are part of a g mainly disciples who are with Jesus. They have gathered in Jerusalem and are now entering an upper room of a dwelling place. As you enter there are a group of women waiting to greet you, they have been preparing the room for the celebration of the Passover meal.

Not far from the door of this upper room there is a large bowl of warm water and drying towels made ready for the ritual of the washing of feet. It is the custom for the host to carry out such an act and everybody is looking around to see who on this occasion is to be the host?

There is a hum of voices going around the room as those gathered are wondering just who is going to perform this act.................

You watch as Jesus reaches out and gathers up one of the towels..............

You watch as he drops to his knees and begins to wash the feet of the first of the gathered group..............

One by one they quietly allow him to perform this task...........

You notice that he does not differentiate from males or females or the order in which the task is carried out.......

Eventually, he arrives at Peter one of those who is obviously one of the closest to Jesus in terms of friendship.............

There seems to be some disagreement between Jesus and Peter and it becomes obvious that he is unhappy about Jesus performing this act for him. At one point he tries to take the towel..........

Jesus insists and washes his feet.............

He then comes to you, and in the same way, washes yours................

He then gently dries them with one of the towels............

You feel humbled, and yet there is a real sense of feeling that you like the others have been accepted and given this ritual act...........

There is a warm feeling that moves through you as you feel accepted...........

Everybody now moves towards the centre of the room and gathers around a low table with many cushions scattered around it.........

Everybody takes a place and all make themselves comfortable ........

There is the sound of happy chatter as all prepare to share this meal............

They are all aware that during this meal there are normally roles played out by some of the participants and they wonder who will play what role.........

Just when you think the meal is to begin one of the women moves over towards Jesus in her hand she holds an alabaster jar.............

She breaks it open and the room fills with a strong aroma from what can be seen to be precious ointment........

She pours some of the contents of the jar onto her hands and very gently massages it over the head and face of Jesus...........

She takes his hands in hers and again massages some of the oil into the palms of his hands, you watch in silence...............

Some of the disciples begin to speak rather loudly complaining that this is a very costly act, not one they should be participating in...............

They murmur about what could have been achieved with the money that such a jar of oil would have cost........

They could have provided food for all present and more from the local market place.......

Jesus turns his attention to them, gently he tells them, "Be still, this woman will be remembered for this act of kindness."....................

He then says something rather strange, he talks of his death.............

There is a silence that fills the room as each looks to him trying to comprehend the meaning of these words..............

In the silence and stillness of this moment think of what she has just done..........

Allow yourself to think to the washing of the feet, see it happening...............

Consider these two sacrificial acts of giving..........

Remember who washed the feet.................

The cost of the ointment and its fragrance.............

Now for a moment consider the wealth of your own life.........

As you contemplate imagine Jesus looking at you and in the look asking you to consider what you do with the possessions of your life..........

Ask yourself if in your life you use your talents and your wealth in the way this woman just has.........

As you remember again the washing of feet, hear the words of Jesus about loving your neighbour and also your enemy...........

Consider in the silence if there is some pride or something that holds you back from acting on behalf of others..........

Jesus washed the feet, Mary gave everything she owned...........

All religions like Christianity ask us to consider what we do with the things that we own. Some warn us against becoming attached to the things we surround ourselves with. Others remind us that in having wrong attitudes to possessions we can bring pain upon ourselves. Jesus asks us to consider who is our neighbour/