break open the flask

Tuesday April 15^th, Matthew 26: When Jesus was at Bethany, a guest of Simon the Leper, a woman came up to him as he was eating dinner and anointed him with a bottle of very expensive perfume. When the disciples saw what was happening, they were furious. "That's criminal! This could have been sold for a lot and the money handed out to the poor." When Jesus realized what was going on, he intervened. "Why are you giving this woman a hard time? She has just done something wonderfully significant for me. You will have the poor with you every day for the rest of your lives, but not me.  First the question; who is Simon the Leper?  Some commentaries make the leap that he was someone who was healed by Jesus of his leprosy, others say that it is a misinterpretation and he was a pottery maker, and still others say that he was just a Pharisee with that name for some unknown reason.  All scripture says is that this is what he was called and Jesus went to his house for dinner.  While there, a woman came in and using very expensive perfume anointed Jesus.  Simon the Leper seemed to say nothing of note.  At least some of the disciples were concerned that they were not in charge of the money this could bring into their coffers, and Jesus was just grateful for the anointing and adoration before his burial. He then points out that the task of the Church, first and foremost is to worship God, as did the woman with the perfume.  Jesus’ second statement is the reminder that we will always have the poor with us, which is not a call to ignore them, but rather to take care for them also.  It is an echo of Jesus answer to what is the greatest commandment, to love God and to love others, with love being used as a verb not a noun.  Sometimes the church gets all caught up in other agendas and fights and comfort levels, we are after all made up of failing and sinful people.  For each church question the counter question needs to be asked, how does this move forward the agenda of honoring God and caring for those in need.  If it doesn’t fit into those two areas, it still might be a good thing to do, but it is not central to who we are and what we are called to do.  Perhaps it is time to break open the flask and honor Jesus first and foremost and to honor our neighbor as ourselves.  And to do it in that order.