Growing up my mother had lots of bottles lined up on her make-up table. I would sneak in when she wasn't in there and get into all of the bottles. Some of them were just cool shapes and it was fun to look at. I would try to remember which ones that I liked to smell. I learned that I could spray them into the caps and I could smell them without getting it all over me. There were some that I absolutely loved how they smelled. I would sometimes even dab some of what I sprayed on my arm or hand so I could smell it as I ran out of my mom's room. There were some other smells that I really did not like and I wished I never smelled them to begin. Now, if your mom has perfume bottles - ASK before you do what I did.
I never really associated smell with church until I went to school to be a Pastor. I got to experience some really cool things, one of which was the smell of incense during the Easter Vigil service (Holy Saturday). As we walked into the dark church behind the Christ candle there was this smell that I had never smelled before but also was familiar. After we sat down, I then smelled the Easter lilies and the two smells together - well - they smelled like Easter.
In our Gospel reading today, John 12:1-11 Mary, sister of Lazarus whom Jesus raised from the dead, poured very expensive perfume and rubbed Jesus' feet. And before Jesus could appreciate all that Mary did, one of the disciples, Judas, got upset that she had wasted something very expensive on Jesus' feet. Thankfully for Mary, Jesus told Judas to stop and leave her alone. Have you ever done something for someone that you love and someone tried to make you feel bad about it?
We are starting our 4th week in a our homes - staying away from friends, church, school. I hope you're beginning to find some new rhythms and it's a little bit easier. I also know that with Sunday being Easter, I am missing getting to be with you as we prepare. I do not know exactly how everything will work but I trust that no matter where we are God will keep us connect. I invite you to think of how you might do something soothing for someone you are with like Mary did for Jesus.
Let's pray - God we love you and we know you love us. Help us this week to care for someone we love, like Mary did for Jesus, through Christ our Lord, Amen.