Lenten Devotions in Hard Economic Times

TWENTY-SEVENTH DAY OF LENT 
                      MARCH 19
  
 John 12: 2-3
 
 
 
Mary took a pound of costly perfume
Made of pure nard,
Anointed Jesus’ feet,
And wiped them with her hair.
 
Costly oil.
Extravagant oil.
Lavish as the oil
Of salvation,
Healing as the
Balm of Gilead.

 
Oil-to anoint a body for burial,
Oil-to anoint a king for coronation,
Oil-to serve as envoy,
Marking Jesus as Messiah, 
The Anointed One.
 
The house was filled
With the fragrance
Of the perfume.
 
This was more than aromatherapy.
This was the bouquet of prophecy,
Delivered
In person,
By one who
Loved beyond good sense,
To One Who
Loved beyond good sense,
And
In person,
Delivered.

 
John cited from New Revised Standard Version
commentary in italic