The Gift

It was playing out in slow motion. The bottle fell towards the concrete and exploded on impact, instantaneously filling the air with the aroma of Calvin Klein’s new fragrance, ‘SHOCK’!  It was a shock! My new Christmas present evaporated right before my eyes. For weeks the aroma could be smelt on the concrete outside our house where the bottle had broken.

Similarly, there was perfume broken open in a story in the Bible (John 12). There was a feast with Jesus as the honoured guest.  This was the town where He had raised Lazarus from the dead not long before, and the place where the religious leaders were looking to kill Him.

Mary is sitting at Jesus feet, usually a place that is reserved for the disciples.  She is trying to be inconspicuous which may have worked had she not broken open a $10,000 bottle of perfume as a gift for Jesus and anointed His feet with it. The sweet smell caught everyone's attention in the room. There was no hiding it! Mary lets down her hair and wipes Jesus feet with it.  A gesture of deep gratitude honouring what Jesus had done for her.

Just as the aroma of Mary’s gift impacted everyone in the room, so too did Jesus’ broken body on the cross. His death and resurrection impacted the whole world. 

Unlike the perfume aroma which faded away over time, Jesus’ selfless act still impacts each of us today.  His blood covers the whole world which gives every single person the offer of new life when he returns.  We just have to accept his gift.

I hope you have a great week,

Chaplain Phil