Scripture Readings: Psalm 126 & John 12: 1-8
Psalm 126 recalls the return from exile, describing it as a dream too good to be true. The people of Israel, long captive in Babylon, had waited for the day when they would once again walk the streets of Zion, worship in the temple, and sing songs of praise in their homeland. When that day finally arrived, it felt too good to be true. Their sorrow was turned to laughter, their mourning to joy, their captivity to freedom. It was the kind of restoration only God could bring.
Lent is a season where we long for restoration – a return home, not to a physical land, but to the heart of God. Like the exiles, we journey through a world of brokenness, sin, and longing, yet we dream of the day when all things will be made new in Christ. The cross reminds us of the price of that restoration, and the resurrection assures us that the dream is not just a dream – it is our reality in Christ. Even now, in the wilderness of life, we catch glimpses of that coming joy.
What feels too good to be true is exactly what God promises: restoration beyond our imagination, a redemption beyond our deepest longing. As we walk through this Lenten season, may we hold onto that dream, trusting that in Christ, our sorrow will turn to joy, and our waiting will end in the fullness of God’s promise.
The psalmist describes how laments were turned into laughter when the captives returned. This reflects the journey from sorrow to joy and from the cross to resurrection.
John 12:1 signals the beginning of the last week before Jesus’ crucifixion. John has spent nearly half of his Gospel narrative on events of that crisis-filled week. Here, Jesus is at Bethany, the place where He raised Lazarus, foreshadowing His own resurrection.
According to a theologian Morris, “the oil was normally poured on the head in those times, but Mary poured it on the feet of the Lord. This is probably to be taken as an act of utter humility, and this act is even more striking because a Jewish lady never unbound her hair in public”
Mary anoints Jesus with expensive perfume, an act of love. This is deeply symbolic of Jesus’ upcoming death and burial. John emphasizes that the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume (v. 3). True worship and devotion have a lasting impact – what we offer to Christ fills the world with His presence.
True worship is not measured by how much we give, but by the heart with which we give it. In John 12:1-8, we see a striking contrast between Mary’s selfless devotion and Judas’ selfish hypocrisy. Mary pours out a costly perfume – worth a year’s wages – anointing Jesus’ feet with love and reverence. It also indicates an immense sacrifice.
True worship and following Christ demand costly devotion. To her, nothing is too extravagant for the One who raised her brother from the dead, the One who is the Resurrection and the Life. Her worship has no limits, no hesitation, no calculation – only love.
Meanwhile, Judas criticizes Mary’s act, pretending to care for the poor, while his real motive was selfishness. His concern is not about true worship, but about what he can gain. There is a contrast between sacrificial love and self-serving hypocrisy. Unlike Judas or the disciples, Mary seems to recognize that Jesus is headed toward the cross. Her anointing is not just an act of love but an act of deep spiritual insight.
Do we, like Mary, pour out our time, resources, and hearts freely before Christ? Or do we, like Judas, hold back, calculating the cost, thinking of what we might lose? Worship without limits is worship that sees Jesus as worthy of everything.
In verse 7, Jesus defends and affirms Mary’s action: “Leave her alone. She did this to prepare for my burial”. Jesus demonstrated a gracious acceptance that went beyond the gender, culture, and customs of his day. Just as bodies were anointed before burial, Mary’s act foreshadows the burial rites that will soon follow. Jesus connects this moment with His ultimate mission – His sacrificial death for humanity.
Mary’s perfume filled the house with fragrance, just as true worship fills the world with the fragrance of Christ. When we remember that Jesus’ sacrifice fills the world with grace, may our lives be like hers – offering our best, our love, and our devotion without limits, for the One who gave Himself without limits for us. This moment foreshadows the greater fragrance of salvation through the crucifixion and resurrection.
Going back to the words of the Psalm 126, the psalmist acknowledges that sorrow sown in difficulty will reap joy in prosperity when God works mightily in their lives. Here, the repentant workers will be rejoicing workers, knowing God’s blessing upon their labour.
God’s mission is often lived out in the tension between sowing in tears and reaping in joy. Verse 6 says, “Those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy” When the psalmist speaks of those who weep as they sow, it is a picture of sacrificial love, perseverance, and faith – a reminder that the work of restoration is not always immediate or easy.
Yet, the promise is clear: what is planted in faith will bear fruit in joy. When we embody God’s mission in the world, whether through acts of service, justice, or compassion, we participate in this divine rhythm. The places we inhabit – our homes, churches, and communities – become spaces where God’s love is made visible, where brokenness is transformed, and where joy takes root.
This is the essence of place making – creating spaces where God’s presence is experienced, where people find belonging, healing, and hope. Just as Mary responded to Jesus with a beautiful and graceful act of love, anointing Him with costly perfume, we are called to respond to the needs around us with abundant love and devotion.
Whether in times of sorrow or joy, our faithfulness in sowing seeds of kindness, reconciliation, and hospitality shapes the world into a reflection of God’s kingdom. And though the work may be slow, the promise remains: the tears we shed in love will one day give way to songs of joy, as God’s mission of restoration unfolds before us.
Just as God restored His people in Psalm 126, Jesus’ sacrifice restores all who believe. Just as Mary’s act symbolizes this coming restoration through Jesus’ death and resurrection, may we reflect on our longing for full restoration in Christ.
Today’s texts speak of tears turning into joy, just as Jesus’ death leads to resurrection. Both symbolize the presence of God and the hope found in Christ. Lent calls us to reflect, renew, and re-engage in Christ’s mission. Let us rejoice in Christ’s redeeming work and participate in His mission.
Thanks be to God. Amen.
(Ref. Bible, commentaries, theological books, UCA materials)