There's Just Jesus ~ John 12:1-11 ~ April 18, 2011

Back in high school, my dream was to become a professional musician.

My trumpet was my life.  I played in six different ensembles, took private lessons, and spent more time playing my trumpet than I did studying.  And my private trumpet teacher had my dream job—he was the principal trumpeter and assistant director of the River City Brass Band in Pittsburgh.

And one day he hit me with a bombshell: he was giving it all up to go to seminary. 

I remember being absolutely dumfounded by what I was hearing.  Here’s a man who had it all (in my opinion).   He played his trumpet for a living.  I remember thinking “all of his hard work, all of his talent, and all of the people who’d love to have his life (especially me)—and he’s giving it all up.”

I can’t help but think of him as I consider Mary and this bottle of costly perfume she pours onto Jesus’ feet.  This perfume was something that only royalty and rich people would own.  It was worth a fortune; a laborer’s whole year’s wages.  As the sweet aroma of the perfume fills the air, Judas’ protests don’t seem that unreasonable…  It most definitely could have been sold and the money given to the poor. 

But Mary isn’t thinking of the cost of the perfume—nor is she thinking over the myriad of other things that could be done had she sold the perfume and given away the money.  All that she is thinking about is Jesus, whose love has changed everything in her life.  Jesus is her treasure.  She gives her Savior Jesus the royal treatment.  She’s not counting the cost of her offering.  Mary just loves Jesus—and Mary gives. 

And in just a few days, something else that is precious, costly, and beautiful will be poured out: and that is the body and blood of Jesus Christ.   In the same way as Mary gives no thought to the cost of the treasure she pours out at the feet of Jesus, Jesus gives no thought to the cost of the cross.  Jesus just loves us—and Jesus gives.

While Mary shines as model of discipleship, this is a story about Jesus—and what happens when his love reigns in the life of an ordinary person.  This is a story of an ordinary person pouring out herself, her love, and her devotion because her life is grounded in the love of Jesus Christ.  Such a love that turns us outward so that loving Christ becomes our consuming passion...  Such a love has the power to make all of our worldly treasures seem worthless in comparison to the treasure that is Jesus...  Such a love that turns us outward to the poor and needy ones that Jesus loves so much...  When Jesus said “you will always have the poor among you,” he was saying that when his love reigns in us, we will follow him to the poor and serve them as we would serve Jesus himself.  We will love Jesus, we will give to the poor—and we won’t count the cost.

But if you’re like me, this is easier said than done…  How hard it is to give of our time when so much is already being demanded of us.  How hard it can be to give generously of our treasure as the prices of food, energy, and tuition keep going up…  How hard it is to follow Jesus when he calls us to places and situations that are unfamiliar, and that intimidate us.  It’s so easy to say no to Jesus, because there is a cost to being a disciple; there is a cost to following him; there is a cost to loving him. 

But let us remember that this is the story of Jesus and his extravagant love.  This is a story of Jesus’ love changing everything.  It is a love that transforms us into the people that God wants us to be.  It is a love that breaks into our busy schedules, that drives us out of our comfort zones, and that opens our eyes to all of the riches of God’s faithfulness that God has provided for us.  This is the very same love that will overcome death and the cross.  When Jesus is our first love, there are no costs to be counted.  There’s just Jesus. 

The love that flowed from the wounds in Jesus’ hands and his side still flows for us all today.  The most precious gift the world has ever known is being given for you.  The sweet aroma of God’s grace and forgiveness are in the air.  During this Holy Week and beyond, let us be in the presence of Jesus and his love—be it in prayer and quiet contemplation, in the presence of our brothers in sisters in the faith, or in the faces of the sick, the poor, and the lonely.  May Jesus’ compassion and love so overwhelm us that we never count the cost of our devotion and our service to him.  Let us follow him to the cross and be filled with of a love that is the greatest treasure we can ever know