Meditation for August 29, 2007

From The Rev. Peter A. Munson

Mark 14:3-11

 

"While He was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as He sat at the table, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very costly ointment of nard, and she broke open the jar and poured the ointment on His head. But some were there who said to one another in anger, 'Why was the ointment wasted in this way?  For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii, and the money given to the poor.'  And they scolded her.  But Jesus said, 'Let her alone; why do you trouble her?  She has performed a good service for Me.  For you always have the poor with you, and you can show kindness to them whenever you wish; but you will not always have Me. She has done what she could; she has anointed My body beforehand for its burial.  Truly I tell you, wherever the good news is proclaimed in the whole world, what she had done will be told in remembrance of her.'

 

Then Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve, went to the chief priests in order to betray Him to them. When they heard it, they were greatly pleased, and promised to give him money.  So he began to look for an opportunity to betray Him."

 

Money Is In the Midst of Us

 

Money is all around us, and we are making financial decisions all the time.  And not just those of us who are adults.  American youth and children are spending money at a rate that is unparalleled in human history. Just think for a moment about "back to school" shopping. August is the third highest month for clothing sales in the U.S., after December and November. Think for just a moment about kids with Ipods, cell phones, and the various video game players. Think about how often kids go out with their friends for lunch, compared to thirty years ago.

 

We are making money decisions all the time. How conscious are we about those decisions, and how do they relate to our spiritual life?

 

The reading for today gives us an opportunity to reflect on a number of questions related to money. I don't have all the answers.  But Jesus spoke about money frequently. Evidently He wanted us to "connect the dots", to contemplate whether our use of money brings us closer to God and other people, or takes us farther away from them.

 

So here are some questions related to money, wealth, and generosity, that come to me as I reflect on these verses from Mark:

 

When have you done something truly extravagant for someone else?  What has been your closest thing to pouring ointment worth 300 days of wages over someone's head?

 

Have you ever gotten angry over someone else's use of their money/wealth? Have you ever scolded someone over their use of money? Have you ever gotten angry or felt guilty over your own use of your money or wealth?

 

Have you ever accused someone else of being wasteful with their money, and then - later on - realized that maybe what they did was not wasteful at all, but actually an act of generosity?

 

Jesus said, "for you always have the poor with you, and you can show kindness to them whenever you wish." (Mark 14:7) Jesus seemed to assume that this would be the case.  Do we always have the poor with us?  Do we have them in our hearts?  Do we have them in our lives?  Do we show kindness to them?  Do we use our money and time and energy to work for justice and peace and a better life for the poor?

 

When it comes to seeing the needs of others, and responding, have we, like the woman of Bethany, "done what we could"?

 

What are we willing to do for money?  Have you ever been tempted to compromise your core values for money?

 

What is the most extravagant thing you have ever done for Jesus?

 

What acts of love and generosity will you most likely be remembered for?

 

 

If any of these questions make you or me uncomfortable, then maybe that is a sign that God wants us to pay more attention to our attitudes and habits around money, wealth, and generosity. Money is in the midst of us. We can't escape it.  It is part of our lives.  It is also part of our spiritual lives. What we do or don't do with our money is a spiritual matter. Perhaps God is calling us to take some time to think about these questions, and discuss them with each other. Thinking about them is one thing. Talking about them with others brings them out "into the light", and that usually leads to transformation, it seems to me.

 

[One final thought: If you are open to exploring more of these kinds of questions with others at St. Ambrose, come to the class that Kris Bertness (Senior Warden) and Millie Williams (Vestry member) are going to be offering about money, which starts on Sunday, September 9, in Friendship Hall.  It will be offered between services, from 9:30 to 10:15 a.m., and there will be a total of four classes in September and October.  Call the church office (303-499-3041) for more information.]