Love Offering

Fifth Week of Lent

Opening

Lord, as I sit here with you, I am mindful of the gift that it is. Help me to more fully drink it in. 

Reflection

As we journey through Lent,
we do so slowly, purposefully. 
May our senses be awakened
as we mindfully walk towards the cross and then the empty tomb
attuned to the Lord’s voice.

What do we hear on the way when we encounter brokenness within ourselves and others in the gospel story? 

We pause to notice and to contemplate, 
to do as Walter Burghardt SJ writes,
“to take a long, loving look at the real.” 

We take our time in order to genuinely see.  

We do this mindful of God’s unconditional love for us. 

We look with honesty, not to beat ourselves up, but to seek forgiveness and wholeness. 

We listen for God’s invitation to us said with love. 

Invitation

In these moments you are invited to enter the scripture through your imagination. This is right before the Passover, shortly before Jesus’ death. Read the passage slowly and prayerfully. Enter as an observer and let the story unfold before you. Are you drawn to a particular person in this story? How does their story touch yours? Notice what draws you and pause there. Talk to the Lord about what stirs you within.

John 12:1-8

Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany, the home of Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. There they gave a dinner for him. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those at the table with him. Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus’ feet, and wiped them with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (the one who was about to betray him), said,  “Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?”  (He said this not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief; he kept the common purse and used to steal what was put into it.)  Jesus said, “Leave her alone. She bought it so that she might keep it for the day of my burial. You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.”

Prayer of Response

Jesus, 
your friends 
seem like
they couldn’t get enough of you
Each one 
seemed to drink you in
Being moved by you
they expressed their love
in joining you at table,
serving you well
anointing you with the best they had
I wonder Lord 
in these moments
if these friends 
were not a balm to your heart
even as the perfume was to your feet?
It makes me wonder Lord,
what can I offer you
to show my love
my support
my attentiveness to you too?
Show me dear One.
Help me to drink you in deeply too
As I stand before you
I offer you my heart
I pour out my love to you
hoping it is a balm 
to your heart too.
I love you
You who have graced my life
with so much.
I love you.

Amen.

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