Voices Found: The Ointment Bearer

 

Voices Found #123

Glorious God, receive us;

Loving Christ, restore us;

Healing Spirit, renew us.

 Alice Parker (1925-2023) Kyrie from her mass paraphrase

Psalm 133 and Mark 14:3-9 are appointed in The Women's Lectionary for the Whole Church for Proper 12B (Closest to July 27)

Look! How precious and how lovely 

when [friends and] kin live together as one!

Like the precious oil on the head,

running down upon the beard,

on the beard of Aaron,

running down over his robes.

Like the dew of Hermon,

That falls on the mountains of Zion.

For there the Womb of Creation commanded her blessing,

life eternal.

Psalm 133( tr. Gafney)

Mark 14:3-4, 9)

Now Jesus was at Bethany in the home of Simon who had a skin disease; as he reclined at table, a woman came with an alabaster vessel of pure nard ointment--very expensive--she broke open the alabaster and poured it on his head."  But some being angry said among themselves, "For what was the nard wasted? For this ointment could have sold for more than three hundred denarii [three hundred day's wages] and given to the poor." And they were indignant with her.  But Jesus said,"Leave her alone! Why do you trouble her? A good work she has done for me.  For always you shall have the poor with you and whenever you wish you can do god by them; but me you shall not always have.  What she had it to do, she did; she has anointed my body beforehand for its burial.  "Truly I tell you all, wherever the gospel is proclaimed  in the whole world, what she has done will be told in remembrance of her." (Mark 14:9)

Voices Found #1

Holy woman graceful giver, prophet, servant, and believer,

woman with the ointment jar, rose up near the time appointed

broke the seal, Christ's head anointed for the coming fatal hour.

Like the vessel we are broken; like the ointment we are token

of God's loving unto death; like the woman we are serving;

like the scolders, ill deserving such a rich forgiving faith.

In these jars is hidden treasure, costly fragrance, Christly pleasure,

like the Christ, first from the dead, broken for creation's wholeness,

poured out for its coming fullness, prophet, servant, hope and head.

Holy woman, hidden treasure, with the jar of alabaster

shows the hidden gift we are, therefore let us as Christ's servants

hold our sister in remembrance--woman with the ointment jar.

Words: Susan Paolo Cherwein (1953-2021)

Music: Alabaster, Robert A. M. Ross

Reflection

She brought the  alabaster jar filled with precious nard.  She anointed the  holy feet.  Jesus praised her lavish gift.  But SHE HAD NO NAME.  She was bold.  She perceived. She broke the jar.  In Mark, Jesus told us she would be remembered. But SHE HAD NO NAME.  Mark did not record her name. 

                                                    

Prayer: 

O Glorious God, Life giver, hear our praise and adoration: preserve us.

O loving Christ, Life-sharer: forgive our sin, hear our prayer, grant us mercy.

O indwelling Spirit, Life-bearer: reign forever with our God and Christ in holy Trinity.  Amen.

Gloria from Mass paraphrase by Alice Parker, Voices Found #123