Holy Tuesday 

Called to forgive – debts and debtors, perfume and tears

Suggested Action: have ready olive oil or perfume

Opening Prayer

God of sinners and Saints, in a world where many are looked down on, many are afraid of rejection, help us to see with your non-judgmental eyes; quiet our hearts and minds as we still our bodies, slow our breathing, and open ourselves to you. Amen.

Scripture Psalm 63:1-4; Mark 14: 3-9

Reflection

Have you ever felt undervalued or look down on?  If we’re honest, we are also sometimes guilty of looking down on others, perhaps without even realizing it. We all make judgments because of their background or their reputation. Jesus was looked down on because he was provincial ‘can anything good come out of Nazareth?’.  And in so many encounters, Jesus challenges and overturns prejudice and judgment, teaching us to see people for their true worth. 

On this Holy Tuesday, we reflect on the way we judge and undervalue one another, recognizing how Jesus showed us a different way of relating. Jesus is eating a meal with Simon the leper when a woman comes to anoint his feet with costly perfume; others are scandalized because of the costly waste.  In other accounts, Simon is critical of the woman’s reputation and thinks less of Jesus because he accepts her gift. 

As a leper Simon himself knew about it exclusion; he would have been looked on down on.  But despite the fact he knew the pain of exclusion, Simon still chooses to judge and exclude others, dividing the world into respectable people and sinners, the sort of people you don’t you invite to supper. 

The woman is looked down on; she is judged and condemned, either for being a Center for being too emotional and wasteful.  But Jesus stands up for her, saying she will always be remembered for this. Jesus keeps on including people, whether others look down on them or not; and he helps Simon to understand this:  that we all need forgiveness, that we can never be good enough or respectable enough, to earn God’s love.

God’s love comes as a pure gift of Amazing Grace.  It is one of the hardest things to accept: that there is nothing we can do to make God love us anymore and there is nothing we can do to make God love us any less.  God longs for us to recognize that love and to allow that love to transform us for us to be forgiven and healed, at the depths of our being.  Like the woman with the alabaster jar, that deep healing of our past hurts, often evokes tears and an overflowing generosity that reaches out to others.

Silence

After a time of silence, anoint one another’s hands with costly perfume or oil, making the sign of the cross and saying, ‘May God’s love overflow in you.’

Closing Prayer

Forgiving God, you long to heal us with your touch; open our hearts to your gift of unconditional love; anoint us with the tears of your spirit; wipe away the hearts hurts and harms of our memory, that your love may overflow in us and through us. We pray for all who are undervalued, looked down upon or despised because of their nationality, color or religion; for we are your children, made in your image and likeness.  We pray for all who are undervalued look down on or despise because of their poverty, disability, or background.  We pray for all who are undervalued, look down on, or despised, because of their past mistakes, failures or wrongdoing.

Blessing

Peace in our hearts; peace in our homes; peace in our nation; peace in our world. 

God longs for us to know peace peace of the Lord.  May peace be with you also.  

God is generous sitting in judgment, welcoming all people, seeing God’s image. 

Be now with us, Jesus our brother, bring us your blessing now and always.  Amen.