Week 5: Going Deeper into Generosity

From the Working for Justice Circle

READING

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.”

REFLECTION

In the previous chapter of John (John 11) we read that Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. This was an act of life-giving generosity from Jesus to the family of Mary and Martha.

Our reading picks up the story, with Jesus visiting the home of Lazarus, Mary and Martha.

Mary, we are told, takes a jar of the most expensive perfume and anoints Jesus feet. Mary’s gift is extravagant in the extreme. She uses a pound of perfume, which the footnote suggests would have been valued at about the yearly income of a manual labourer (see 12:5 in the NRSV). Mary’s hair also imbues the act with profound intimacy, an expression of deep love that those watching would hardly ignore or find ordinary.

Mary’s response to Jesus extraordinary love and generosity to her family is to express deep love and extraordinary generosity in return.

The Working for Justice Circle brings together people from across the Church in a shared focus on issues of justice that we seek to advocate on and address directly in other ways.

A strong part of our motivation in this is that we seek to respond lovingly and generously to God, who first loves and blesses us so richly and generously.

Two areas of focus for us nationally are:
• Addressing climate change
• Advocating for refugees and asylum seekers across the world, but particularly those who has sought safety and refuge in Australia.

CLIMATE CHANGE

God has created an abundant and beautiful natural world with a rich plant and animal life. Humans, as part of God’s creation, are blessed by God’s generosity with the bounty of this creation.

In following Mary’s example of responding to God’s boundless love and generosity, how are we to respond lovingly and generously in matters relating to God’s creation, our natural environment and the earth’s climate?

See below some stories from our panel members of practical actions and how people within the UCA are responding.

REFUGEES AND ASYLUM SEEKERS

As humans and people blessed to live in Australia, most of us experience God’s love and generosity to us through experiencing lives of safety, security and sufficiency. Many people across the world do not enjoy such security, are faced with crises, both human induced and natural, that give them no choice but to leave their homes and their homelands in search of a better life.

In following Mary’s example of responding to God’s boundless love and generosity, how are we to respond lovingly and generously in matters relating to how we welcome and show hospitality to people seeking refuge and asylum in this country?

See below some stories from our panel members of practical actions and how people within the UCA are responding.

QUESTIONS

Climate change:

How are or how might your family and your church community respond to God’s love and generosity as you respond to the earth’s rapidly changing climate?

Refugees and Asylum Seekers:

How are or how might your family and your church community respond to God’s love and generosity as you respond to the plight of refugees and asylum seekers around the world and in Australia in particular?

Read the Introduction and other studies GOING DEEPER

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