Good News Inspiration for Daily Life
Bulletin Insert for March 28, 2021
Description: For Palm Sunday, this reflection describes on the meaning of “Passion Sunday” using Mark 14:1–15:47. Palm Sunday begins a week of focusing on the Passion of the Cross: the sufferings and death that Jesus endured because of his tremendous love for us. But first we take a look at the passion of the woman who anointed Jesus with perfume. For her perfume to be a “costly” gift for Jesus, it must have been fermenting for a long time. Our most precious possessions are those that have been important to us for many years. Giving them to others feels like a very huge sacrifice.
In those days, when people made perfumes, they created a mixture of oils and herbs, then let it sit in a jar to ferment. The longer they stored it, the more potent – and valuable – it became. For the perfume in today’s scripture to be a “costly” gift for Jesus, it must have been fermenting for a long time. When we want to give someone a gift, we usually go to the store to buy something new. But our most precious possessions are those that have been important to us for many years. Giving them to others feels like a very huge sacrifice.
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Ideas for use: Bulletin insert for Palm (or Passion) Sunday, adult education, Lenten faith sharing groups, RCIA class, etc.
