First Thoughts: As we draw nearer to the end of Lent, our hearts grow heavier, as do our lessons. We can imagine the pathos surrounding Jesus as he tries to instill his final lessons in his disciples, and as he tries once again to prepare them not only for his death but for the ministry they will carry on once he's gone. Much of the time Jesus seems to be calling his disciples to care for the crowd and to go beyond their inner circle to share God's love. But here Jesus offers a corrective to that radical world-oriented stance. Here he reminds them that while taking care of others is important, it is just as important that they take care of each other. At this moment in his life Jesus is carrying an incredible spiritual and psychological load. Mary sees that and ministers to him. Not only that, she does so elaborately, with great love and at great expense to herself. Too often in church life we simply expect each other to be well, to carry on with the work we've been given, and we fail to be sensitive to each other's deepest needs. The result is that our personal spiritual health suffers, as does the spiritual health of our church. Here Jesus reminds us that the demands of the crowd are never-ending. If we are to meet them in a way that is faithful and loving, we must take a break from those demands, spend time in prayer and silence, and lovingly minister to each other. Spend some time in prayer for those who partner with you in ministry, asking God to make you sensitive to any needs they have at this time. Also consider sharing your own needs with another partner in ministry, allowing them to care for you.
Teaching On Your Own: Hey everybody, I'm having a problem. Do you think you can help me? They're taking up money at school to buy school supplies for poor children in Guatemala. But I told them I couldn't give my money since I'm saving it for something else. You know what my friends said? They said I was being selfish. What do you think? Am I selfish? Well, let me tell you what I want to buy with the money. A girl in my class didn't have a very warm winter coat this year and missed out on playing outside a lot. So I thought that if I started saving my money right now, by the time next winter came I would be able to buy her a really warm coat. What do you think about that? I'm wondering if our scripture passage today could help us figure this out.
Jesus was feeling very sad, because he knew that it wouldn't be long before he would be taken from his friends and put on the cross. His friend Mary saw how lonely and sad he looked, so she decided to do something kind for him. She took expensive oil and poured it on his feet, soothing his feet and letting him know that she was with him in his sorrow. But some of other disciples didn't like what she did. They said she was being foolish and selfish to waste that expensive oil. Instead she could have sold it and given the money to the poor. Hey, that's like my friends saying I should give my money to Guatemala, isn't it? But Jesus told them she had done the right thing. Jesus was right there in front of them, needing support and friendship. Of course it's good to care for strangers in our world who need help, but we also need to pay attention to the needs of people right in front of us. What do you think? Would Jesus think that saving my money to buy a coat for my friend is all right? I think he probably would.
Teaching As A Team:
(Leader 2 looks glum)
Leader 1: Hey (name). You seem upset about something. What's wrong?
Leader 2: Well, at school they're taking up money to help buy school supplies for children in Guatemala. But I'm saving my money for something else.
Leader 1: Oh yeah?
Leader 2: Yeah, and my friends told me that I was being selfish. What do you think?
Leader 1: Well, I don't know. What is it you want to buy with the money you're saving?
Leader 2: I want to buy a coat.
Leader 1: A coat? But the weather's getting warmer.
Leader 2: Yeah, but a kid in my class didn't have a very warm coat this winter and couldn't play outside much. So I thought if I start saving now, I'll be able to buy a really warm coat for her before next winter.
Leader 1: Wow. You know what? I think you're making a really good decision.
Leader 2: You do?
Leader 1: Yes. In fact it reminds me of our scripture passage today. Jesus was feeling very sad, because he knew that it wouldn't be long before he would be taken from his friends and put on the cross. His friend Mary saw how lonely and sad he looked, so she decided to do something kind for him. She took expensive oil and poured it on his feet, soothing his feet and letting him know that she was with him in his sorrow. But some of other disciples didn't like what she did.
Leader 2: They didn't?
Leader 1: No, they said she was being foolish and selfish to waste that expensive oil. Instead she could have sold it and given the money to the poor.
Leader 2: That's like my friends saying I should give my money to Guatemala.
Leader 1: Right. But Jesus told them she had done the right thing. Jesus was right there in front of them, needing support and friendship. Of course it's good to care for strangers in our world who need help, but we also need to pay attention to the needs of people right in front of us.
Leader 2: So Jesus would think that saving my money to buy a coat for my friend is all right?
Leader 1: I think Jesus would be very pleased.
Closing Prayer: Loving God, open our eyes to the needs of the world around us. Help us to be particularly aware of people in our own families, our own church, and our own community, who need our friendship and love. In Christ's name we pray, Amen.
Follow-Up Lesson: To reinforce this message in a home or classroom environment spend a bit more time talking about the scripture passage. Ask the children to think about how Jesus must have felt, since he knew that his death was coming shortly. How would they feel if they were at a dinner where everybody else was having a good time, but they were feeling sad and fearful? Think about what it means to Jesus that Mary saw him and realized he was suffering, and she brought something very precious to share with him. How would it feel to have somebody express their love to you right when you needed it most? Ask the children to think about a time in their lives when they felt sad or lonely, and someone reached out to them. What was that like? God has asked us to fill the world with God's love and compassion, but we can't do that in another place until we do that here. How can we spread God's love in our own homes, in our schools, and in our communities? As an activity, you might bring some sweet-smelling oil to the children and invite them to take off their shoes for you to anoint their feet or have them anoint each other. As they do this for each other, remind them to pray for the person they're caring for and to treat them like the feet of Jesus.
For a craft idea, give each child a template of a globe printed on a sheet of paper and big enough to fill the whole page. Then invite each child to draw a picture of him or herself on another sheet of paper with their heart shining brightly. (Alternatively you could provide a template of this as well.) Have them cut the picture of themselves out and paste it in the middle of world template. Invite them to draw lines or arrows out of their heart through the picture of the world. You could even use glue for the lines and let the children add glitter. Remind the children that God's love is placed in our heart so that we can share it, first with those closest to us, and then spreading throughout the world. You might include at the top of the world template this quote by Mother Teresa: "What can you do to promote world peace? Go home and love your family." Close your time with prayer.
