Narrative Lectionary Key Verse for Today
“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.’”
NL Daily Devotion for Tuesday, March 8, 2022
by Dr. Kimberly Leetch, Clergy Stuff
Fear of death is the driving force behind much of what we do. Think about it. When we are afraid that we won’t have enough money to buy groceries, playing it out to the end means we die of starvation. When we are upset over the loss of a romantic relationship, we fear living and dying alone. When we hear the good news that we have beaten a deadly disease, we rejoice that we have delayed death. Even a mid-life crisis is a reaction to the reality that the dreams we had as youth may never come to pass, and that we may die never having fulfilled our life’s purpose.
Jesus didn’t fear death. Or at least, if he did, he didn’t run from the fear. Instead, he turned toward it. As Mary knelt before him slathering his feet with oil, Jesus took the opportunity to acknowledge death—his death. Mary’s act boldly proclaimed that death was something worth honoring, not something to be ashamed or afraid of.
Western culture has done little to honor death. It is something we avoid discussing, even when the discussion could be a wonderfully healing moment for a loved one who is close to death and their family. We hyper-focus on living—living in the now, living large, squeezing the most we can out of life. All of these are great, but without paying homage to the only predictable thing life has to offer—death—we may grasp these with anxiety and fear. But if we embraced our inevitable dying with acceptance and gratitude, we might be able to live more fully and embrace the surprises life offers more willingly.
How might I live differently if I wasn’t afraid of death?