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. John 12. 1-11
This anointing is the form Mary’s praying takes. Mary is praying without making any requests. She simply presents herself to the Lord, without word. In the same way we do not know what to say, but the Spirit prays for us from within us. She washes his feet and anoints them with this nard so the perfume fills the house. ‘Your prayer as been heard’, Jesus says on another occasion. The perfume is the prayers of the saints which rise up from the worship of the Church.
The whole earth is full of his glory. God has made the world, but his glory is hidden in it. But it is not obvious to us that this place is full of the glory of God. Creation waits for its redemption, and as long as it does so it groans. It is our job to lead this lament, and to say the world is not comfortable or settled, but we look forward to the time when this glory fills the house.
