Objection

Sermon byPr. Craig Mueller on the Fifth Sunday in Lent + Sunday, April 6, 2025.

When was the last time you were in a courtroom? If ever? Maybe, like me, most of your court experience comes from scenes in movies and on television. Perry Mason. To Kill a Mockingbird. Law and Order. And so many more. Court dramas make good entertainment, it seems.

And one word we know from all these court scenes is this: objection!

What are reasons for an objection—a formal protest—by an attorney at a trial? Can you name some? Relevance. Leading question. Argumentative. Vague. Speculation. Opinion.

There’s plenty drama in today’s gospel. Shortly before this scene Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead. And this creates a stir. Some folks are flocking to Jesus. And others in power—the political and religious authorities— are threatened. And they vehemently object! In John’s telling of it, they sense that Jesus is equating himself with God. And that means he’s gotta go!

And then we have a scene that should raise your eyebrows in case you weren’t paying attention. It certainly gives today’s gospel a PG-13 rating. A similar story is in all four gospels so it’s worth noting. One artistic portrayal I saw this week looks incredibly sensuous and intimate. Mary (Not Jesus’ mom. Not Magdalene. But Martha’s sister) lets down her hair. In Jesus’ time, that itself could raise an objection. And then Mary wipes Jesus’ feet with oil. Mary uses her body to honor the body of Jesus. And this nard, this anointing oil, fills the house with lovely fragrance. Maybe folks look away from this PDA—public display of affection.

But then Judas speaks up and says what others are thinking. Objection! What a waste! Sell this precious, expensive ointment and give the money to the poor.

Scholars note that this act of anointing may call to mind the footwashing Jesus will do with his disciples. And this is the same Mary who sits at Jesus’ feet as a disciple while Martha is in the kitchen. In all four gospels, the anointing scene by a woman is objectionable to the male disciples. Could this point to an early attempt of men to control the role of women disciples in the early church?

The brash objection by Judas raises the energy level in the room. But it is Jesus who levels the next objection! Leave her alone, he quips. Mary doesn’t realize that what she is doing has more meaning than she grasps. This loving act announces the nearness of Jesus’ death and anticipates his burial.

Then Jesus adds: You always have the poor with you. But you will not always have me with you.

Maybe these words of Jesus make you uncomfortable and you’d like to object! Does this suggest that giving to the poor doesn’t matter because there will always be poverty? I’ll raise an objection to the objection. Actually, it’s the other way around. Jesus may be referring to a verse in Deuteronomy that commands generosity toward the poor since there will never cease to be folks in need.

As Oscar Wilde wrote, “Where there is no extravagance there is no love, and where there is no love, there is no understanding.”

Our faith certainly calls us to cry out “objection” when the rich and powerful trample on those most needy among us. Fifteen or so from Holy Trinity were at a protest yesterday, marching for justice and commitments this community stands for. I was proud to live in Chicago and to be part of this church. Current estimates are 3 million people participated in over 1200 protests in every single state.

But there’s more. This gospel suggests another priority, one that we also honor in this community: reverence. In Mark’s telling of a similar scene, Jesus responds: This woman has done a beautiful thing for me.

Some would say liturgy is extravagant or extraneous. Our faith certainly calls us to action and service, but that is not the point of worship. Liturgy isn’t a rally, though it does galvanize us for service and works of mercy. Liturgy isn’t an education event, though we do learn and gain wisdom.

Liturgy exists for its own sake. One author even wrote a book about worship called “A Royal Waste of Time.” But I wonder: in these chaotic, sometimes ugly times, perhaps we need more extravagance, more art, more beauty, more theater, more dance, more ritual, more dinner parties with friends. Like the one in today’s gospel. A meal filled with deep love and a foreboding sese of loss. As Richard Rohr reminds us, in the book many of us are reading this Lent, God is revealed most in love and in suffering.

There’s another objection. Paul names that folks could consider his spiritual pedigree and reputation his greatest asset. Objection, he cries out! He calls it rubbish. And pardon another PG-13 moment. Rubbish here refers to excrement. I’ll forgo the four-letter words for it. We hear enough of them on Netflix. For Paul, what matters is Christ. Sharing his death and resurrection. Paul leaves behind his accomplished past and presses on toward the goal of God’s promised future.

Press on. There is a time for objections and a time for pressing on. Certainly, God has acted in the past. But Isaiah reminds us that God is doing a new thing. Today. Now in our world.

And so we press on. Even when we don’t think the news could get more troubling. We press on. Even when the world seems more uncertain than ever. We press on. Even when losses overwhelm us, and we wonder how much we can take. We press on.

The journey of Lent continues. We press on. We press on toward the goal of Easter and the promise of new life. There are palms to wave, feet to wash, a cross to honor, a new fire to light, and ancient stories to hear. We press on toward the goal of our spiritual ancestors, the promised land. We press on toward the hope of our calling, unending life in the mystery of the Triune God.

Press on, people of God. March. Pray. Sing. Create beauty. Give thanks. Make eucharist.

And do so with the reverence of Mary. The persistence of Paul. The deep love of the crucified and risen Christ. And the extravagance of God, whose grace is poured out like costly perfume.

SOURCES:

Schneider, Sandra. Written That You May Believe: Encountering Jesus in the Fourth Gospel.

Matt Skinner, Working Preacher.

Debbie  Thomas, Journey with Jesus.