Passion Sunday: You Will Not Always Have Me: Mark 14:1-15:47
Mark 14:1-15:47
14:1It was two days before the Passover and the festival of Unleavened Bread. The chief priests and the scribes were looking for a way to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill him; 2for they said, “Not during the festival, or there may be a riot among the people.”
3While he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at the table, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very costly ointment of nard, and she broke open the jar and poured the ointment on his head.4But some were there who said to one another in anger, “Why was the ointment wasted in this way? 5For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii, and the money given to the poor.” And they scolded her. 6But Jesus said, “Let her alone; why do you trouble her? She has performed a good service for me.7For you always have the poor with you, and you can show kindness to them whenever you wish; but you will not always have me. 8She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for its burial. 9Truly I tell you, wherever the good news is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in remembrance of her.”
- Light a candle to remember Christ’s presence with you.
- Sit five to fifteen minutes in silent meditation paying attention to the deep breath.
- Remember a time you did something extravagant for Christ.
- Remember hearing the call.
- Remember making the plans. What details stand out as you recall?
- Remember the joy that was created.
- Remember the light that burst forth in glory.
- Was there a voice that scolded you?
- How did that make you feel?
- How did Christ comfort you?
- What is told in remembrance of your act of glorifying Christ?
- How is the good news still proclaimed?
- Give thanks to God for this time in prayer and for any new insights you have received. Share as you feel led in the reply box below.
Revised Common Lectionary Readings for Sunday, March 24, 2024, Palm Sunday (Passion Sunday) (Year B)
Liturgy of the Palms
Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29
Mark 11:1-11
John 12:12-16
Liturgy of the Passion
Isaiah 50:4-9A
Psalm 31:9-16
Philippians 2:5-11
Mark 14:1-15:47
If you use these prayers in other groups, please give credit to author. Permission to use in not-for-profit settings. (c) 2024 The Rev. Dr. Lil Smith, DASD
Rev. Dr. Lil Smith is a trained spiritual director, supervisor, and co-founder of Retreat House Spirituality Center in Richardson, TX. Upon completion of her spiritual direction certification, Lil began Praying the Lectionary in 2011 as a spiritual practice for her morning prayer time. Instead of reading about someone else’s experience of God, it was important for her to create a prayer practice that would encourage felt sense experience of the Holy emerging from within. It dawned on her others might enjoy the practice, as well. So she began to share them on this site.
As you experience the practice of Praying the Lectionary, adopt a loving, caring, and compassionate stance. If the end of your prayer and meditation time is not pointing to love and hope, there is more work to do. Keep wrestling. God is faithful to your journey. Love and hope will emerge. Be gentle with yourself and befriend any judgment that arises in you.
