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Reflection from our Co-Pastors
Thursday, February 24, 2022
The Woman with the Alabaster Jar or The Sinful Woman Forgiven
Mary of Magdala, celebrating all persons regardless of race, national origin, religious affiliation, gender, or sexual orientation.
Luke 7: 36-50** is such a rich story that is requires multiple writings. In this space, today, you will only hear about the woman and her jar. The rest for another day.
Please read the passage** and then in the quiet of your heart, ask yourself: “What tone do you hear when you say ‘woman?’ When we dive into the characters, it’s impossible to maintain a neutral tone.
Does the sound of the word “woman” echo with disdain like the voice of the Pharisees or does it echo with tenderness, like the voice of a woman who loved us or like the voice of ourselves, who are both man and woman, or like the voice of God? So what tone do we use when we call this woman in Luke by the only name she has ‘woman.’ We don’t know anything about her personality or her character except that she sinned, but who hasn’t. She comes to Jesus, upon hearing that he is nearby, with her jar.
Now, here is this woman with an alabaster jar. Alabaster is snow white, just white without stain, or color or seams. It is pure white in its wholeness. This woman is unclean in some way, “don’t let her touch you, ” yet she carries herself as a jar of purity filled with expensive, aromatic, holy oil. Alabaster was a precious stone in Israel and used in the decoration of Solomon’s temple. Boxes made of alabaster would contain precious oil and treated to retain the scent of the oil. But this means nothing because she herself is described as unclean.
What could she have done? What makes this woman special and different from the men in the story? She comes to Jesus with a perfect alabaster jar with fragrant oil and tears. What makes women unique and special today?
Tears of sorrow and regret: that’s what reconciliation is…seeing ourselves as imperfect, some say ‘broken’ and looking for forgiveness, a way back to relationship with God and others, wholeness. Don’t we have our failings and yearn for wholeness? In reading Luke 7: 36-50, please notice the section heading because it is either that she has sinned or there is no heading. The jar and tears have lost their importance for her. The idea is that Jesus forgives and also that of bias and oppression.
If we shift and consider the transgression of the Pharisees, what tone do we use now for the ‘woman?’
Thank you, Jesus, for your compassion and understanding. May we all join you and ask to be forgiven and to forgive, finding our peace and wholeness in you.
What tone do we hear?
Painting by Jonathan Weber - read more here
**To compare different translations, click here
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