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In the opening scene of St. Mark's Passion, a woman pours a jar of perfumed oil over Jesus. Because of its great value, some asked, "why this waste?" That is precisely the question for Holy Week: why did God go to such extremes to save us? By our human way of thinking it could have been accomplished more simply, with a lot less pain, suffering, and mess. So much needless trouble and misunderstanding could have been avoided.
Yet when we consider the world God created, it becomes clear that He does things on an extravagant scale. Scientists often look at the immensity of the universe and speculate there must be other planets where intelligent life developed. But even after so many years of searching for signs of life, some are saying the precise conditions are so narrow, the odds of life on other planets seems unlikely. If that is true, the billions of galaxies are a magnificent gift which God created for the angels and us!
Such extravagance fits what we ourselves experience: Love moves people to do things which outsiders consider crazy, even scandalous. Time and time again, there are stories of people who have no savings and are barely getting by, who make sure their children have a special gift for their birthday or the holidays. Love is not always practical, looking to do the bare minimum, or preoccupied with balancing the budget. Love asks the question, “what is the most I can do for the one I love, even if it requires tremendous sacrifice from me?” So it is with God.
I recently stumbled across a podcast highlighting seven of America’s forgotten heroes. These stories are taken from a number of our Nation’s conflicts and they highlight the incredible valor, loyalty, strength, virtue, and single-mindedness of these incredible warriors who sacrificed so much for their country and the people they loved. Each of them went above and beyond what they were expected to do out of love. Their stories are truly amazing and inspiring. How sad that the average American might only know the name of only one or two, if at all! It reminds me that it is very possible to forget and no longer acknowledge someone who has given so much for our sakes.
During Holy Week we see the extent of God's love and the Church begs us to never forget or minimize what Jesus did for us. These sacred days, if we enter into them prayerfully, help us avoid sliding into indifference. No one can look at Jesus on the cross and say that God did the bare minimum or took the easy road. I invite you to participate deeply in these mysteries, especially during the Triduum: Holy Thursday, Good Friday and the Easter Vigil. Experience the extravagance of God's personal love for you - and ask him in what way you are to pour yourself out in response to such grace.
