Lent 5, April 3, 2022: Embody Generosity 

Generosity is a gift that we can nurture in ourselves by practicing it over and over. We can be generous with our hearts, willing to lower our walls and open our hearts to others. We can be generous with our time, putting down our screens, and giving our focus and attention to someone when they are talking with us. We can be generous with our words and seek to give people around us encouragement and loving words. We can be generous with our finances and give to further the work of love in the world. Our generosity is an out-flowing of our love. 

We can learn a lot about generosity from Mary. Her heart was full and rejoicing that Jesus had raised her brother Lazarus from the dead. When Jesus came to her home to share in table fellowship, Mary took very expensive oil, bent down and washed Jesus feet using her hair. This is an intimate and embodied act of worship as Mary prepares/ anoints Jesus for the brutality of his upcoming death. Mary did not try to deny Jesus’ death. Instead, she prepares him for it in an incredible act of generosity that puzzled his followers. Mary’s love is what compelled her to give this extravagant, generous gift. May our love compel us to be generous, too. 

Scripture: John 12:1-7

Song: Listen to Kind and Generous by Natalie Merchant. 

Write or draw a prayer that embodies what generosity feels or looks like for you.