Worship - 6 April 2025

Summary of this week's theme - extravagance

Many have witnessed the stark, utilitarian architecture of Soviet-era buildings, where functionality overshadowed aesthetics. Thankfully, our world is not just functional - it is adorned with beauty, reflecting the artistic nature of God. In Menorca, for example, the fields bloom with vibrant flowers. While these may serve biological functions, their beauty seems an unnecessary yet generous gift, one that our senses are uniquely designed to appreciate. This should inspire gratitude, as beauty has the power to bring joy - if we take the time to notice it.

How do we receive joy? Weddings are a great example. They are often joyful occasions where people gather, eat, and celebrate. Similarly, after Lazarus was raised from the dead, his family hosted a meal for Jesus - a moment of joy and love in the looming darkness of conspiracy. Amidst Passover preparations, this act of hospitality was itself extravagant, an intentional pause to celebrate life.

Even more extravagance came in Mary’s act of anointing Jesus with costly perfume. She may have understood that by giving life to Lazarus, Jesus had sealed his own fate. Her offering was an expression of profound gratitude, recognising that no material possession could equal the life of her brother - or of Jesus himself. However, such extravagance is often criticised. Judas, a symbol of utilitarian thinking, dismissed it as wasteful. But Jesus embraced it. He understood the value of beauty, love, and worship in a world that often prioritises practicality over deeper meaning.

This tension persists today. Society often values economic worth over ethical, spiritual, or artistic richness. Oscar Wilde observed that a cynic ‘knows the price of everything and the value of nothing.’ The Apostle Paul foreshadowed this, counting all his worldly achievements as ‘rubbish’ compared to the joy of knowing Christ. His faith, though costly in suffering, was ultimately a source of profound joy.

As we near the end of Lent, we are reminded that Jesus did not always choose the practical or cautious path - nor does he expect his followers to do so. God has filled the world with beauty to inspire joy, whether in a wedding feast, an anointing, or a field of flowers. May we embrace this joy and express it freely, without being burdened by notions of what is ‘sensible,’ or ‘necessary,’ or ‘useful.’