The Fragrance of Loves Action
April 6, 2025
Fifth Sunday in Lent – Year C
John 12:1-8
Click the Audio Link below to hear the Sermon
(The second link below includes both the scripture reading and the Sermon.)
Sources:
1 H. Stephen Shoemaker, “John 12:1-8 Homiletic Perspective,” Bartlett, David L., and Bartlett,
Barbara Brown. Feasting on the Word: Year C, Volume 2: Lent through Eastertide,
Presbyterian Publishing Corporation, 2009, Kindle edition, Page 348 · Location 4843.
2 William Carter, “John 12:1-8 Pastoral Perspective,” Bartlett, David L., and Bartlett, Barbara
Brown. Feasting on the Word: Year C, Volume 2: Lent through Eastertide, Presbyterian
Publishing Corporation, 2009, Kindle edition, Page 342 · Location 4758, 4762, Page 343 · Location 4763, 4764, 4768-4771.
Discern Care – Fully
March 13, 2016
Christ Church Episcopal, Norcross, GA
5th Sunday in Lent
Isaiah 43:16-21; Philippians 3:4b-14; John 12:1-8
(Gospel text is provided at the bottom of this post)
Have you ever been out to dinner with a group of friends you’ve known for a long time, or with family, and someone starts telling a story about a shared experience that happened years earlier? You get excited because it was such a special adventure that you’ll never forget! 
Then, as the story unfolds, there are variations in the storyteller’s version that don’t quite match your memory of what happened. Some of the details seem okay, but other aspects, like who actually did or said certain things, or when it happened in relation to other life-events, seem out of line. And while it isn’t exactly how you remember it, the teller is so sure of their version that there’s really no use in arguing about it. It’s their reality, after all.
We see those same kinds of variations in Biblical stories, including today’s gospel reading from John. While this story about the anointing of Jesus appears in each of the four gospels, they don’t all match up. For many people it can be confusing to have these different versions of the same story. When there are inconsistencies, it can create doubt about the validity of any of it!
jodygreenwood 