Fifth Sunday in Lent
March 28, 2004
John 12: 1 - 8

A notation for this week's Gospel

The imported perfume -- worth a year's wages -- poured out on the feet of Jesus. Was it an obscene waste of valuable resources that could have been used to feed the poor -- or an orthodox preparation of a body for burial? How do we become responsible stewards knowing when to store up and when to pour out?

Lesson Plans for Younger Children

Theme: The fragrance of generosity

Before Class. Poke around your house for items that would smell "good" to the children. Probably not perfume, could be a fragrant soap, an orange-fragranced cleaning product, could be shaving cream, might even be artificial flavoring like lemon or cloves. Bring an assortment of these items for the children to sniff and choose which one (or ones) they think smell the best. Also bring a small jar to go on your altar, containing the preferred fragrance. Bring cotton balls -- or little pieces of cotton -- so each child can have a drop or two to take home, a small container of white glue, scissors, and some clear plastic (plastic wrap or a plastic bag or two). Check on the plants, if you have left them at church.

Note. The references to the crucifixion are made as some children may not be in your class next week and you want the opportunity for them to ask any questions they might have about it.

Beginning. Tell the children the story we have today is about a jar of really sweet smelling perfume and you need their help in deciding which of the fragrances you brought should be selected. Let each child, in turn, sniff each fragrance you brought and see if there is consensus. If not, which are the two best choices? If their choice allows a little bit to be poured into the jar you brought, do so.

Praying. Thank you that we have so many sweet-smelling fragrances in our world. Amen.

The Story. Tell the children that the story we have today happened very shortly before Jesus was killed.
Remember that Jesus died on the cross but that he came back to tell us that he was now with God and that someday we will all be together with Jesus and with God. In this story, some friends of Jesus decided to give a nice party and invite Jesus. They had good things to eat and fun people to talk with. It was warm where Jesus lived and people wore summer clothes and sandals without socks. So their feet would get very dusty and gritty. A good friend of Jesus whose name was Mary decided to wash Jesus feet and then pour a sweet smelling perfume on his feet. Maybe it smelled like the fragrance we picked today. When she poured it on Jesus' feet, you could smell the sweet smell all over the house. Some people thought she should have not poured it all over Jesus feet, but should have sold it and given the money to poor people. Jesus told her she had done a good thing. He told her that she had gotten his body ready to be buried. Mary knew that Jesus was soon going to be killed.

Activity. Invite the children to create a picture of Mary washing Jesus feet -- a picture they can take home with them. Show them how to take a little piece of the plastic and "fashion" it into the perfume jar, placing the cotton that has been dipped in the fragrance within the plastic and then gluing the "jar" on their pictures.

Getting Closure. Gather the children around the altar and give each child the opportunity to show and talk about their picture. You could comment that you are so glad Jesus had friends who really loved him and that you are glad Jesus loves us and wants us to love him.

Closing Prayer. Use the closing prayer you and the children created last week, if it seems appropriate, or offer your own prayer.