Why Are There Always Poor People?

Sermon by: Rev. Mary Alice Mulligan, Ph.D.

Scripture: John 12:1-8

During Lent, we’ve looked at passages of scripture which give rise to questions, and week by week, we have offered those questions to Jesus. Last week we asked, in the parable of the Prodigal Son, when we know there were really two lost sons, who is the real prodigal? And the answer was – the father, because God is the recklessly extravagant Prodigal Father, who forgives everything and has given everything for us.

Today we turn to the Gospel of John. If you spend much time in John, you know the writer constantly paints a picture of Jesus’ manifesting the Realm of God, wherever he is. In spite of the power of the evils of the world, when Jesus steps in, the Realm bursts into existence, as if Jesus is able to create a little bubble of heaven on earth. Jesus is Son of God, the Divine Word made flesh, the bringer of life, heaven-on-earth, abundant life. But the scene in the 12th chapter puts us on notice: our Lenten journey is zooming to a close. Jerusalem is in sight. Mary anoints Jesus in preparation for his burial. However, we still have time to listen to Jesus’ teaching and ask him: “Why are there always poor people?” Pause now to read John 12:1-8.

Some of Jesus’ most basic teachings are to care for those in need. Feed the hungry; shelter the homeless; sell what you have and give to the poor; do not lay up for yourself treasures on Earth; seek first the Realm of God. These key teachings have been right in front of us for 2000 years. And still, lots of people are living in desperate poverty. The gap between the very poor and the gluttonously rich is widening every day in this country. So why, Jesus, are there always poor people? What is Mary thinking spending so much money on nard to anoint Jesus? 

We can almost smell how extravagant the anointing is. The fragrance of nard would fill the house. What an excessive gift. Judas says it’s worth 300 denarii, which in a working-class family could have been as much as 10 months’ salary. So imagine something like $20,000 of perfume. Even if he’s exaggerating, Mary cracks open a one-time, huge gift, without a second thought. She is only focused on honoring him, for (you might remember) Jesus is the divine instrument who called her brother Lazarus back to life from a putrid tomb. And now, because Mary listens to Jesus’ teaching, she knows his journey is nearing completion. She doesn’t know the details, but she senses his impending death. In bathing his feet, she comforts him with an offering of soothing touch as his ordeal approaches. Notice, she anoints his feet, bathing them in luxurious perfume; then intimately, lets down her hair and wipes them. 

Those who know the events to come, will immediately recognize another event, in just a few days. Jesus takes a similar posture. He removes his outer garment, picks up a towel and basin, and washes the feet of his disciples. First Mary is allowed the amazing honor of offering service to Jesus, washing his feet and anointing them; and within days other followers receive from him a similar washing. What lavish outpourings of love. 

Looking back at Mary’s breath-taking expression of self-deprecating compassion, you might not be surprised when others try to stop her momentary recklessness. Such wild abandon, as she pours out her adoration. Certainly a less expensive ointment could have been purchased. Yet her love for the Savior fills her with the desire to give everything to him. As the crisis approaches, she only wishes to honor him, to comfort him with all she has. With all she is. And so the fragrance of generosity fills the house. Two thousand years later you can still almost smell the extravagant love.

But what about the poor? Why are there always poor people? Certainly Mary’s home town, Bethany, had poor people. In spending a fortune on a one-time gesture, Mary was apparently ignoring the reality of the people of her own town who at that very moment may not have enough to eat. She certainly heard Jesus on plenty of occasions talk about responsibility for the least. Throughout human history, a significant portion of people have struggled to make ends meet. Mary seems to have forgotten her duty to participate in local mission and outreach giving. 

And what about Jesus’ comment? He seems to be saying that taking care of him is more important than caring for other suffering people. Some biblical scholars actually have argued exactly, the idea that taking care of Jesus (by which they mean the Church) must be primary. If there is cash left over, the poor can have that. They act as if Jesus is saying: “Fund the business of the church first, since there will always be poor people ready to receive the church’s charity. If the church doesn’t have money to support them today, no worries. They’ll be more tomorrow. Take care of those.” Jesus says, “You always have the poor; but you don’t always have me.” 

So is Jesus asking church people to choose him over those in need? Not at all! Followers will always be expected by their Savior to share with those who have less. There will always be people whose needs exceed their current ability to cover them In prompting the disciples to notice the pervasive presence of people to care for, Jesus is reminding the listeners of the ancient directive from the First Testament Book of Deuteronomy, where God says: “Since there will never cease to be some in need on the earth, I therefore command you, ‘Open your hand to the poor and needy in your land.’” (1) Jesus knew the world would always have folks in need, so there will always be opportunities to assist neighbors near and far. They are next door (or maybe closer) and they are on the other side of the world. So, what about the poor? Why are there always poor?

The truth is, no one should be poor. There’s plenty. No one should be in need. Gandhi wouldn’t call them poor people; he called them people “made poor.” There is enough; we just refuse to share it. Here’s the big point: Jesus is not teaching us to choose giving to him or sharing with the poor. Through Mary’s lavish gift, we see an example of abundant giving which we can imitate. If we truly followed Jesus’ teaching about generosity, no one would be made-poor. When we give as Jesus expects us to, we discover abundance. Lavish sharing breeds lavish sharing. 

Someone once told of the small church preacher who drove up to church one Sunday in an expensive new car. Church leaders gathered outside to question his extravagance. The preacher reported his sister had won a huge prize, so she bought her struggling preacher brother a fine new car. Finally one of the elders said, “What a great car! I wish I could be a sister like that. 

Jesus has shown us overflowing generosity. We are expected to extend abundant care for others. The only reason the world continues to have people who do not have enough is that those with enough haven’t learned the full generosity Christ expects of us. Let’s notice what Jesus says. “You always have the poor with you.” Our responsibility to be with the poor. Share what we have among those with us, and we find there is plenty. 

Of course, we give to support the church. Beautiful buildings, stained glass, even glorious cathedrals are appropriate expressions of our adoration of God; but there is still plenty of other cash to spread around with those in need. Jesus says he comes to bring not just life, but abundant life. Wherever Jesus is present, in our worship and in our living, there should be holy abundance, because wherever he is, the Realm breaks in! The more we honor him, the more there is.

Now granted, not every Christian overflows with the ability to fund a Habitat build, for instance. In fact, some Christians are waiting for a Habitat house for themselves. True. So alone we may be quite limited. But within the community of faith, Jesus’ abundance explodes. There is always more among us. The Spirit of Christ breathes abundant life into the Church. Divine, extravagant love washes over us, teaching us holy abundance, lavish generosity. There should be no poor among us.

So the answer to our question to Jesus is: There are poor people because we haven’t learned the extravagant generosity which Mary models for us. Without a second thought, we can openhandedly pour what we have into God’s care, trusting the church will use our physical, financial, and spiritual gifts for the glory of God. And the poor around us? If we truly are followers of Jesus Christ, we join them in doing all in our power to eradicate the root causes of poverty with a generosity reminiscent of Mary’s gift of anointing oil, reminiscent of Jesus’ gift of laying down his life, and pointing to the ultimate gift of God’s own self-emptying love for all the Earth.

(1) Deuteronomy 15:11 (NRSV).