Around 20 years ago, we came a across a small Human Rights organistion called Amos Trust … named for some words in the Hebrew Bible (The book of the prophet Amos chapter 5) …

But let justice roll on like a river righteousness like a never-failing stream!

The particular aspect of their work that we support is working for Justice and peace in what one middle eastern Christian has called ‘The Land of the Holy One’

Our introduction to this came when we learned about the wall of separation that creates enclosed, shut off areas for Palestinians. We learned about the restrictions on Palestinians, and the many inequalities that they suffer.

For 20 years now, we have been learning about the roots of these injustices … which go back over 100 years – with key moments like the Balfour declaration in 1917, which started the path for the Jewish state, and everything that has happened since.

We’re seeing that all play out in a horrific way now in Gaza, in the West Bank, and in the last couple of days, the escalation in Lebanon.

So – I was looking at a part of Luke’s Gospel, in the New Testament, as I was preparing to take a service last week in our weekday service of Holy Communion.

In the early chapter of Luke’s Gospel, we see Jesus healing people on the edge of socoety – outcasts. We see Jesus healing on the Sabbath, which in the eyes of the religious leaders amounted to breaking the commandment to keep the Sabbath holy. We see Jesus calling working class fishermen to be his close followers. We see him calling even a tax collector. Jesus is pronouncing forgiveness, another aspect of what he’s doing that would have outraged the religious leaders. His teaching is even openly critical of them as rule bound and narrow.

And now Jesus has been invited to the house of a pharisee – for them to check him out. Test him.  See if he really is as bad as they think.

Now there is a woman – described as ‘sinful woman,’ who has very likely heard Jesus, or at least been told enough about him to know that she needs what he is offering – that is, the opportunity for a fresh start. She hears that Jesus has been invited to the pharisee’s house and she turns up. She would have sat around the edge of the room, hoping for some food when the meal has finished. She’s waiting for Jesus to arrive, and she has come to offer thanks to him for his teaching about forgiveness. She has come prepared with some perfume. Maybe she doesn’t yet know how this is all going to work out, but she’s there because Jesus is there. She is there in reponse to knowing that she is forgiven.

Then Jesus arrives. But something is wrong. Simon, the host, does not give Jesus the customary kiss of greeting, or provide Jesus with the oil and water to wash himself. It’s an insult, and everyone knows it. And the woman sees it.

So she decides to do what Simon should have done. She has no water with which to wash Jesus’ feet, but she has her tears, and washes his feet with her tears.

She has no oil to anoint his head, but she anoints his feet with the perfume she has bought.

Simon should have given Jesus a kiss of greeting, so she kissed Jesus’ feet.

I have heard many sermons on these verses, and they have often been used to encourage us to think about our worship. What is it that we bring to Jesus ? The woman brought what was most precious – valuable perfumed ointment. Should we not also offer to Jesus the things that are most precious – our whole self ?

That’s one way to read the verses. I would like to suggest another, that seems to fit with the way Jesus’ ministry is developing.

The woman is acting in solidarity with Jesus. She is confused as to why Jesus has not had the greeting that was usual. She understands that it is an insult. But she is willing to take a risk and do for Jesus what Simon should have done.

And how will Jesus respond, after the outrageous behaviour of the woman ? The assembled pharisees might have expected him, in his position as a religious teacher, (however much they might have been suspicious of him) to be uncomfortable, even hostile to what the woman has done.

But Jesus comes to her defence. He sides with her. He acts in solidarity with her. And by doing so, he will further antagonise the religious leaders and demonstrate that what he has come to do is not limited to working within the boundaries of what they accept. He has come to challenge the very dynamics of power that exist.

And the call to us is to follow his lead. To see where power is being used to oppress, and stand in solidarity with those who are suffering.

We want to stand with all who are suffering, whatever ‘side’ they are on. But as far as the land of the Holy One is concerned, we stand with the people of Gaza and the Occupied Territories of the West Bank, and campaign for a just peace that gives Palestinians equality and dignity that is rightfully theirs.