“Mary of Bethany”

                                                                            Print by contemporary artist Yvette Rock

During the season of Lent, one of the stories we often hear is of the anointing at Bethany. In the gospel of Mark, we read about how a woman anoints Jesus' feet with expensive oil, provoking scathing criticism from some of disciples who note that they could have sold the oil and given the money to the poor. Jesus chastises those disciples and says, ‘Why do you trouble the woman? She has done what she could... what she has done will be told in remembrance of her.'
Jesus' words here are a reminder to us that even in the face of death-dealing empires of domination and control, we are not powerless. The woman with the alabaster jar may not have been able overthrow the Roman empire with her small act of compassion and solidarity, but she did what she could, and what she did was important. Her small gesture was an act of costly solidarity with someone who was about to endure tremendous suffering.

Since Israel broke the ceasefire last month, more than 1000 Palestinians have been murdered in Gaza, including more than a dozen humanitarian aid workers who were discovered in a mass grave, killed execution-style by the Israeli military. The total blockade on humanitarian aid continues, an act of collective punishment that has shut down all bakeries in Gaza and left other stores, markets, and soup kitchens without food or other essential supplies. Hospitals, already in a precarious state due to constant bombardment, are running out of essential supplies such as fuel and medicine, and have had to perform surgeries, including amputations, on children without anesthesia.

In the face of this tremendous suffering, we too are called to acts of costly solidarity. We too are called to do what we can, knowing that our acts of solidarity may not overthrow the current American empire of domination and deceit, and may not immediately lead to an end to a genocidal regime in Israel, but they nonetheless matter. They matter to our Palestinian siblings on the ground, reminding them that they are not alone. They matter to our comrades here in the United States and around the world, especially those who have paid dearly for their own advocacy. And of course, they matter to a God who weeps over so much destruction, death, terror, and hate.

There is much that we can do, but we don't have to do it all on our own. Each of us must do what we can to be of service. We may not receive accolades for our actions, and we may even face persecution because of them, but they will be remembered-- by us, our Palestinian siblings, and by God. Furthermore, each small act builds upon current the momentum of public opinion, which is moving in favor of Palestinian liberation. So please take action today by doing what you can. Give money to a relief organization, or take one or more of the recommended actions below. Attend a protest or a vigil. Continue to educate yourself and others. Do what you can, because what you do matters.

Rev. Sara Ofner-Seals

UCC PIN Steering Committee Member