Kate’s sermon invites us to embrace the beauty of phileo love, the deep bond of friendship that connects us through shared affection and respect. She paints a vivid picture of Jesus surrounded by his close friends—Mary, Martha, and Lazarus—at a dinner table filled with laughter, food, and the quiet weight of what’s to come. In this intimate moment, Mary performs an extraordinary act of love by anointing Jesus’ feet with costly perfume, filling the room with its fragrance. Through this tender and sensory act, she expresses a love that words cannot capture, embodying the kind of devotion that shows up in touch, scent, and presence. Kate reminds us that these sensory moments—whether it’s a smell, a touch, or even a tear—are where God’s love often meets us most profoundly.
Drawing from her own experience of grief and healing, Kate connects Mary’s act of anointing to the ways we process love and loss in our lives. Just as she found meaning and renewal when her senses returned after a season of deep mourning, we too can find God in the small, sensory moments that awaken us to love and connection. Whether it’s the smell of a meal, the warmth of a hug, or the weight of tears, these moments are holy and remind us of God’s presence in joy and sorrow. As we approach Easter, Kate encourages us to pay attention to these sacred details in our lives, to love with courage and tenderness like Mary, and to trust that God is near in every tear, every touch, and every act of love.
Reflection Questions for this Week:
- Who is someone in your life you love as a dear friend? How do you show them that love?
- Can you remember a time when a smell, taste, or touch helped you feel love or comfort? What was it like?
- How can we, like Mary, show love in small but meaningful ways this week?