One if the most beautiful films ever made is Babette’s Feast, based on the novel by Isac Dinesen, a story about a world renowned chef who becomes a refugee due to the War. She ends up
In an obscure village, far from her home, cooking for two sisters whose father was a stern and rigid pastor. Babette decided to spend ALL her money that she received from a lottery on the most lavish and expensive meal ever.
Babette becomes a Christ figure who gives every fiber of her being in making a beautiful dinner a means of reconciliation and grace for the sisters and their divided community. I thought of Babette as I read today’s gospel of Mary, the sister of Lazarus, whom Jesus had raised from the dead, anointing the feet of Jesus with the most expensive, beautifully scented oil, worth more than enough money to feed the poor for a year!! In a touch of irony, Judas makes this hypocritical point. He truly doesn’t care about the poor.
Much money had been spent to create beautiful artwork, glorious churches, and countless other expressions of love. The question becomes: do we spend lavishly to give God the glory or to make ourselves more comfortable or feel better? It’s all in the motivation. Babette gave everything, her time, money, talents in making one meal an experience of transforming love.
How can you give abundantly to God as we approach the feast of Easter?
But Jesus commends Mary’s extravagant love.