THE PERFUME

I was fearfully and wonderfully made by my Creator. I was beautiful and full of fragrance.

Just when I was at my very best I was plucked and crushed. How could this be? What a waste! I was placed in a jar and set aside. Useless.

One day a woman came and saw the jar. It was a beautiful jar and she wanted it. However, she couldn’t afford the jar. She left. But she came back – time after time. Each time admiring the jar. Sometimes holding the jar, but always setting the jar back on the shelf.

Then one day, after a long, long time – months, years – she came back with great excitement for she finally had enough money to purchase the beautiful jar. With great love and gentleness she took the jar in her hands and carried it home. When she got there she put it in the special place she had prepared – upon a shelf where everyone could admire it.

And people did admire it. And she admired it. But I was deep inside, in the dark, forgotten.

Then one day she snatched the jar from its place. There was an urgency. There was a purpose but I couldn’t begin to understand what she was doing. With the jar held closely to her breast she ran down the road and burst into the home of Simon, the leper. There were men there – all uncomfortable, anxious to leave – all except one.

Suddenly there was the most unthinkable sound. Glass breaking! The jar had been broken! Light came into my darkness. Warmth! But, oh, the jar, the broken jar.

Then lovingly, gently, the woman held what was left of the jar and carefully poured me out. My fragrance, that I thought had ended when plucked, filled the room. I flowed down upon the head of the One – the Son of my Creator.