The1982 German film The White Rose is set in the early 1940’s; it covers the final five days in the shining life of 21-year-old Sophia Magdalena Scholl, and her brother, Hans. Raised in a spirited Lutheran family; their father had earlier been detained for denouncing the Nazis. Hans was a popular leader in the Hitler Youth. After a stint of national service, he entered medical school at the University in Munich, and Sophie joined him. Their shared friends circle- all immersed in philosophy and theology- were outraged by the mass murders in Poland and Russia, and hearing of the rounding up of Jews. Sophie realizes that Hans and his friends were resistors: tagging walls at night; writing and distributing leaflets calling upon Germans to rise up against Hitler’s unconscionable war. She insists on joining them. Sophie and Hans are caught dispersing leaflets on campus; arrested and interrogated for four days. They remain steadfast. Her calm conviction so affected her interrogator, he tried to convince her to recant, but she held firm. After a mock trial – with no defense – they were convicted of treason and sentenced to be executed that day by guillotine.
There is a moment of kindness between the accused and other inmates: In this film, someone shares a smuggled chocolate bar, and that communion-evocative scene, in which Sophie smiles, cuts to the quick every time I remember it. She could savor that moment, facing her own execution, because she owned her life, her choices, even her death.
In her words “How can we expect righteousness to prevail when there is hardly anyone willing to give himself up individually to a righteous cause…. It is such a splendid sunny day, and I have to go. But how many have to die on the battlefield these days, how many young, promising lives.
What does my death matter if by our acts thousands are warned and alerted? “
Yes, the sun still shines, in such moments of abundant love and unfathomable generosity, in the darkest times.
Today’s Gospel is one such time: a meal shared in the home of dear friends as Jesus’ impending fate weighs on them, an intimate and extravagant gesture by Mary, her heart no doubt breaking, as she bathes his feet with a lovely fragrance no doubt mixed with tears and wipes them with her hair.
A spell broken by Judas’ snide remark about money he considered “wasted” – to him its luxury is an affront to the poor.
And by the Evangelist’s judgment of Judas as a thief. Jesus, sighing, as he dismisses Judas.
Mary, like Sophie in the White Rose film, is present in the moment. Her love for Jesus and awareness that he would soon be taken from them, are palpable. So, she pours out all she has in a sensual, excessive gesture, that permeates his skin and is absorbed by her hair, to seal this moment. She seals and we could say sanctifies this encounter by anointing Jesus while he’s alive. This oil is not for embalming, because his death will not leave him in the tomb. It will see him through the completion of his mission; of loving us to the end. Even Judas, whom he does not condemn.
Wordless in her gesture, Mary absorbs some of that same oil, consecrating her own discipleship.
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Stanley Hauerwas, Christian social ethicist, has a great take on this moment. He wrote that The Poor who we always have with us is JESUS; to the Poor and to Jesus, then, must all our extravagance be given!
A true church treasures and keeps Them, thus, Him in the Center. While the world’s mindset is one of scarcity, and leads to hoarding, ours must be one of Abundance, and our abundance comes from God’s extravagant compassion and generosity.
What might it mean to center our faith practice, our being church, on the Poor as Jesus??
What does Paul have to say to the Philippians and to us about this?
Those of us raised in a traditional faith practice may identify with Paul’s recitation of spiritual credentials in this letteri: raised by a practicing family in the church, religious formation and full membership through sacraments or other ritual, participation in the ministries within – and perhaps beyond our congregation. If not always blameless, we were earnest, finding meaning in sharing the mission. .
Then In some sudden moment or gradual reckoning, we come to experience the Holy, breaking through the language and law of our religion. We seek to know God. We may see that something more, and maybe different is demanded of us.
What might happen if we sought God’s presence directly in the poor? What if we centered our faith practice around the needs of those outside society’s mercy, not occasionally, or only in an urgent moment, but regularly? Imagine how we might be transformed.
It’s so hard to trust in a time of war that we are not careening off the edge of the world. So hard to hear of the thousands of innocents slaughtered, the millions starving, the tens of thousands jailed for standing against war. – And to yet believe in the possibility of peace despite the threat of intensified war. To believe that individual or even global acts of unselfish love will pull us back from the brink.
Yet we are called to stand up in that belief! Right now we have the unimaginable joy of witnessing millions of people from Russia to Poland, to Georgia and beyond …. all standing up to unshackled violence against innocent civilians with creativity and courage.
Through all available forms of communication, we are now united in calling for change, contributing foods, shelter, money, information, and hope to the besieged. Some Russians have even joined their defense,
WHAT would it take for us to keep it up? What if we committed what our budget will allow so that we continue to show up that others anywhere don’t starve?
Ukraine has proven we can do this, and that the desire and effort for good can be a potent weapon against hate. Indeed, President Zelensky has been uniquely skilled at appealing for support -and he has rallied millions.
Let this remind us of our commission, seeded among the Israelites and sealed in the blood of Jesus: We are to bring all our love and energy to embrace God’s people. From our local communities to the far reaches of Syria, Afghanistan to Sub-Saharan Africa. None should starve on our watch, regardless of the complexities. And maybe would not if the world persisted in outrage, ingenuity, and compassion.
Paul’s testimony today is for us: confidently straining forward to what lies ahead, relying on God’s grace, pressing on because he, like we, have been claimed by Christ. Not on my own, but THIS ONE THING I DO!
+ It is said that the guards, moved by their courage, allowed Sophie, Hans, and friend Christopher Probst to share a final cigarette before they. were executed in quick order at 5pm on Feb 22, 1943.
Other members of The White Rose would soon follow in their fate. But the final leaflet Hans wrote “To fellow freedom fighters in the resistance” was smuggled out of Germany, printed en masse in England, and millions of copies were dropped over Nazi Germany from Allied planes. +
Today’s Isaiah passage reminds us of God’s trustworthiness toward, and intimacy with, those who are chosen. The Creator brought Israel out of slavery through the waters. Now in their exile God promises them a new fullness of life, springing up as water in the desert, everywhere abundant!
But in this greater intimacy, God’s beloved are charged with the mission of mediating this trustworthiness and love to others. They are to share this experience of Oneness, and draw all people into one family, at home together.
A new day dawns, writes Isaiah. Don’t you perceive it??
Let us Pray:
For all faith communities: may we center our practice on the Gospel demands of Justice and Peace, and on the poor, Jesus among us.
For all whose lives are upended and threatened by war, extreme poverty, and violence in their communities; And for the success of the ceasefire just declared in Yemen.
For all in power whose decisions are driven by an insatiable lust for power and money, that their efforts to kill and destroy may be thwarted.
For the repose of the souls of our recently departed companions in faith, Sr. Mariel Wozniak and John Van Dinter and for all those who have gone before us marked with the sign of faith, who now rest in peace.
A moment to raise the prayers of our hearts, and those in our Book of Intentions.
Holy One, we live only by your abundant love and mercy. With humbled & grateful hearts, once more we offer our praise, and renew our vows to live as followers of Jesus, through the power of your Holy Spirit, Amen.