One of the problems with reading about the stories of Jesus life, some 2000 years later, is that we can often lose the full impact of the story because we are not living in those times. This is particularly the case when we have heard the story a number of times before.

Our Gospel reading this morning is one such story, It tells of the time leading up to Jesus entry into Jerusalem which would his arrest, trial and crucifixion. The extravagance of the gift of Mary is often lost on us. Judas' estimate of 300 denarii places its value in the order of a year's salary of the average worker - $25,000 to $30,000 say. Nard was a precious substance that was often stored in alabaster jars for it would quickly disperse and lose its aroma. The breaking of the long neck of the jar liberated it. Some of the commentators suggest that this was a valuable family heirloom, passed unopened from generation to generation, which provided security as it could be sold if times got tough.

This was an act of outlandish generosity that could only be described as a response to the presence of Jesus. Mary, whom we know was credited with making it her priority to sit at Jesus feet again showed her sense of priority, now putting her treasure and security at his disposal.

The idea that this was in order to facilitate his burial is more than a casual remark but a focus on the importance of the priority of this mission. Jesus could have continued to heal the sick, raise the dead and feed the hungry, but this was not his mission. This is the essence of the temptations that we study on the first Sunday of Lent - the devil sought to divert Jesus from the main game and give him other priorities.

This is the reason for the seemingly callous remark - You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.’ Jesus refused to let himself be distracted. The main battle was against the forces of evil not the consequences of it. Poverty was a fact of life in a fallen world. It would be solved not by donations but radically changing the world and conquering sin.

You may be surprised to know this, but I am not a great fan of the child sponsorship organisations. I do raise questions about the overheads that they incur in the donor country as well as the recipient country and that is an important issue to pursue. But more comes from the Judas observation: "Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?"

On the surface, it seems quite appropriate that we should use our abundance to alleviate need in another part of the world. But is this true. $1 a day is not much, but can do so much but the whole tone of the ads are designed to make us feel guilty and $1 a day is like an indulgence to salve a guilty conscience. It is something that we can point to that we are doing something.

But to deal with the poor is not about the giving of money, but to deal with the economic circumstances that makes people poor. Judas' solution would perpetuate the system; Jesus death would change it. Until evil was dealt with, the circumstances, which created the poor, would remain.

Why the third world is hungry is not about their inability to grow food, but about the exploitation of the developed world causing them to plant plantations to raise cash to buy foreign goods. It is about the exploitation of cheap labour to manufacture profits in another place. It is about the exploitation that has our farmers growing cheap food for the large companies to sell at excessive margins. The evil is systemic - the poverty is not the problem it is a symptom of the problem.

But this is more than just a challenge for the church to corporately work to transform our world. It has more personal application as well.

Our Lenten journey is about self-examination. Whereas it is easy to deal with the obvious external effects, it is the hidden problems that are often the worse. John's footnote as to why Judas was so keen to help the poor as it gave him more opportunity to help himself.

Judas is a warning to us all, that there is more to the Christian life than just doing Christian things. Christianity is about change within. We must deal with the evil and not just the superficial. We can modify our behaviours to reproduce Christian outcomes. But this is not the point. What is needed is real change on the inside - To deal with the problems and not just the symptoms. In these last days of Lent, let us search deep to discover the hidden things that can bring us down.

Jesus declares that our priorities must be right. Mary's ointment is the starting point. She gave without counting the cost and our calling is to follow her example. Reflect for a moment on the parts that we are not yet able to freely give. And let us ask God to free them.