Week beginning March 31st
Lectionary Reading: John 12:1–8

SESSION THEME:

Extravagant Love

Session Length: 60–75 minutes

Suggested Materials:

• Bibles or printed copies of the passage
• A candle and matches
• Optional: a small bowl of scented oil or perfume
• Journal paper, pens, art supplies
• Music player or speaker (if using music)
• Image or short summary of Alison Hargreaves’ story

Information input about Nard 

The jar of pure nard is one of the most striking symbols in John 12:1–8—it’s not just perfume, it’s a fortune in a bottle, and it tells us something profound about value, sacrifice, and love.

Understanding the Cost: Then and Now

In John 12:5, Judas mentions that the perfume could have been sold for “three hundred denarii.” In first-century Palestine, one denarius was roughly equivalent to a day’s wage for a labourer.
So: 300 denarii = almost a full year’s wages (taking Sabbaths and feast days off).

Modern Equivalent

If we translate that into today’s terms, we might think of the average annual salary for a working person. Depending on your context:

• In the UK: around £30,000–£35,000
• In the US: around $50,000–$60,000
• Globally: it varies, but the point holds—this was not a luxury item someone picked up casually.
  It was an heirloom, a treasure, perhaps even a family’s entire financial security.

What That MeansTo understand the cost is to feel the shock of Mary’s action.

She doesn’t use a few drops. She breaks the jar. She pours out everything.

Imagine someone today:

• Cashing out their pension to care for someone dying.
• Selling their home to support a loved one’s dream.
• Donating their whole annual income to support a vulnerable person.

That’s the level of extravagance, of reckless, intentional love we’re talking about

1. Gathering & Opening

(5–10 mins)

WELCOME TO THE GROUP

Light the candle and say:

“We gather in the presence of God,
bringing our lives, our questions, and our hopes.
As we reflect on scripture and one another’s stories,
may we be rooted in grace and open to growth.”

Pause for a moment of silence or mindful breathing.

2. Read the Bible Passage  

(10 mins)

Read: John 12:1–8

• Consider using different voices for the narrator and characters
• After reading, sit in silence for 30–60 seconds

OPTIONAL REFLECTION prompt:

“What image or phrase stays with you?”

3. “I Wonder…” Reflection Questions

(30–35 mins)

Invite open, reflective responses. People may journal, draw, or simply share aloud.

“I wonder…” prompts:

• I wonder what word or phrase caught your attention?
• I wonder how Mary’s act of love connects to your own experience?
• I wonder how it feels to offer something precious… even when it’s misunderstood?
• I wonder how this story helps us see who Jesus is… and who we are?
• I wonder what this story teaches us about love and risk?

OPTIONAL INTEGRATION – The Story of Alison Hargreaves:

Briefly share her story:

“Alison Hargreaves was a world-class mountaineer and a mother of two. In 1995, after climbing Mount Everest alone, she died descending K2. Some criticised her choice to risk her life as a mother, but her husband said, ‘I loved Alison because she wanted to climb the highest peak her skills would allow her to. That’s who she was.’”

Ask:

• I wonder how Alison’s story helps us understand Mary’s courage?
• I wonder what it means to live—or love—with such extravagance?

4. Community Response

(15–20 mins)

Invite group sharing around these questions:

• What does this reading invite us to pay attention to in our local community?
• What gifts or resources might we be called to pour out for others?
• What small step might we take this week to act with love or generosity?
• What photo from your community might illustrate this bible reading for you to illustrate extravagant love!

• What photo from your community might illustrate this bible reading for you to illustrate extravagant love!

OPTIONAL SYMBOLIC RESPONSE

Invite participants to write or draw their own “perfume”—a gift, time, or act of love they want to offer—and place it near the candle or a bowl of scented oil.

5. Closing Prayer & Sending

(5–10 mins)

INVITE PRAYER (either spontaneous or read aloud):

“God of life and love, we thank you for the voices and stories we’ve heard today.
As we go from here, help us to stay rooted in your word,
open to one another, and ready to act with courage and compassion.
May our lives bear witness to your presence in the world. Amen.”

OPTIONAL CLOSING

• Play reflective music (e.g., instrumental or a chant like “Jesus, Remember Me”)
• Share a simple blessing:

“May your love be as bold as Mary’s,
your hope as high as the mountains,
and your life a fragrance that blesses others.”