Women Dedicated to God Are Fearless and Faithful
Sevika Sangham Day Message
Scripture: John 12:1–8
Glory be to God’s name.
Respected Father Chacko, Father Jobin, parish office bearers, members of the congregation, and beloved community of faith, my loving greetings to you in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Today, as a parish, we celebrate Sevika Sangham Day. I am grateful for this opportunity to stand before you with the Word of God on a day set apart to remember the servants of the Gospel and to pray for their ministry and workers.
Let me first express my gratitude and love to the Sevika Sangham office bearers and all the members of the Sevika Sangham.
107 Years of Service and Evangelism
In 1919, in connection with the Maramon Convention, the Mar Thoma Suvisesha Sevika Sangham was formed under the leadership of Abraham Mar Thoma Suffragan Metropolitan. Since then, the organization has remained active in prayer, evangelism, and Christian service.
Over the years, it has grown into an important ministry through which women actively participate in the mission and service of the Church. This movement was built upon the prayers, tears, sacrifices, and faithful service of the women who came before us.
The leadership of women such as Kandamma Kochamma is especially remembered and appreciated. She served as organizing secretary for many years, traveling to different places, strengthening branches, and equipping women for the work of the Sevika Sangham.
What began as a small movement in 1919 has now completed 107 years of ministry.
The Sevika Sangham continues to carry out many ministries based on its commitment to service and evangelism, including care for the needy, educational assistance, medical missions, prayer gatherings, and ministries at the parish, center, diocesan, and central levels.
Today, I would like us to reflect on the theme:
Women Dedicated to God Are Fearless and Faithful
Our Scripture passage is John 12:1–8.
John 12:3 tells us that Mary took very costly perfume, anointed the feet of Jesus, wiped His feet with her hair, and the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.
Let Us Pray
Eternal God, our Heavenly Father, we come before Your Word. Lord, speak to us and touch our hearts.
As we remember 107 years of the ministry of the Mar Thoma Suvisesha Sevika Sangham, we remember its work and its workers with gratitude.
Strengthen us, Lord, and help us remember that the life and ministry we enjoy today were made possible through the prayers, tears, sacrifices, and faithful service of many mothers who came before us.
Help us to pass this faith on to the generations that follow.
Strengthen Your servant as Your Word is shared. We thank You for hearing our prayers and supplications.
In the name of Jesus Christ we pray. Amen.
Entrusting Ourselves to God
A young girl was once walking across a suspension bridge with her father.
Halfway across the bridge, a strong wind began to blow, causing the bridge to sway.
The father said to his daughter, “Hold my hand tightly.”
But the daughter replied, “No, Dad. You hold my hand tightly.”
The father paused and asked, “Daughter, aren’t those two things the same?”
She replied:
“No, Dad. If I hold your hand and become frightened by the wind, I might let go. But if you hold my hand, I know that no matter what happens, you will never let me go.”
This is the secret of a life dedicated to God.
To dedicate ourselves to God means entrusting ourselves completely into the hands of the God who will never abandon us.
True dedication does not necessarily mean doing great things. It means surrendering our lives to God and loving Him completely.
Today, let us look at Mary of Bethany, a woman who surrendered her life to God.
Through Mary’s life, let us consider three characteristics of a life dedicated to God:
Fearless Dedication • Steadfast Faith • A Fragrant Life
1. Fearless Dedication
The first characteristic is fearless dedication.
As we read John 12:1–3, Jesus comes to the home of Lazarus in Bethany. Martha serves Jesus, and Lazarus is at the table with Him.
But Mary takes a pound of very expensive perfume—pure nard—and anoints the feet of Jesus. Then she wipes His feet with her hair.
Through this action, Mary demonstrates her extraordinary love and devotion to Jesus.
In her devotion, she overcomes two significant fears.
She Was Not Afraid of What Others Thought
Mary’s devotion was not controlled by the opinions of other people.
In the social context of her time, it was considered inappropriate for a woman to let down her hair publicly. Washing someone’s feet was also regarded as a lowly task.
Mary knew these things, yet none of them prevented her from expressing her devotion to Jesus.
Through her actions, Mary teaches us:
Faithfulness to Jesus is more important than receiving the approval of people.
Her concern was not, “What will people think of me?”
Her concern was, “How can I honor my Lord?”
Neither the judgment nor the opinions of others frightened her when she surrendered herself to Christ.
She Was Not Afraid to Give What Was Precious
Mary was also not afraid to give something extremely valuable.
Verse 3 tells us that she brought very costly pure nard.
It would have been easy to give Jesus something less valuable. But Mary chose to give Him something precious.
Those watching probably thought she had wasted it. Judas asked why the perfume had not been sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor.
Perhaps others in the house were thinking the same thing:
Wasn’t pouring something so valuable at Jesus’ feet a waste?
From the outside, Mary’s action might have appeared wasteful.
But Mary reminds us of an important spiritual truth:
What we give to God is never wasted.
Beloved, let us not be afraid to give God what is precious to us.
It may be our lives.
It may be our time.
It may be our talents.
It may be our resources.
It may even be our children and future generations.
Whatever we place into God’s hands is never wasted.
I know this personally.
There was a family who was willing to give their son for Gospel ministry without being controlled by questions such as, “What will happen to your future if you give your son to ministry?”
They gave their son to God’s work.
He became a priest—and I am that priest’s wife.
Therefore, I can testify from my own experience that we should never be afraid to give what is precious to God.
Fearless dedication means being willing to give God what is precious to us without being controlled by the thoughts and opinions of others.
2. Steadfast Faith
The second characteristic of a life dedicated to God is steadfast faith.
When we read verses 4 and 5, we see Judas questioning Mary’s action. The Gospel of Mark also records people questioning why the perfume had been “wasted.”
When we give our best to God, questions may arise around us.
Criticism may come.
Accusations may come.
Words may be spoken that shake our hearts and tempt us to turn back.
What will our response be?
Look at Mary.
She Remained Silent
Mary did not become angry.
She did not try to defend herself.
She simply continued what she was doing with firm faith and courage.
Why could Mary remain silent?
Imagine the scene.
Mary is at the feet of Jesus, anointing Him with perfume. While others criticize her, perhaps she looks into the eyes of Jesus.
And Jesus looks at her.
Perhaps she sees the approval of her Lord.
That was enough.
Mary knew the One before whom she knelt.
She knew the God who had raised her brother Lazarus from the dead.
She knew what God had done for her family.
Therefore, she understood:
God’s approval is more important than human approval.
Jesus Christ Himself remained silent when He was falsely accused. He is our example.
What is our response when people criticize us because we stand for Christ?
Do we immediately defend ourselves?
Do we become angry?
Do we become discouraged?
Or do we have enough faith to say:
God sees me. God knows me. God knows why I am doing this.
Mary challenges every one of us who desires to live a dedicated life to respond to criticism with steadfast faith.
3. A Fragrant Life
The third characteristic of those dedicated to God is that their lives become a fragrance to others.
John 12:3 tells us:
“The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.”
Everyone in that house experienced the fragrance.
Mary’s act of dedication did not remain with Mary alone. It affected everyone around her.
That teaches us something important:
A life dedicated to God never remains contained within itself. It touches others.
Mary did not preach a sermon.
She did not force anyone to do anything.
She simply came fearlessly to Jesus and, with steadfast faith, offered Him what she had.
She did it for Jesus.
But the result affected everyone in the house.
Her dedication filled the entire house with fragrance.
The Fragrance of Prayer
In the same way, when a mother prays faithfully for her family, the fragrance of those prayers can be seen in her children and throughout her household.
Many of us are standing in ministry today because we are the beneficiaries of the prayers of our parents and grandparents.
Their prayers left a fragrance behind.
The important question is not simply where we are today or what position we hold.
The important question is:
What Will We Leave Behind?
Mary’s physical act was completed when she poured the perfume on Jesus’ feet.
But its fragrance remained.
Likewise, after we leave this world:
Will the fragrance of our prayers remain?
Will the fragrance of our love remain?
Will the fragrance of our dedication remain in our children?
Will it remain in our families?
Will it remain in our church?
Will future generations experience the fragrance of Christ because of the way we lived?
The Apostle Paul reminds us that we are the fragrance of Christ to God.
A Challenge to Our Community of Faith
Dear community of faith, as we reflect on the life of Mary, her life asks each of us some important questions:
Are we completely dedicated to God?
Are we willing to give what is precious to us for Christ?
When criticism comes as we work for Christ, will we stand firm in faith, or will we fall away?
We have been in this Detroit area for the past 49 years.
And so we must ask ourselves:
What will we leave behind?
Will we leave behind the fragrance of Christ?
As we enter into the Holy Eucharist today, let us examine our lives.
May we have the fearless dedication of Mary.
May we have her steadfast faith.
May our lives spread the fragrance of Christ to our homes, our children, our church, our community, and the generations that follow us.
Give Yourself Completely to Him
Today, once again, you have heard the voice of God.
If Jesus is calling you, do not be afraid.
Entrust yourself into His hands.
The hands of God are strong enough to hold you.
The Lord will not abandon you.
Give yourself completely to Him.
May our lives be lives of:
Fearless Dedication.
Steadfast Faith.
The Beautiful Fragrance of Christ.
Amen.