Sunday, April 5, 2009

My Head is Annointed with Oil

I Love oil.
Baby oil, lavender oil, olive oil- I love it all.
I love to rub oil on my skin and my feet.
It strengthens, it protects, it moisturizes and it heals.
I wasn't always always this way.
In fact, in my youth I couldn't stand the slightest oily feeling in my hands.
I started to warm to the notion of oil and skin in my early days as a nurse.
I loved giving patients back rubs with lotion as evening care.
It gave comfort.
Even as a spiritual neophyte, the human touch was sacramental for me.
When my babies were little,
I would rub oil on them in the tub after I had let all the water out.
Then I would wrap a towel around them and pat them dry.
They were so soft and smelled so nice.
I felt like God had left a few cherubs in my care.
I began to participate in a Bible study around the same time.
I loved the references to oil and anointing.
I contemplated the importance of caring for one's skin and feet in ancient times.
I loved the woman who broke the alabaster jar and poured oil on Jesus' head.
I would so have loved to have been her in that moment.
This past Christmastide I received a surprise package in the mail of body oils from my spirit sister. I was anointed in spirit and body.
I reflected on the paradox that as advanced as we have become,
the more we take our bodies and our health for granted.
Olive oil, flax, salt, water, wheat AND TOUCH -it was all very basic then.
And it still is.
God has provided for the ages.
And He will again.
Blessings of Peace to All.

A banquet is prepared, and my cup runneth over, my head is anointed with oil.

1 comment:

Kristen said...

You forgot to mention Chrism oil at baptism. I don't wash the babies' foreheads for a week!