Oil

You have anointed my head with oil . . . 

 - From the Twenty-Third Psalm

It's always a treat when Psalm 23 comes up in the Lectionary readings. I guess it should do that only once a year; maybe even only once every three years. 

In my boyhood church, The Penfield Advent Christian Church in New York, the 23rd Psalm was one of the regular congregational responses in the service, every week. Just like The Lord's Prayer, we recited it every week, I believe, immediately after the sermon and before the benediction.  As a kid, I had it memorized. For that reason, I have always thought of it as the Old Testament version of the Lord's Prayer. 

THe Twenty-Third Psalm also references other integral New Testament themes. The anointing of oil . . . this always prefigured baptism, the use of water to wash away sin. Oil, I guess, is a preservative of sorts. It adds flavor, and has a lot of healthy benefits. The Essential Oils movement is connected to this. 

When I was a kid, "Cod Liver Oil" was one of those things you heard about all the time. Some kids were required to take a tablespoon of it every day. You had that, plus your One-a-Day vitamins. 

For three years, I have made a daily habit of putting a drop of Thieves oil in my coffee, every day. This apparently has preventative benefits. I started it because I was going to be teaching in an extended substitute job that, if I didn't miss a day, would get double-pay. But then I continued it to the end of each school year. And then this summer, I kept on doing it, because of the Coronavirus. 

I believe it helps. I have no scientific proof, but as my sister says "If you think it works, does it matter what the science says?"

The Psalmist uses the perfect tense of the verb . . . "You have anointed my head. . . . ". It's as good as done, like with all of God's promises. 

We may face danger. We will have disappointments and sadness in this life. We will suffer loss, and maybe even violence. But God has anointed our heads with oil. The oil covers our heads. It seeps into us and permeates our being. Oil represents holiness. We are covered. 

Notice, too, that unlike a mask, oil is clear. It can be all over you . . . it may cover your entire face . . . but your wonderful God-made face is still visible to everybody. 

God wants us to be seen. Our faces have an important role in communication and connection. Research shows that we rely heavily on seeing other people's faces in order to communicate most effectively.

When God covers us . . . when He protects us . . . He does not hide us.