Holy Monday

Matthew 26:1-13 -- Mark 14:3-9 -- John 12:1-8

It was just before Passover, and our Savior was headed toward Jerusalem--fully aware of the plot against him, fully aware of the failures of his disciples, fully aware that the road led to the cross. Today we read three accounts of the same story--Mary of Bethany anointing Jesus with perfume, and the disciples (not just Judas) were indignant. It is said that the cost of the perfume was a year's wages. Can you imagine buying something that cost a year's wages? Something that you can hold in your hand that would cost an entire year's salary?? And then, to pour it out onto someone's head?

It seems to me that the disciples made a good point about the perfume being sold and the money being given to the poor. After all, isn't that the kind of sacrifice Jesus had asked of others? To sell their possessions and give to the poor? It's hard to balance, to comprehend, to live out our lives in the way Jesus taught. One thing, however, is clear. We're to put God first. God before our costly perfumes. God before the poor. God before our families. God before our sports and our scholarships and our jobs and our bills and our friends and our cars and our favorite tv shows. God first. And that is what Mary did.

Three stories come to mind when I think about the person: Mary of Bethany, and three times she shows us what is most important. When she sits at Jesus' feet, while her sister, Martha, prepares and fusses and worries about many things. When she falls to Jesus' feet weeping over the death of her brother, Lazarus, and Jesus weeps with her. And in this beautiful story, when she anoints Jesus for his burial. It seems like Mary is the only one who gets what's going on...what's going to happen to Jesus. It seems like Mary is the only one who understands the choice that Jesus makes. The disciples are dense. The people are dense. Everyone is looking for a political king. But Mary. There is indeed, something about Mary. Mary knew Jesus. Mary isn't anointing Jesus with costly perfume because he's valuable, but because he's everything. Mary anoints Jesus' head because she knows that Jesus is her King. Mary knows that Jesus is her God. Mary knows that Jesus loves her. Mary knows that Jesus is going to die to save her. Mary knows. Mary gets it. Mary shows incredible courage and extravagant generosity, because she knows.

Jesus says that everywhere the Gospel is told--in all the world--that Mary will be remembered for what she did. I wonder how you and I will be remembered? I wonder if I will I ever learn to love God more than everyone and everything else? I wonder if I will ever trust God enough to give everything?