Holy Week Reflection - Holy Wednesday

“Now the Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread were only two days away, and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were scheming to arrest Jesus secretly and kill him. “But not during the festival,” they said, “or the people may riot.”

While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head.

Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, “Why this waste of perfume? It could have been sold for more than a year’s wages and the money given to the poor.” And they rebuked her harshly.

“Leave her alone,” said Jesus. “Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me. She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial. Truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”

Then Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Jesus to them. They were delighted to hear this and promised to give him money. So he watched for an opportunity to hand him over.”
Mark 14: 1-11



This story has parralels in the other gospels, and in John’s gospel the woman is identified as Mary, sister of Martha and Lazarus.

We start our passage with the Jewish leaders plotting to kill Jesus, which has direct relevance to the beautiful act of love that follows.

That is what it is, a beautiful act of love.  The woman, not identified by Mark, breaks her jar of very expensive perfume and pours it on Jesus’ head.  By breaking the jar she was giving it all to him.

That jar of perfume was very valuable, it’s value the equivalent of a year’s wages.  It was probably the only thing of any value she owned and she gave it to Jesus, an act of love and dedication.

Jesus himself says that it’s a beautiful thing she has done and hints that he sees it as a preparation for his burial.

Are we willing to offer to Jesus that which is most precious to us?  Are we willing to show the same devotion to Jesus as the Woman with the Alabaster Jar?

There is one further thing.  Jesus says, “Truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”

Here we see Jesus’ faith in his Heavenly Father and confidence in the future.  He knows that the cross is coming, but also has faith in the Resurrection that will come on the third day.  He has faith that the gospel will be preached throughout the world.  Out of death will come life, not just his own resurrection life but life for the world.

The message of Easter, life from death!