"Leave her alone," said Jesus. "Why are you bothering her?....She did what she could. She poured perfume beforehand to prepare for My burial. I tell you the truth, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her." (Mark 14:6-9)Jesus was at Bethany, just a few days away from Passover, having dinner at the home of Simon.
The woman brought her alabaster jar of very expensive perfume. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on His head....
Some were indignant at the lavish display (and waste?) of her wealth -- why didn't she just sell what she had and give the money to the poor? they said.
"She did what she could," the Master said.
Were some of them jealous of her intimate act of devotion? Greedy? Self-righteous? Did they really want the money for the poor, or did they just want to extend judgment over the woman, and in doing so were they trying to steal the attention and gain approval from Jesus?
Motives are hard to determine. So often I seek approval, even as I am demeaning someone else....
but this is not about me....or is it?
When I was (much) younger, I read the words: "She did what she could" differently than I read them now.
I understood them as "She did what she could."
As a child explains away his low grade by saying, "But, I did the best I could!"
Or, since she couldn't do anything else, 'she gave Me her perfume and showed Me she loved Me....'
Now that I am older, I understand them to mean, "She did what (all) that she could." Out of largess and love she poured all she had on Jesus, just as He poured out all for us. She performed a simple act, and in the words of T. S. Eliot, a condition of complete simplicity, costing not less than everything.
But no matter what His voice inflection, I find the words strangely comforting. He never asks us to do more than we can. But He does ask us to do all that we can.
He asks for no more. He asks for no less.
But Mary (and we find her name in John's account) had also discernment and understanding -- was she the only one who realized what He was saying? was she the only one who really understood?
She, this small woman, outside the man's world, was anointing His body for burial. She wanted Him to know she understood.There was a silent message given there -- unexpressed words -- (no words of hers are recorded in this incident) -- to let the Savior know she knew what was happening!
The fragrance of that heavily perfumed ointment (nard) on the head of Christ - it would have lasted a long time. Did He perhaps still smell its fragrance after the crown of thorns was placed on His head? As He was gasping for breath, nailed and bound to that cross...could He still smell the aroma of her final gift?
From Mary...the one who understood His mission.
Its pleasant aroma has wafted down the generations until we today can almost breathe it in ourselves as we read the story....and we do remember her memorial act, just as He said we would for centuries, as well as we remember the gifts the wise men brought to the baby...gold, frankincense and myrrh ..gifts for a dying King...
Have we broken our treasured alabaster jars for Jesus? Has the fragrance of His spirit filled our lives?
Are we doing all that we can do?... are we really doing all that we can do?
The Mary who "sat at the feet of Jesus, listening to what He said" (in Luke 10:39)...was the same Mary who, "when Mary reached the place where Jesus was, she fell at His feet" (in John 11:32)...she spent time at His feet....is this her spiritual secret?
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