Holy Wednesday: Extravagant Love and Everyday Mercy
Jesus visits the home of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. It is a simple gathering of friends, but something extraordinary happens. Mary kneels at Jesus’ feet, breaks open a jar of costly perfume, and pours it out in an act of deep devotion. The fragrance fills the whole house. It is a moment of love that is both beautiful and costly. [See texts: John 12:1-8; Matthew 26:6–13 ] Her act is nothing short of extravagant. She pours out her most valuable possession as a gesture of love, gratitude, and devotion. In this single act, she gives not just her perfume, but her heart. Judas, on the other hand, sees only cost and his own self-interest. He cloaks greed with words of charity. His concern for money outweighs his love for Jesus. Judas complains that the perfume could have been sold and the money given to the poor. The Gospel tells us that his concern was not genuine—his heart was shaped more by greed than compassion. Here we see two very different responses to Jesus: Mary’s generous love...