Event 15 – Mary’s Expression of Devotion

Matthew 26:6-13; Mark 14:3-9; John 12:2-8

• Wednesday evening

^M While Jesus was in Bethany in the home of a man known as Simon the Leper, ^J a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. Then Mary took ^K an alabaster jar containing ^J about a pint of ^K very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on ^J Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. ^M When the disciples saw this they were ^K saying indignantly to one another, “Why this waste of perfume? ^J Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, ^K rebuked her harshly. ^J “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages?” He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.

^M Aware of this, Jesus said to them, ^K “Leave her alone. ^M Why are you bother this woman? ^K 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 ^M when she poured this perfume on my body she did it ^K 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.”