Today the calendar marks the fifth Sunday of Lent, and the gospel lesson comes from John. In our reading we find that during his staying in Bethany, Jesus was invited to a dinner in his honor. John seems to suggest the dinner is at Lazarus’ home. Matthew and Mark say it is at Simon’s- the leper- house. Even when the gospels do not agree in the place, they share the same story, a woman anointing Jesus. Therefore, we can conclude that the place is not important as much as what happened there.
According to John’s version Mary and Martha, Lazarus’ sisters are part of the group that is serving at the dinner, and at some point, during this event, Mary gets a jar with a very expensive perfume, and she poured it on Jesus’ feet. To have a better understanding of the message John wants to share with his readers, and why Mary is doing this, we must go back to Chapter 11 to the story of Lazarus’ resurrection an event that not only brought Lazarus back to life, but also transformed Mary and Martha’s life and made many others believe and follow Jesus.
The grief of Mary and Martha for their brother’s death ended when they saw their brother alive and free from the illness that caused his death; Mary and Martha’s complaint to Jesus is already forgotten. Remember what they said: “if you had been here, my brother would not have died…” With His miracle, Jesus changed their sorrow into dance. Therefore, Mary and Martha where grateful to Jesus; when Mary poured the perfume on Jesus’ feet her faith was at the highest point, her love for Her friend and Savior was deep and pure and by Mary pouring this expensive perfume on Jesus’ feet, I think they, -the three of them- wanted to express all their appreciation and love for Jesus. Chapter twelve ends saying that -because of what Jesus did- the religious leaders were planning to kill him.
At this point Jesus had also spoken plainly to his disciples about his death more than once, they already knew He was going to Jerusalem where the religious leaders were waiting for Him to kill Him; Jesus had openly spoken to His disciples about the cross; and now that He is enjoying His last dinner with His friends, Mary came and did something common in those times, for this was the way to honor the guest, pouring perfume on the head, except than Mary poured it on His feet and the perfume was especial and expensive. Mary did what the disciples should have done if they would have understood Jesus’ sacrificial journey to Jerusalem; if they would have understood that in a few days he would die.
Mary’s act of showing her appreciation to Jesus made some of the presents uncomfortable, Judas Iscariot said, “Why wasn’t this perfume sold, and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.” John does not say anything about the rest of the disciple’s reaction. Apparently, they remained quiet… and as the saying goes: silence is consent. Maybe their silence meant that they agreed with what Judas said. The anointing at Bethany is one of many examples that reveal that they had no idea of what Jesus was doing. Mary’s act of kindness brought anger to Judas. And with those who stayed quiet he presented himself as morally superior. For them what Mary did was an offence to the poor.
Jesus came to Mary’s defense, “Leave her alone. She bought it so that she might keep it for the day of my burial. You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.” Apparently, Mary knew about Jesus’s soon to happen death, and she had the perfume ready… and led by God she anticipated the anointing of his body, as knowing that later, they would not have time to do it.
I deeply believe that Jesus defended Mary’s action because He was glad. He was glad because at the end of His earthly ministry someone foresight His death and prepared His body for the day of His burial; He was glad because a woman expressed her gratitude for everything she had received from Him; He was glad because as far as there are persons with a grateful heart, with the kind of love and gratefulness Mary had, it will always be a voice that will tell the story; it will always be a faith that will not give up even in the midst of chaos, war, or even in the midst of a social collapse.
Now, the question is, what can we learn from this faithful woman? I will share two things with you this morning.
One, the importance of honoring and valuing Christ and his teaching above all else. Mary’s extravagant gesture shows how much she treasures Him—more than material wealth or social expectations. Jesus acknowledges her act, saying it is in preparation for His burial, emphasizing that some moments call for wholehearted devotion and obedience to God rather than what this world expects.
Today’s church must learn to do the same. We must honor and value Jesus’s message and example over the values of this world. Even over the economy of this world. The perfume -that according Judas- Mary “wasted” had a value of three hundred denarii. The wages of a whole year. Mary’s heart -and not the monetary value- was behind her giving. While our society often focuses on maximizing resource impact, this passage highlights the deeper value of expressing love and gratitude beyond economics.
Judas’ reaction -and maybe the rest of disciples- reflects a mindset that prioritizes monetary concerns over our love and obedience to God and others. Today, we’re often caught in a debate between financial prudence and spending on things that enrich our lives in meaningful ways. The passage encourages us to consider that not all expenditures need to have a strict functional purpose—sometimes, they must serve a deeper emotional or spiritual need.
Two, Mary’s action is a reminder to be mindful of our priorities. While Judas criticizes Mary’s action, claiming the perfume should have been sold to help the poor, his heart was not truly concerned for others. Jesus’ response highlights that serving and helping others is always important, but there are moments when focusing on Him takes precedence.
While Jesus acknowledges that the poor will always be present, this does not mean they should be neglected. This only highlights an ongoing tension in economic discussions: How do we balance personal generosity and expressions of faith with our broader responsibility to those in need?
So today, this passage encourages us to ask ourselves: Are we giving Jesus our very best? Are we putting Jesus’ message and what he expects from us first in our lives, like Mary did? Or are we still thinking in the economic price we have to pay to obey Jesus and follow his example. Mary’s example is an invitation to worship, to trust, and to pour out our love for Him wholeheartedly.
