Day 41: The Fragrance of Love

Scripture Reading: (Jerusalem Bible)

John 12:1–11
Six days before the Passover, Jesus went to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom he had raised from the dead. They gave a dinner for him there; Martha waited on them and Lazarus was among those at table.

Mary brought in a pound of very costly ointment, pure nard, and with it anointed the feet of Jesus, wiping them with her hair; the house was filled with the scent of the ointment.

Then Judas Iscariot—one of his disciples, the man who was to betray him—said, “Why wasn’t this ointment sold for three hundred denarii, and the money given to the poor?”

He said this not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief; he was in charge of the common fund and used to help himself to the contents.

So Jesus said, “Leave her alone; she had to keep this scent for the day of my burial. You have the poor with you always, you will not always have me.”

Meanwhile, a large number of Jews heard that he was there and came, not only on account of Jesus but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead.

Then the chief priests decided to kill Lazarus as well, since it was on his account that many of the Jews were leaving them and believing in Jesus.

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Reflection:
Holy Week begins not with fanfare, but with silence and intimacy. We are brought into the home of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus—not for a miracle, but for a quiet act of love.

Mary of Bethany says nothing. But in her silence, she listens—and in her listening, she responds. She kneels beside Jesus and pours out what is most precious to her: the costly ointment, her dignity, her very self.

What moved her to do this?

There is no record of Jesus asking her. No instruction from the disciples. But she had been at His feet before. She knew the sound of His voice. And she had learned to listen not just to words, but to the movement of the Spirit.

This act is the fruit of deep prayer—of the Father working through the Spirit in the stillness of her heart. It is the Father preparing the Son for what is to come. And Mary—hidden, faithful, receptive—says yes.

And still, she is ridiculed. Her devotion is questioned, her motives assumed. But she does not defend herself. Jesus defends her. “Leave her alone… she had to keep this scent for the day of my burial.”

Pope Benedict XVI wrote,

“Mary’s gesture is the response of one who, in encountering Jesus, has come to understand that no gift is too costly to give to Him, because He is the infinite Love of God made flesh.”
(Holy Monday Homily, April 2, 2007)

Sometimes love will look foolish. Sometimes prayer will lead us where others cannot follow. But if we remain in communion with the Father—if we listen with the heart—we will know what to do. And the Lord will receive it.

The Desert Father Abba Moses once said,

“If a man wishes to be always in the presence of God, he must pray often and love with a whole heart.”

That is what Mary of Bethany does.

This is what we are invited to now.

If you are holding back because you’re afraid to be misunderstood…
If you wonder whether your offering is too small…
If your prayer has led you to something others don’t see…

Stay close to the Lord.
Trust the Spirit’s prompting.
Pour it out anyway.

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Reflection Questions:

1. What do I fear pouring out before Jesus?
2. Where is love asking me to move, without calculation or fear?
3. What would it mean today to be present at His feet, as Mary was?

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Closing Prayer:
Lord Jesus,
You received the love Mary poured out,
and You made it part of the path to the Cross.
Help me to offer You what I cling to—
my time, my comfort, even my wounds.
Let my love be real,
fragrant in its surrender,
and faithful even in silence.
Amen.

This reflection is written by Kris McGregor of Discerning Hearts®. The Scripture passage is taken from the Jerusalem Bible (1966 edition), used with permission. No unauthorized use or reproduction is permitted without prior written consent.