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John 12:1-8
Six days
before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany, the home of Lazarus, whom he had
raised from the dead. There they gave a dinner for him. Martha served,
and Lazarus was one of those at the table with him. Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure
nard, anointed Jesus’ feet, and wiped them with
her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (the one who was
about to betray him), said, ‘Why was this perfume not 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 kept the common purse and used to steal what was put
into it.) Jesus said, ‘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.’
From the heart
Mary moves me, O Lord.
You draw near the end of your course, and she is ready. She has planned for
this moment, eager to kneel at your feet to bless you. She watches and waits for
the right moment when she can pour out her heart and reveal the exquisite beauty
of a soul that knows you.
She moves me. I watch her
and weep as she pours out the perfume. Hers is a love that cannot be contained.
All that matters to her is loving you, blessing you, releasing the rush of love
that overflows her heart’s deep reservoir.
She lives from the heart,
and I want her near always, for I want to live from the heart. Anything less is
not quite human. So I watch, hoping to touch her, hoping her beauty will
touch and awaken my guarded heart that I, too, may pour out the fullness of my
heart to you and all you love.
I don’t know why Mary loves
you as she does. Perhaps you healed or blessed her. Or maybe seeing you heal and
bless moved her to love whatever you are and whatever is in you.
It was grace that brought
her to her knees to show such love for you. That’s who you are. You are the grace
from the Holy One from whom we all receive grace upon grace. And having
received we become the beauty you are, like Mary kneeling at your feet.
As a young man, I wanted knowledge, insight, great learning. Now all that really matters is becoming as she is.
Pr. David L. Miller
