Tuesday of Holy Week

Disciples and friends gathered with Jesus at the home of Lazarus, Martha, and Mary. Suddenly “the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.” There she was. Mary in worship. Pouring her most costly possession on the feet of her Lord. Anointing his feet with nard. Wiping his feet with her loosened hair. This was an extravagant outpouring of love and spontaneous worship that could wait no longer. It didn’t seem to matter what was said as Judas objected. Mary, above all others in the room, knew that Jesus was her Lord and Savior. She had once intently listened to his words at Martha’s objections. Jesus wept with her at the tomb of her brother. He then raised Lazarus from the dead. While the others failed to listen carefully as they walked with Jesus, while the others argued among themselves, while the others slept, Mary sat at his feet and listened. She witnessed God’s power. She experienced God’s love. She knew the One who sat at her table was truly the Messiah.

Down came her hair. Out came her most priceless possession. It could not wait. The perfume of adoration, love, worship, praise and offering filled the room and ultimately the world. That’s what extravagant worship is like…spontaneous, overflowing, priceless and permeating.

Yet, inside of the house as well, we find Judas, already being 'Judas' ... objecting to such a costly act of worship. ("Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.” He [Judas] 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.)

Outside the walls of Lazarus’ house, rumblings of fear and hatred could be heard as thunder in the distance.

And so, we walk into this Tuesday of Holy Week with the fragrance of worship, the greed of Judas, and the growing anger, fears, and plotting of the chief priests.