The Power of Love - Monday of Holy Week

by Sr Louise Hageman OP ~ March 17, 2008

Six days before the Passover Jesus comes to Jerusalem and stays with Lazarus, Martha and Mary at Bethany, a place just outside Jerusalem.  Lazarus who was dead is back in their midst and many of Jesus’ friends are celebrating. 

After their lively  meal together, Mary kneels at the feet of Jesus, unties the buckles of his sandals and dipping her hand into the alabaster vase, takes costly ointment and lavishly spreads it on His bare feet, toe by toe, then with tender love on his soles and heels. After emptying the jar of precious oil, she quickly loosens her plaited hair and uses it to remove the excess ointment from Jesus’ feet.

However, everyone’s joyous bubble bursts when Jesus, basking in Mary’s love, announces that the end is near for him. They all know that the authorities see Jesus as an outlaw so for Jesus to come to Jerusalem at this Passover time had to take tremendous courage.   In this his final journey, Mary’s love must have comforted and strengthened Jesus.

Confusion about which Mary this is started in the Middle Ages, says the Dominican theologian, Albert Nolan. Most probably the Mary here is not Mary of Bethany, nor the prostitute Mary who washed Jesus feet with her tears but one of his closest friends, Mary of Magdala or also known as Mary Magdalene.  This is the Mary who stood at the foot of the cross with Mary his mother when almost all of the disciples ran away.  She follows those who take down Jesus’ body to see where they put him.  After the Sabbath, she is there to embalm his body and then discovers the empty tomb and with tears in her eyes continues to search for him.  Mary is the first to experience him as risen and alive and it is her vocation to tell the others.  She is a strong woman with leadership qualities and is a close friend of Jesus.

Her love for Jesus is extravagant, humble and free.  She takes this most precious oil and spends it all on Jesus.  Love is not love if it calculates the cost.  Love extravagantly gives all and only regrets that there is not still more to give. Secondly, Mary’s love is humble. She would not presume to anoint Jesus’ head but she anoints his feet. Thirdly, she is not self conscious.  Mary wipes Jesus’ feet with the hair of her head.  In Palestine no respectable woman would ever appear in public with her hair unbound.  Mary loved Jesus so much that what others thought meant nothing. And, even today the whole Church is filled with this sweet memory of Mary’s action. 

Jesus’ love, recalled in the sacred events of this Holy Week, wants to radically change us as well. So, let us invite Jesus to open our eyes, breathe in our hearts and seep into our bones.