Monday in Holy Week

[Scripture Readings: Is 42:1-7; Jn 12:1-11 ]

Every time we encounter Mary of Bethany in the Gospels, she is at Jesus' feet—first, listening to Him; then, pouring out her sorrow before Him after the death of her brother, Lazarus; and now, expressing her love for Him as she anoints his feet with costly perfume worth three hundred days' wages. Today, earning $10 an hour, $80 a day, that adds up to $24,000. No wonder Judas was upset at what Mary poured out from ankles to toes. But she had found the pearl of great price and she was willing to waste her time, her heart, and her wealth on Jesus.

That's what Christians do. We want to waste our lives on Jesus, because Jesus first wasted his time, his heart, and his very life on us, even taking the punishment of our sins upon himself. And Jesus thought we were worth it.