Monday of Holy Week

Mary therefore took a pound of ointment of right spikenard, of great price, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the odor of the ointment.  ~John 12:3

Ave Maria!  In today's Gospel from John the Evangelist (12:1-11), we hear the lovely account of Mary of Bethany anointing the feet of our Lord and Master with precious nard.  In the upper left-hand corner of Nigel Groom's image on the left,we see the Magi at Bethlehem bringing their gifts to the newborn King. One of these gifts, as we know, was myrrh, which was used for anointing the dead.  Mary has found Him whom her soul loves, and she adores Him as the Magi did so long ago, with a gift befitting the "Great Lord of sea and earth and sky".  He would all too soon die upon the Cross, in great agony and abandoned by all, even seemingly by His Heavenly Father, but not without first being ministered to with great love and tender devotion by Mary.

In today's Office of Matins, St. Augustine tells us that we also are called to anoint the feet of Jesus, particularly by our good lives.  He reminds us of St. Paul's exhortation:  "And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God" (Eph 5:2).  What excellent instruction for us, especially as we walk through these days of Holy Week with our dear Lord and Savior.  "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord...that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths...come, let us walk in the light of the Lord" (Is 2:3, 5).

Jesus,

I adore You,

lay my life before You,

how I love You!