In
our gospel today we have revealed before us the gentle, personal devotion of
Mary. So beautiful were her
actions that in Matthew's account of this incident Jesus said, "Wherever
this gospel is preached, all over the world, what she has done will be told in
memory of her."
This is an
extraordinary statement - not another like it in the gospels. There is something about the lavishness
of her love that we are called to reflect upon and imitate. Her action is one that we are to
perform, too.
Jesus, we are
told, saw her action as a preparation for his own burial - but it was an
explanation that seemed geared more to softening the hard hearts of those who
failed to see the beauty of what she was doing. Mary, however, saw it as a supreme moment of loving devotion
towards Jesus.
Such should be
our attitude this week. Our
entire attention should be directed towards Jesus himself; for we know even
more clearly than Mary what Jesus has done for us. We know what he has taken upon himself on our behalf. And such a moment doesn't call for
words. What is desired most is our
loving presence - a look of love that speaks of what is in our heart for him. That's all. That's all.
