Mary took a liter of costly perfumed oil
made from genuine aromatic nard
and anointed the feet of Jesus and dried them with her hair.

John 12:3

John 12:1-11

Reflection

Jesus goes to visit Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. While eating dinner, Mary anoints Jesus’ feet with expensive oil, and Judas Iscariot is angry that the oil was not sold for money and given to the poor, although he did not care about the poor. Jesus tells him to leave Mary alone, for the poor will always be with them, but he will not always be there.

Despite the cost of the perfumed oil and any potential money it might have sold for, Mary still anoints Jesus’ feet with it. This most precious item was given to the Lord in an act of humility. We, too, can give Jesus what is most precious to us and do so humbly.

When we entrust things precious to us to Christ, we put our faith and trust in him, and further center our lives in God. Jesus wants us to give our entire selves to him, and one way to achieve this is by giving what is valuable to us to him, whether it be time, money, or talent. How can you give of yourself for Christ and to Christ today?

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Saint of the Day

St. Peter Regalado: 1390 – 1456

“In Aguilera in Castile in Spain, Saint Peter Regalado of Valladolid, Priest of the Order of Minors, who was distinguished for humility and rigour of penance and built two cells, in which only twelve Friars could live in solitude.” Roman Martyrology