Six days before Passover, Jesus came to Bethany. He and his disciples were hosted by the same family who had welcomed him as a family friend.

From the perspective of the evangelist John, Jesus had performed seven signs. The first was turning 6 jars of water into wine at the wedding feast in Cana. The second was healing the son of a royal official from a distance of 25 miles. The third was healing a man who had been paralyzed for 38 years at the pool of Bethesda. The fourth was feeding more than 5,000 people with 5 loaves of bread. The fifth was walking on the rough sea. The sixth was giving sight to a man born blind. The seventh was raising of Lazarus on the fourth day of death.

Generally speaking, the 12 whom he had chosen as apostles had seen all seven of these signs. It is to the house of Lazarus, who had been raised from the dead on the fourth day that Jesus and his disciples have come now.

Most likely, they were preparing for him a meal of thanksgiving. Lazarus, who was dead, was the host. Martha must have done most of the cooking. Mary must have helped her sister Martha with the preparations.

But Mary is always different. Whenever she is on the scene, she takes the lead. When we first meet her, she was sitting at the feet of the Master, listening to his words. Then Martha was the one who accused her. Her complaint was that she wasn't helping her in the kitchen.

Hospitality is about honoring the guests. Hospitality can assume many forms. Since the kingdom of God is not about eating and drinking, the best form of hospitality according to her is to listen and try to understand what it is.

Now, this time she comes in with a jar of perfumed nard, which was her most valuable possession. She anoints the feet of the Master with it. It's not any small amount of it. It is a liter- more than 2 pounds! She is almost washing the feet of her Master. And that too, with expensive nard. It is not just a gesture of gratitude for the life of her brother. There she is making the complete surrender of her life in discipleship. After sitting at his feet and listening to his words about the kingdom of God, she has come to make the commitment. According to John, “The house was filled with the fragrance of the oil”.

This time it is not her sister Martha who accuses her. It is Judas, who was Jesus’ disciple and the financial manager of the group. Why this wasteful spending? “Why wasn't this perfume sold for 300 denarii and given to the poor?” he accuses. True. Three hundred denarii is the wealth one could make it he worked for a whole year, without spending a single shekel. He also must have had a reason for saying so. The Master had stated as the prerequisite for discipleship: “First go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and then come, and follow me.” He may be implying that without saying it. Thus, he is criticizing not only Mary, who anoints the Master’s feet with perfume and makes her commitment, but also the Master who allows her to do so.

This time, again Jesus is lauding her. Last time, Jesus, who had declared, “Mary has chosen the better part,” again keeps her close. “Leave her alone. Let her keep it for the day of my burial” - He praises her action.

“The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have me.”

By saying this Jesus is perhaps giving Judas a chance to reconsider the action he was pondering of doing.

While Mary, who had only sat at His feet for a little time and heard His words, and had seen only one of the seven great signs, made a complete surrender with total faith, Judas, despite having seen all the seven signs and hearing all the teachings, remained an unbeliever, a hypocrite, and a thief! Instead of giving up what he possessed and committing himself, he steals what doesn't belong to him and finds fault with the one who make the surrender!

What evils people could bring upon themselves!