Wednesday of Holy Week

To have an idea of the happenings on the Wednesday before Jesus' death, read Mark 14: 1-11. 

It is Wednesday.  The plot thickens.  The religious leaders, afraid of the large crowd that supported Jesus, are looking for a way to arrest him.  They need to a traitor to emerge so that they can find and arrest Jesus away from the crowds, without their knowing.  

 

In the meantime, Jesus gathers with his disciples in Bethany, at the house of Simon the leper, where is he anointed with expensive oil by an unnamed woman.  She is scolded by the others for wasting money that could have been given to the poor.  Jesus stands by her and claims her act is one of love, for he will not be with them much longer.  Furthermore, he tells them that she has prepared his body for burial.  If we read closely, we will see that she poured the oil over his head, in the same manner that kings were anointed in those days.  Jesus says to them, “Truly I tell you, wherever the good news is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in remembrance of her.” 

 

I find it interesting and unfortunate that this woman’s story is not as well-known in our faith sharing as Jesus asks it to be.  In other Gospels, we find the woman to be Mary, the sister of Martha; another consideration is that the woman was Mary Magdelene.  For whatever reason, Mark (the earliest written Gospel) does not name her.  I think this fact helps us to consider the people who are unnamed in the important, world changing stories of our past.  It opens our perspective to look beyond the familiar and into the unknown people and groups who helped to prepare for a great change, or who participated themselves in the larger story of saving acts and heroic deeds.  

 

It takes not only the forerunners but also the people who live behind the scenes to make the world turn in extravagant love, grace, and kindness. 

 

May we remember today the unnamed woman who showed that kind of love to our Lord on the Wednesday before his death.

 

As the day ends, Judas – one of the twelve - makes his way to the religious authorities to betray Jesus.

 

Let us pray:

Lord.  Have mercy on us.

The week is beginning to boil and soon an eruption will occur.

We know what is coming. 

This is where your story heats up.

We wish we could change things here.  We wish we could get ahold of Judas and stop him.

But then we remember, he was not the only one to betray you.

Too often….so do we.

And yet, you keep us in the fold and call us to remember and to commit

Acts of extravagant love.

For you.  For those around us.

For the sick and suffering and dying.

Prepare us, Lord, to meet the coming days with courage.

Forgive us when we want to turn back.  

Don’t let us betray you again. 

Have mercy on us, Lord. And help us to see you through this day.

Amen.