Holy Wednesday: Why This Waste?
Matthew 26: 6-16
While Jesus was in Bethany in the home of Simon the Leper, 7 a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on his head as he was reclining at the table. 8 When the disciples saw this, they were indignant. “Why this waste?” they asked. 9 “This perfume could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor.” 10 Aware of this, Jesus said to them, “Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me. 11 The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have me. 12 When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial. 13 Truly I tell you, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”
14 Then one of the Twelve—the one called Judas Iscariot—went to the chief priests 15 and asked, “What are you willing to give me if I deliver him over to you?” So they counted out for him thirty pieces of silver. 16 From then on Judas watched for an opportunity to hand him over.
Maybe you grew up in a family like mine, where wasting things was unacceptable. To squander time, food, or money was not just a careless act; it was a wasteful disregard for our limited resources. So, when I read the disciples’ indignant response to Mary of Bethany’s offering, why the waste? I have to believe she knew something about His worth that his very own disciples, the ones he called friends, did not yet grasp.
The Gospel of Mark tells us Mary broke her flask and poured oil over Jesus. 300 denarii worth of oil, the equivalent of a year's wages, spilled without hesitation from his head down to his feet. She anointed Christ, the Anointed One, the long-awaited one who came not only to bring Heaven to earth but to be Heaven on earth. Plants, species, oil, and tears were poured out without restraint because she knew His worth surpassed it all. What an aroma that must have been.
The ones who had witnessed Jesus perform wonders failed to capture His worth. I don’t know all Mary had seen, heard, or experienced from Jesus, but she was convinced of His worth, leading to her extravagantly offensive worship.
While the religious leaders plotted to kill, this woman prepared Jesus for his burial with her pouring out. While they calculated their moves based on their fear of people, she ignored comments and critiques and kept pouring out. While the disciples claimed to care for the poor, she worshipped the one who came to declare good news to the poor, proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free.
While Judas asked, “How much can I get from Jesus?”
Mary asked, “How much more can I give to Him?”
Nothing is too much when we behold Jesus, not just what He does and what He gives but who He is, the Anointed One. We do not hold back, hesitate, or allow the opinions of others to hinder our worship or limit our surrender. Why this waste? Because Jesus is worthy.
