Holy Wednesday’s Love Story

In the workplace, we call Wednesdays “Hump Day”. That’s because it’s in the middle of the work week and hallelujah, the weekend is in sight! Just two more days and it’s the weekend! But can we imagine Jesus thoughts on this day…..in the middle?

Wednesday meant one day closer to His pain, suffering and crucifixion. Most heart-wrenching about this day was one of His friends would betray Him and the most heart-warming was when another follower lavished Him with her great love. Jesus took this middle-of-the-week day to spend time in Simon the Leper’s home with His disciples. While they were reclining at the table, Mary (the sister of Lazarus and Martha) came in and “took an expensive perfume and poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.” (John 12:3)

Judas Iscariot whined about “such waste”, declaring “It could have been sold for more than a year’s wages and the money given to the poor.” But, lovingly, Jesus replied: “Leave her alone. Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me. She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial. Truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”

Such extravagance! In her eyes loving Jesus was worth far more than a lifetime’s worth of wages. He was worth risking everything for. Mary of Bethany reveals the beauty of her soul in the way she demonstrated her love and gratefulness to her Savior! Oh, Lord! May we bring you such praise and worship as we pour out our lives in love and devotion to You!

Unlike Mary, Judas contributed to this day being also known as “Spy Wednesday”. It was on this Wednesday that Judas conspired to hand Jesus over to the chief priests. “What will you give me if I betray Jesus to you?” They counted out thirty silver coins and gave them to him. From then on Judas watched for a good chance to hand Jesus over to them. (Matthew 26:14). How could he — after he had witnessed love and service-in-action with so many miracles, signs, and wonders of Jesus?

Now let’s reel ourselves back to 2022 as we ponder the events of this Holy Week. The reminders of Easter are pretty slim-pickin’s. Our yards and homes aren’t over-embellished with Easter décor. It pales in comparison to our Christmas extravagance. Easter comes in almost unnoticed. Like this day, Silent Wednesday.

But extravagance and partying isn’t what we do when a loved one is about to pass on. Many of us started on Ash Wednesday to welcome Lent and go more introspective to ponder and journey with Him on His journey to Calvary. No fanfare is needed.

But, with gratitude, those of us who realize that everything we hope and believe in, our life here and for eternity, is staked on everything about Easter and the resurrection of our Lord. It is the bedrock of our faith.

All of humanity was cursed and doomed to death, but Jesus assumed the guilt of humanity. Imagine that heavy load He carried on this Holy Wednesday. He must have been mustering up every fiber of His being to go the distance to the cross that awaited Him.

While reclining at the table with His disciples, Mary poured out her love and praise to her Lord with the best she had. She gave her all. I imagine myself in that house, watching Mary pour her love out on Jesus with her jar of perfumed oil, preparing His body for burial. Like her, I want my life to be characterized by an unrestrained devotion to Jesus and tender compassion to care for the Body of Christ.

This is an unfolding love story that God planned and prepared for from the beginning and revealed in the fullness of time. The hero of this love story is Jesus. It begs us to ask ourselves: “Is Jesus worth everything to us? Is He worth our time? Our money? Our life? Have we expressed our immense love and devotion to our Savior lately? What “alabaster box” do we need to break in our lives to draw closer to our Savior?

Oh Lord, may we pour our praise on You, like the oil from Mary’s alabaster box!