"12 Six days before the Passover, Jesus therefore came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. 2 So they gave a dinner for him there. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those reclining with him at table. 3 Mary therefore took a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. 4 But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (he who was about to betray him), said, 5 “Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?”6 He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief, and having charge of the money bag he used to help himself to what was put into it. 7 Jesus said, “Leave her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of my burial. 8 For the poor you always have with you, but you do not always have me.”
9 When the large crowd of the Jews learned that Jesus was there, they came, not only on account of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. 10 So the chief priests made plans to put Lazarus to death as well, 11 because on account of him many of the Jews were going away and believing in Jesus."
John 12:1-11
If the interpretation in yesterday's Note is correct, we are obliged to believe that Mary, more than any of the disciples and, if we are to believe the testimony of the gospels, alone of all the disciples, had an intuitive appreciation and discernment of Christ's death and what it meant as an atonement and sacrifice for sin. They say love is blind, but at least in the spiritual realm this is not so. Love brings discernment, and is the key to everything of final importance in the Christian life. We should remember that this is the Mary that sat at Jesus' feet and heard His word. Here, then, is a valuable lesson for us: if we want really to learn in the things of God, and to penetrate the mysteries of the Faith and the deep things of God, we must allow our hearts to go out in love to Christ. Long ago, Thomas Boston said, 'The best commentary on the Holy Scripture is a heavenly state of mind', and this may be amplified to be understood as a state of mind which is towards Christ in love and devotion.
Another point should be noted in this connection. Mary's heart went out to Christ, and her love was expressed in action. Ultimately, love is proved only by being shown and demonstrated. This opens up a big subject: the expression of feelings towards those we love. So often we are afraid to let ourselves go! But we are made for love - to give it and to receive it. Why should we be so unwilling to show it? Perhaps because to show love is to be vulnerable, and to run the risk of being hurt - even if the hurt is only that of being criticised, as Mary was, for being extravagant. But this is a risk that we must at all costs run, even if it means that our hearts are broken in the process. Better to have a broken heart than that our hearts should become hard and unbreakable!