“Today’s Gospel shows us a very touching moment.
Jesus is in Bethany, with His friends. During the meal, Mary takes a very expensive perfume, pours it on the feet of Jesus, and wipes them with her hair.
It is a beautiful act of love—generous, sincere, and without counting the cost.
But suddenly, Judas reacts. He complains: “Why not sell the perfume and give the money to the poor?”
At first, it sounds right. It sounds practical. But the Gospel tells us the truth—Judas was not really concerned about the poor. He was thinking of himself.
And then we hear about the chief priests. Instead of believing in Jesus—even after the miracle of Lazarus—they begin planning to kill Him.
So in today’s Gospel, we see three kinds of people: Mary, Judas, and the chief priests.
And we still see them today.
First, Judas.
Judas represents those who use good words… but have selfish motives.
Today, we see this when people talk about helping others, but are really thinking of themselves…When people justify wrong actions with good reasons… When there is dishonesty, corruption, and hidden agenda
Even in our daily life, this can happen: when we pretend to be good…When we say the right things… but do not live them.
Judas reminds us: It is possible to be close to Jesus… but far from Him in the heart.
Second, the chief priests.
They saw the truth. They witnessed the miracle. But they chose to reject Jesus—to protect their position.
Today, we see this when:
- people reject what is right because it is inconvenient
- truth is ignored to protect power or comfort
- people choose silence instead of standing for what is good
The chief priests remind us: When the heart is closed, even the truth will not change us.
Finally, Mary.
Mary simply loves. She gives her best to Jesus. She does not calculate. She does not hold back.
And the Gospel says: “The house was filled with the fragrance.”
That is the kind of life we are called to live.
In a world that can be selfish like Judas… In a world that can be closed like the chief priests.. We are called to be like Mary: to love sincerely, to give generously, and to follow Jesus without counting the cost
This Holy Week, let us ask ourselves: Am I like Mary? Or sometimes like Judas? Or like the chief priests?
Let us ask the Lord for a sincere heart—a heart that truly loves, truly listens, and truly follows Him.
Because in the end, a life offered in love will always leave a beautiful fragrance.”