Day 37 - Holy Wednesday

During this Holy Week today is known as Holy Wednesday.  This is the day before Jesus celebrated the Passover with His twelve disciples. On Wednesday Jesus went to Bethany and had dinner with His friends at the house of Simon the leper. That evening a woman took an alabaster jar filled with the finest fragrant oil, and in a worshipful and adoring way she poured the oil out on Jesus. Judas was critical of her actions, but Jesus called Judas down because the woman had done such a beautiful thing.  Jesus said “she has come beforehand to anoint My body for burial. Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her” (Mark 14: 3-9).  The most notable part of this encounter is that the woman was preparing Jesus for burial by anointing Him as a King with the most expensive and fragrant oil. The holiness of this anointing ritual makes this a Holy Wednesday. This woman is described as having come to Jesus "beforehand" with her offering.  We, too, live with beforehand knowledge. We know that Jesus will soon return to gather those who follow Him, so how shall we live in the "beforehand" time? Let us prepare for His return in a similar way as the woman in Bethany: worshipful and adoring Him with all that we have.  A final thought: some Biblical commentators remark that the fragrant oils would have remained on Jesus as He was tortured, and the fragrance could have been an encouragement for the purpose set before Him. Our daily offerings to God are a sweet aroma to Him. Spend time today reflecting on the scripture from Mark 14, and also spend time with God worshiping and adoring Him like the woman with the alabaster jar.