197. A Dinner in Bethany at the House of Simon. Mt. 26:6–13; Mk. 14:3–9

(Meanwhile in Bethany they had made a supper for the Lord.) And when He was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper, and was reclining; a woman came to Him with an alabaster jar of precious ointment; and breaking the jar, she poured the ointment on His head as He reclined.

Seeing this, His disciples and some others became indignant and said to one another: Why this waste of ointment? For this ointment could have been sold for a great price – more than three hundred denarii – and given to the poor. And they grumbled against her.

But the Lord Jesus, perceiving this, said to them: Why do you trouble the woman? She has done a good work for Me. For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you wish, you can do good to them; but you do not always have Me. She has done what she could. By pouring this ointment on My body, she has prepared Me for burial. Truly I say to you: Wherever this Gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in remembrance of her.