WEDNESDAY, August 26

An unknown woman has just anointed Jesus with expensive perfumed oil while he sat at dinner, and some present are protesting the waste, suggesting the oil could have been sold and the money given to the poor. I like to think that the fully human Jesus' response to the criticism would have been: "Give me a break!" After all, he has been exhausting himself trying to bring the love and healing of God to those who need it most. Even the shepherd must eat.

We are all called to honor Jesus. We do this, of course, when we care for the poor and the vulnerable. We do this when we bring his message of God's sacrificial love and mercy to those who need it. We do this when we offer our time, talent, and treasure for the work of his church. We do this when we give our very best efforts in worship. We do this when we refuse to use his name as an expletive. We do this when we remember to thank him every day for our salvation. Honoring Jesus is never wasted effort or expense.

It seemed to some to be wasting the ointment because the jar was broken, but for us, it was a great good because the perfume spread throughout the world.

-Jerome

PRAY for the Diocese of Shinyanga (Tanzania)