Thoughts on the Passion Week 

from Pastor Ken Bluemel

Why do you trouble her, 

She has done a good work for Me.

                                                               Mark 14:1-11

   The Passion Week is about one person’s eternally significant movement to voluntarily lay down His life in death so that others can be saved. Jesus Christ accomplished exactly what He was destined to do, be the Messiah.  Sometimes we forget He was a man.  He had emotions the same as we do. He grieved as we grieve. He felt joy as we feel joy.  He was in every sense the Man, Christ Jesus, and yet the essential God. 

   We are picking up the Passion Week story on Wednesday, just two short days before the horribly death of the cross. Though fully aware of the moment, Jesus still has time enough to visit Simon the leper for a dinner party.  During the party, Mary of Bethany, in an act of abandoned and extravagant love, came before the Savior and taking her personal flask of perfume poured it upon His head. This sacrificial act cost Mary all she had. The fragrant aroma of the oil filled the room. At that very moment, in the midst of abandoned love, Judas recoiled with indignation, “Why was this fragrant oil wasted?”  Others agreed with him. But Jesus spoke, “Why do you trouble her? She has done a good work for Me.” Mary was quite unaware that her act of love was the pre-burial anointing for Jesus. She was humbly and simply overtaken by love.

   No life expended for the Master is ever wasted.  Few will ever understand the cost you pay and even fewer will comprehend your abandoned love for Jesus. As Mary’s surrender of love was misunderstood, so too will yours. But you will serve, you will pray and your love will grow even more abandoned. In it all I can hear Jesus saying, “You have done a good work for Me.”  Can we do less for the One who has done so much?  

Dear Lord Jesus,

   I come to you today with a heart full of love.  Thank you for entering into the Passion for me. I want to serve you with my whole heart. I want to love you with my whole heart. Help me to live my life in such a way that someday I can hear you say, you have done a good work for Me.

                                                            Amen