Monday of Holy Week Year C The Fragrance of Nard.

 Moments with the Gospel

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Monday of Holy Week

The Fragrance of Nard – Anointing for Burial and Kingship

One of the most mysterious and profound symbols of Holy Week appears in Monday of Holy Week Gospel: nard.

“Mary took a pound of costly perfumed oil made from genuine aromatic nard and anointed the feet of Jesus and dried them with her hair; the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.” (John 12:3)

What is nard, and why does it matter so much?

Nard (Spikenard) is a rare, costly oil derived from a plant that grows in the Himalayas. Because of its rarity and difficulty in transportation, it was an extravagant luxury—so precious that only kings, priests, and the dead were anointed with it.

Symbolism of Nard in Holy Week

• Anointing of Kings – Nard was used to consecrate rulers. Mary’s anointing recognizes Jesus as King, though His throne will be the Cross.
• Preparation for Burial – Nard was also used to anoint the dead before burial. Mary unknowingly prepares Jesus for His Passion.
• Extravagant Love – This anointing was an act of pure devotion, symbolizing that nothing is too precious to give to Christ.

Judas objects, arguing that the money should have been given to the poor. But Jesus rebukes him, recognizing Mary’s deep spiritual insight:

“Leave her alone. She has kept this for the day of My burial.” (John 12:7)

Unlike the other disciples, Mary understands that the appointed time has come.

4.Nard, Myrrh, and the Chrism Mass – A Connection Through Time

This act of anointing Jesus at Bethany connects deeply to another important moment in Holy Week: the Chrism Mass.

At the Chrism Mass, the Church blesses the three sacred oils used for anointing throughout the year:

·         Chrism Oil – Used for baptism, confirmation, and ordination (symbolizing kingship and mission).

·         Oil of the Sick – Used for healing and comfort (recalling how Jesus healed through anointing).

·         Oil of Catechumens – Strengthens those preparing for baptism and new life.

Just as Mary anointed Jesus before His Passion, the Church continues to anoint its people for their journey of faith.

Comparison Between Nard, Myrrh & Frankincense

Frankincense:  This symbolises Divinity and Priestly Role.  It is given by the Magi and used in liturgy to symbolise Jesus as High Priest.

Myrrh: this symbolizes Suffering and Death and given by the Magi to foreshadow His Passion.  It was used for Jesus’ burial

Nard: This symbolized Kingship, burial and devotion.  Mary anoints Jesus at Bethany as a sign of extravagant love and mission.

Through nard, myrrh, and chrism, we see how anointing runs through the entire life of Christ—from His birth to His Passion, and through the Church in every sacrament.

 

How Will We Journey Through Holy Week?

Holy Week is not meant to be observed from a distance—we are called to enter into it fully. Here are some ways to immerse ourselves in this sacred time:

 Daily Mass – The readings of Holy Week draw us deeper into the unfolding mystery of Christ’s Passion.

Stations of the Cross – Meditating on Jesus’ journey to Calvary helps us walk with Him in prayer.

Fasting & Abstinence – These practices empty us, making room for God’s grace to work in us.

Prayer & Scripture Reflection – Spending time in personal prayer with the Passion narratives prepares our hearts.

Sacrament of Reconciliation – Just as Mary poured out nard, we are called to pour out our sins and burdens before Christ.

 Acts of Charity & Service – Holy Week is a time to live out Christ’s love through concrete acts of mercy.

Mary’s anointing in all four Gospels

The Anointing in All Four Gospels – Same Event or Different?

All four Gospels contain an anointing story, but there are key differences between them:

Difference: In Matthew and Marks account, the woman who anoints Jesus is unnamed and she anoints His head. (Mt 26:6-13) and Mark 14:3-9).

In Luke and John’s account the feet are anointed. (Lk 7:36-50) and John 12:1-8)

In Luke’s account, the woman who anoints Jesus is referred to as a sinful woman and she anoints His feet. It occurs at Bethany at the house of Simon the Pharisee. It also occurs much earlier in the Gospel.

In John’s account Mary of Bethany (sister of Martha and Lazarus) is identified and she anoints His feet. The timing of the anointing is important too- 6 days before Passover.

Similarity:  In all 4 accounts the anointing occurs at Bethany.  In Matthew and Mark’s account it occurs at Bethany, house of Simon the leper whereas in Luke’s account it occurs at the House of Simon the Pharisee and in John’s account at the home of Martha and Mary and Lazurus.

The response of the disciples is to complain. In Luke’s account, the Pharisee is scandalized whereas in John’s account, Judas is the complainant.

 

Are These the Same Event

The anointing of Jesus in Matthew, Mark, and John takes place in Bethany, but Luke’s account happens much earlier and involves a different woman—a "sinful woman" rather than Mary of Bethany.

Only John specifically names Mary of Bethany as the one who anoints Jesus.
Matthew and Mark’s accounts are nearly identical—an unnamed woman anoints Jesus’ head in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, while John places Mary anointing His feet at a dinner in Bethany.
Luke’s account stands apart, happening at a different time, in a different house (a Pharisee's), with a different woman, emphasizing forgiveness rather than preparation for burial.

“Wherever This Gospel is Proclaimed, She Will Be Remembered”

This phrase appears in Matthew and Mark’s accounts, after the woman anoints Jesus:

“Amen, I say to you, wherever this gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her.” (Matthew 26:13, Mark 14:9)

 Why is this significant?

• Jesus links this woman’s anointing to the eternal Gospel message.
• While Mary of Bethany’s name is recorded in John, the women in Matthew and Mark remain unnamed—perhaps to represent all who pour out extravagant love for Christ.
• This promises that love and devotion to Christ will never be forgotten.

John’s Gospel, however, focuses on the burial preparation aspect rather than emphasizing eternal remembrance: This also highlights that Mary understood that the appointed time had come for Jesus.

 “Leave her alone. She has kept this for the day of My burial.” (John 12:7)

 

Mary of Bethany & Sitting at Jesus’ Feet

Mary of Bethany appears in another key moment earlier in the Gospels—when Martha is busy serving, and Mary sits at Jesus' feet, listening to Him.

“Mary sat beside the Lord at His feet listening to Him speak, while Martha was burdened with much serving.” (Luke 10:39-40)

This beautifully connects the two moments:

• In Luke 10, Mary sits at Jesus' feet in contemplation.
• In John 12, she anoints His feet in devotion.

·         Both times, she is close to Jesus.

·         Both times, she is misunderstood (Martha in Luke, Judas in John).
Both times, Jesus defends her choice.

Her love and understanding of Christ’s mission is clear—she recognizes His worth and gives everything for Him. The Gospel therefore invites us to have a similar response to Mary- to be clear about Christ’s mission in our lives and to give ourselves completely and lavishly to Him as He has done for us.

As we reflect on Mary’s anointing of Jesus, we are invited to ask:

·         Are we willing to “waste” ourselves in love for Christ?

·         Do we hold anything back from God—our time, our devotion, our trust?

·         Are we preparing our hearts for the “appointed time” of our own journey with Him?

·         At the appointed time, will we be ready?

 

Like Mary, we are called to give without counting the cost, to recognize the presence of Christ before us, and to pour out our lives for the One who poured out everything for us.

On Thursday of the 4^th week Ordinary Time we hear Mark 6:7-14 where it states that the disciples anointed others with oil.

At that time, the disciples anointed the people for healing and repentance. They were sick in some way or in need of deliverance.  The Church carries on this anointing through the sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick. The disciples anointed as part of their mission to heal and bring wholeness to others.  The Sacrament of the Anointing has this same purpose and the Church carries on the disciples mission.

When we contrast this with the anointing that Mary offered, she anointed Jesus for burial because she realised His appointed time had come.  He did not need healing or repentance, but rather she anointed Him out of love, devotion and recognition of who He was.

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 The Disciples’ Anointing and Mission

At that time, the disciples anointed the people for healing and repentance. They were sick in some way or in need of deliverance. The Church carries on this anointing through the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick. The disciples anointed as part of their mission to heal and bring wholeness to others. The Sacrament of Anointing today has the same purpose, continuing the disciples’ mission.

When we contrast this with the anointing that Mary offered, she anointed Jesus for burial because she realized His appointed time had come. He did not need healing or repentance, but rather, she anointed Him out of love, devotion, and recognition of who He was.

Judas & The Shift in His Heart

Judas was one of the disciples sent out in pairs—meaning he, too, anointed people in Jesus’ name! He was chosen, set apart, and sent with authority—just like the other disciples.

But at the appointed time, his heart changed—he went from anointing others selflessly to wanting to profit from Jesus. The same hands that once poured oil in Jesus' name would soon reach for thirty pieces of silver.

Instead of seeing anointing as a gift freely given, he saw it as something to be traded for personal gain.

Jesus had given Judas authority and entrusted him with the mission of the Kingdom. But when the devil placed betrayal in his heart (John 13:27), Judas rejected his anointing, his calling, and ultimately, his identity as a disciple of Christ.

Throughout Scripture, we do not hear much from Judas early on, yet he was one of the twelve, outwardly following Jesus' mission. However, when Satan entered his heart at the appointed time, his attitude shifted. He went from anointing to betraying, from outward generosity to selfish greed.

Of course, this can happen to us as well—we, too, can experience a slow shift in priorities, a gradual cooling of the heart, and before we know it, we drift further from Christ.

Judas did not fall away overnight. He was part of Jesus’ ministry, performed miracles, anointed others, and preached the Gospel. His heart shifted over time. He may not have fully realized how his heart was changing until it was too late.

 This is the great spiritual warning of Holy Week.

Our Lenten journey invites us to have a change of heart in the right direction. In Holy Week, we hear this Gospel and are again reminded of our need for renewal, repentance, and a change of heart. We are called to notice the slow shifts in our hearts before they harden like Judas’—to return to the anointing and mission Christ has given us and to claim again our identity in Him as beloved sons and daughters o God.

 

Gospel Reflection: The Anointing at Bethany (John 12:1-8)

As Jesus sits at table with Mary, Martha, and Lazarus, the air is filled with the rich, earthy scent of nard. Mary kneels before Jesus, breaking open a jar of costly perfumed oil and pouring it lavishly over His feet. She then does something culturally shocking—she loosens her hair and wipes His feet with it.

The house is filled with the fragrance of her love.

But not everyone sees it that way.

 “Why was this oil not sold for three hundred days’ wages and given to the poor?” (John 12:5)

Judas is disgusted by this display. He sees waste where Jesus sees worship. He speaks of the poor, yet John tells us his real concern was his own greed—he was a thief, dipping his hand into the common purse.

But Jesus silences him with a profound statement:

 “Leave her alone. She has kept this for the day of My burial. The poor you will always have with you, but you do not always have Me.” (John 12:7-8)

 

Mary’s Anointing – A Love That Knows No Limits

Mary’s act is one of reckless, extravagant love.

• The cost of the oil was nearly a year’s wages.
• The gesture of wiping Jesus’ feet with her hair was intimate, humble, and deeply countercultural.

Mary is not calculating the cost—she is pouring out everything for Christ. In that moment, she recognizes that Jesus is more valuable than anything she owns.

Hearing this Gospel on Monday of Holy Week we are invited to ponder our own response to Jesus.

• Do I love Jesus with this kind of total self-giving?
• Do I hold anything back from Him?

 

Judas’ Objection – A Heart Turned Inward

Judas, by contrast, is the voice of calculated love.

• He talks about generosity but his heart is closed.
• He sees waste where there is worship.

His words sound practical and reasonable, yet his heart is filled with self-interest. How often do we justify half-hearted devotion with "good reasons"?

Hearing this Gospel on Monday of Holy Week we are invited to ponder our own response to Jesus

• Am I giving to God out of love, or do I measure what I "get" in return?
• Do I judge how others express their devotion rather than focusing on my own?

 

Jesus’ Response – The Appointed Time Has Come

Jesus defends Mary’s love, because she understands something the others do not.

 “She has kept this for the day of My burial.”

Mary’s anointing is not a random act of devotion—it is a prophetic sign. Jesus knows His Passion is near, and Mary’s gift is preparing Him for the tomb.

She gives now, rather than waiting until it is too late.

Hearing this Gospel on Monday of Holy Week we are invited to ponder our own response to Jesus

• Do I recognize the appointed time in my own spiritual journey?
• Do I give Jesus my love while I still have the chance, or do I assume there will always be more time?

 

The Poor You Will Always Have With You” – What Did Jesus Mean?

At first, Jesus’ words seem shocking—is He saying we should ignore the poor? Not at all.

• Jesus is quoting Deuteronomy 15:11, which says:

 “There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore, I command you to be open-handed toward your fellow Israelites who are poor and needy.”

• His words are not about neglecting the poor, but about recognizing this unique moment.
• Mary’s act of love was not in competition with helping the poor—rather, it was responding to Christ’s presence in the here and now.

 

Hearing this Gospel on Monday of Holy Week we are invited to ponder our own response to Jesus

• Do I focus on practical concerns so much that I miss the presence of Christ before me?
• Do I recognize what truly matters in the moment God has placed before me?

 

Are We Mary or Judas?

This Gospel presents two ways of responding to Jesus:

Mary’s way – A love that is unrestrained, humble, and personal. She gives all for Christ.
Judas’ way – A love that is calculated, self-serving, and judgmental. He sees devotion as wasteful.

Holy Week invites us to choose:
Will we love without counting the cost just like Jesus did for us?
Will we pour out our time, devotion, and hearts for Christ just as Jesus gave His life for us?
Will we recognize the appointed time to give, before it is too late?

May we be like Mary of Bethany, filling the house of our hearts with the fragrance of love—a love that is extravagant, self-giving, and ready for the journey to the Cross.