Mary

An Unforgettable Gift – Part Two

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There were some who said to themselves indignantly, “Why was the ointment wasted like that? For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor.” And they scolded her. 
Mark 14: 4-5 ESV

When people saw Mary pouring the oil on Jesus’ head, they hushed and waited to see how He would respond. Then, without a word, Mary fell to her knees and poured out the remaining perfumed oil on the feet of Jesus, and then she wiped them dry with her hair! There was a shocked silence, but it lasted only a moment. Then Judas, began to criticize. For him, Mary’s act of love was more than unexpected, it was unwelcome. Sadly, his complaining drew in the other disciples who were caught up in his reasoning, “Why this waste?” they said. “This perfume could have been sold and the money given to the poor!” But Judas didn’t really care about the poor. He really only cared about the money that he skimmed from every offering. For Judas, and those like him, religion is all a business, meant to be smoothly run, so they can reap the side benefits of a prosperous life. Mary’s heart told her that she had met someone who was greater than religious traditions, and Jesus came to her defense. “Leave her alone! She has done a beautiful thing!” No one there realized that in just a few days, Jesus would be arrested, falsely accused, and nailed to a cross. But Jesus knew and said that her gift had prepared Him for all of what was to come. If we want to be like Mary this Easter, then we must give our all for Jesus, even if no one understands. Then just as He did for Mary, Jesus will defend us and pour out His love on us in a way we will never forget!

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Reading Selection from day 26 of One Unexpected Morning

An Unforgettable Gift (Part One)

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And while he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he was reclining at table, a woman came with an alabaster flask of ointment of pure nard, very costly, and she broke the flask and poured it over his head. 
Mark 14:3 ESV

No one saw the miracle of Easter coming, least of all His closest friends. Yet all along the pathway of His final days on earth, our Savior left them clues as to what lay ahead. Most of our churches begin the Easter story with Palm Sunday, but I would suggest that His final journey began a few days earlier at a supper table with friends. While everyone was arriving, Martha began serving the delicious meal she had prepared, and her brother Lazarus sat next to Jesus, but Mary was nowhere to be found. When, she did appear in the doorway with an alabaster jar in her hand, most likely, no one noticed. The room echoed with the clanking of plates and the hubbub that fills the air at every celebration. Now, though few were aware of her at first, when she stood directly in front of Jesus and broke open the alabaster jar that held her treasure, they began to pay attention. As the scent of the powerful fragrance filled the room, Mary began pouring the perfumed oil over the head of Jesus in the manner of anointing that was reserved for the coronation of kings and the ordination of priests. Though no one understood what she was doing, Mary’s demonstration of love was so unforgettable that we are still talking about it today!

(Today’s reading is from One Unexpected Morning (See link below)

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Why Did God Choose Mary?

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In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin's name was Mary. 
Luke 1:26-27 ESV

Now it should be no secret, that we Protestants, neither pray to Mary, nor seek her favors. But, in our zeal to be Biblically correct, we sadly simply skip over the life of the mother of Jesus entirely. Just think of all hundreds of thousands of women who were living in Israel. Why did God choose to come to Mary, and what lessons did He intend for us to learn from her?

Grace – And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Luke 1:30

     I can still remember, sitting on the floor around our teacher’s feet in kindergarten, and listening to her read the Christmas story from second chapter of Luke. Our little faces lit up with wonder as we listened to the story of shepherds, angels and a baby born in a manger. But the Bible’s account of Christmas actually began, not in Bethlehem, but in Nazareth. God sent the angel Gabriel to the small village of Nazareth, to tell Mary about His plan, and God chose Mary by His unmerited favor, which is what we call grace.

Impossibility ‘- And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin? Luke 1:34  

      On hearing the angel’s message, Mary, in a respectful manner, immediately points out something she thinks that the angel may have misunderstood. What He was telling her was impossible. I wonder if she blushed! “Mr. Angel, you might not know this but, I am still a virgin!” But God is not bothered by our impossibilities. In fact, He chooses us, not because of our achievements, but because of His plans.

Miracles – And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. Luke 1:35  

      Mary was God’s choice, first by grace, then because she was a virgin and last because she was the perfect person to show the world the miracle of Immanuel, “God with us.” She was the one with whom this was impossible. But our impossibilities are the perfect canvas upon which God may paint His miracles, and there was no greater miracle than God becoming man, living among us and then giving His life on the cross. Yes, Mary was not only the perfect choice, but she is the perfect example for every believer. We are His by grace. Our impossibilities are God’s opportunities, and there is no greater miracle than the life of Jesus being lived out in our hearts, day by day, to show the world our Christ!

Sometimes you just might stop to ask 

What God wants of you 

What kind of an important task 

Has He called you to do 



The Bible makes it very clear

 That God made us unique 

Just like eyes and nose appear 

Quite different from our feet 



We each by God's own loving grace 

Through faith and humble life 

Are given a way in His design

To show the world our Christ!

To Show the World Our Christ
by Peter Caligiuri
copyright 2023
All rights reserved