Holy Week Wednesday 31st

Hello everyone.

My name is Mary and I have an amazing story that I would like to share with you.

As I already mentioned, my name is Mary and I live with my sister Martha and brother Lazarus in a little village called Bethany which is about 2 miles from Jerusalem.

We have a dear friend whose name is Jesus and he often comes to visit us and we enjoy sharing a meal together.

He always takes time to relax in our house and replenish his energy because he is very busy, travelling around the countryside with his disciples.

Teaching, preaching and healing wherever he goes.

When he visits us ,I enjoy nothing more than to sit at his feet and listen to him having a chat with my brother Lazarus.

My sister Martha is always busy around the kitchen, preparing the meal and on one occasion she was angry with me for sitting about and she asked Jesus to tell me to get up and help her.

I thought Jesus would agree with Martha but to my utter astonishment he said

“Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her”.

I felt truly humbled by his kind words.

Now the next part of my story is where things get really exciting.

You see, sadly, my brother Lazarus became very ill.

Martha and I were really worried so we sent word to Jesus to come to the house to see him and restore him back to health with his caring…... gentle touch.

We waited and waited but Jesus did not appear and Lazarus sadly died.

We were distraught.

How would we, two women... cope without our brother.

Martha and I prepared Lazarus for burial, wrapping the grave clothes around his body and face.

He was then taken to the family tomb and a stone was placed over the opening.

Four long days later Jesus was seen coming towards our village and Martha rushed to meet him on the path.

I stayed in the house, weeping and wailing.

A short time later Martha came running into the house and said that Jesus was asking for me.

I got up and hurried to where Jesus was.

All our friends and neighbours from the village came along too.

With tears streaming from my eyes I stood before Jesus, feeling very upset and disappointed that he had not come sooner.

When Jesus saw my tears, he started to weep too.

He then asked us to take him to where Lazarus was buried.

As we stood in front of the tomb, Jesus said the strangest thing!!!!

“Take the stone away from the tomb”.

We were horrified and Martha said to Jesus that there would by now be a bad smell, but Jesus didn't care.

When the stone had been rolled away Jesus commanded Lazarus to get up and walk out of the tomb.

I could not believe my ears.

How could Lazarus do that, he was dead..

But, to everyone’s astonishment, he walked out of the tomb, still wrapped in his grave clothes.

What an amazing day that was.

I vowed that I would love Jesus and trust in him always.

If there was ever a time that I could do something for him in return I would do it gladly.

You may think that is the end of my story, but there is one more important part still to tell.

A few days before the Passover Festival Jesus arrived in Bethany, on his journey to Jerusalem. He and his disciples went to a friend's house to rest and have a meal.

I felt compelled to go and see him and again sit at his feet.

I had taken my expensive bottle of perfume made from pure Nard with me.

It was the most valuable possession I owned. It cost about a year's worth of wages.

I had been keeping it for a special occasion, possibly as part of my dowry.

I wanted to show Jesus how much I loved him, so I broke the seal and poured the perfume over his head.

Nard has a very strong, sweet aroma and soon the room was filled with it's odour.

The disciples, who had been talking amongst themselves looked towards me and they all looked pretty angry. I cannot understand why they would react in this way. I found it all a bit confusing.

Was it because I am a woman and therefore should not have even been in the room with them.

Were they all jealous of me performing this act upon their friend and leader and not a priest.

I heard one of the twelve say that my perfume could have been sold and the money used to help the needy.

Then Jesus said something to all his Disciples that I will never forget.

“Leave her alone, why are you bothering her. It is a fine and beautiful thing that she has done for me. You will always have poor people with you, but you will not always have me”.

I must admit I did not fully understand at that time what Jesus was trying to say.

All I knew was that I would do anything for my Lord.

The next time I saw Jesus he was heading towards Jerusalem with his disciples for the Passover Festival.

What happened when they arrived there is someone else’s story to tell, not mine.

Well, that is the end of my story. I hope you enjoyed hearing it as much as I have enjoyed telling it.

I love to hear a true story and the great thing is that they are meant to be shared with others. We should not keep them to ourselves.

So wherever you go and whoever you meet you may like to tell them my amazing story about my wonderful friend and saviour……. Jesus Christ.