Today’s reading is about Jesus at a dinner with Lazarus (whom he raised from the dead) and Lazarus’ two sisters, Martha and Mary.  Mary takes a liter of costly perfumed oil and anoints Jesus’ feet, to which Judas complains and states that the oil could have been sold and the money given to the poor.
    I absolutely love Mary’s gesture of loving kindness to Jesus.  It probably was a sign of hospitality.  But, think about your feet.  Most of us do not like anyone else touching our feet.  They are a vulnerable part of our body.  They are covered most of the time.  So, exposure can sometimes hurt that very sensitive part of our body.  She is anointing a very vulnerable part of Jesus.  She serves the one who will be sacrificially serving us in a few days.  She reminds me that at the beginning of this Holy Week, it is still about serving one another in loving ways.
    The picture with this blog post today is from yesterday.  I am in Florida with my very dear friends, the Blodgett's.  Their daughter, Mariah, who I was honored to sponsor for her Confirmation, made that cross out of the palms we received at church today.  Mariah for me is a presence of such creativity and imagination.  She is fun, energetic, filled with life, mature, smart, and has a big heart!
    At the beginning of Mass, she was making a couple of crosses from the palms.  I saw her get up and give one to an elderly woman behind her.  The woman said, “Thank you, dear.”  I had also seen Mariah give that same woman earlier a couple of the palm branches, maybe because the woman did not have any.  Honestly, that is classic Mariah.  She’s a giver.
    Now, if you were to ask her mom and dad, they may have a different version of who Mariah is!  But for me, yesterday morning, she was Mary, anointing the feet of that elderly woman with her loving gesture of kindness.  She reminds me with her beautiful palm made into a cross with 2 hearts below that what Mary did and what Jesus did were acts of profound love.  Mary's anointing, Mariah’s crosses, Jesus’ death and resurrection.  All are reminders that the sweet aroma of kindness, sacrifice and love will always overpower the stench of death.
    It’s wonderful to be reminded by a 16 year old that this week is about taking what Jesus gave us in his death and resurrection, and giving it away to others!  You anointed my feet yesterday, Mariah, with the sweetest perfume of your loving presence.