Two different responses to Jesus

Mark spoke from John 12 about Mary anointing Jesus with perfume. Mark commented that Mary and Martha were still doing the same things as in a previous story. Martha serving - but possibly now doing so wholeheartedly and without her old bitterness. Mary still at Jesus feet. He talked about Mary's devotion and love and that outrageous act ... which was criticised by Judas. "Leave her alone" said Jesus.

Wouldn't it be good to be the ones Jesus stands up for? What was it, do you suppose, that led Mary and Judas to to be in such different postures before Jesus? Judas had spent three years by this point with Jesus - he too saw Lazarus raised from the dead, he had heard Jesus talk. Could it be that Judas was disappointed? Jesus claimed to be the Messiah - but the Romans were still in control.

Perhaps Jesus wasn't doing what Judas had imagined the Messiah should do. At one point Jesus hadn't come when Mary wanted him to ... but then he did come. We notice Mary was so very grateful. It is most appealing for us to imagine ourselves as Mary in this story but we have to be careful in doing that. It’s easy to criticise! It can be easy to be disappointed, even in Jesus, if things aren't going as we imagined they should. Perhaps gratitude is an important key to take from this story.