The Woman with the Alabaster Box

The Gospel for today (Saturday) is from St. Mark 14:3-11, of the woman who breaks the alabaster box to anoint Jesus with the costly ointment. She is scorned for this by some, but Jesus defends her, saying that what she has done (anointed His body for burial) will be told wherever this Gospel is preached in all the world. A comparison of this to two accounts in St. John's Gospel and one other reveals that this woman is Mary of Bethany, sister of Martha and Lazarus, and is herself none other than Mary Magdalene, out of whom Jesus had driven seven demons. She loved much because she was forgiven much. Contrast this against those who scoffed, which, according to the parallel accounts, included Judas, and Simon the Leper, at whose house this event occurred. Possibly this Simon is the father of Judas, since the latter is called the son of Simon in the Johannine version. The sermon: