‘(

THE BOX OF OINTMENT.

his family. If we want to be truly
happy, we must receive Jesusinto our
homes, and families, and hearts, as
Zaccheus did; for when Jesus comes,
salvation comes too. He is willing

453

to come to us. He says, “Ifa man
love me, my Father will love him;
and we will come unto him, and
make our abode with him.” John
Xiv. 23.

CCCXIL.

JHE Pox OF PINTMENT.

 
 

went again to Bethany.
We read about Bethany
| before. It was the town

in which Lazarus, and
Mary, and Martha lived; where
Lazarus had died, and where he had
been raised to life again. A feast
was made for Jesus, at the house of
Simon the leper; and Lazarus and
his sisters were there. They were
all well and happy now. Lazarus

‘gat at the table with Jesus, and

Martha served; but we may hope
that she had learnt not to be so
“careful and troubled about many
things,” as to forget again “ the one
thing needful.”

What did Mary do? She still
sat humbly at the feet of Jesus, to
hear His words. She had brought
with her a box of very precious
ointment; and she anointed his
feet, and wiped them with the hair
of her head. She did this because

_ ghe loved and honored Jesus so

much. But some of the company
despised Mary for what she did.
Judas Iscariot said, “Why is this
waste of the ointment made? It
might have been sold for much,
and the money given to the poor.”

\e\|BOUT this time, Jesus |

Judas had no love for Jesus, and
therefore he thought all wasted that
was given to Him. But did Judas
love the poor? No; he did not
care for them. He pretended to be
charitable, and collected money, and
put it into a bag, and said he would
give it to the poor, but this money
he kept for himself, for Judas was a
thief. His fellow-disciples did not
know this; but Jesus did; He saw
all the deceit of Judas’s wicked
heart.

When Judas spoke so unkindly
about Mary, Jesus said, “Why do
you trouble this woman? She has
done a good work upon me. You
have the poor always with you, and
you may do them good whenever
you please: but you will not have
me with you always. I shall soon
leave you. I am going to die;
and Mary has come before my
death, to anoint my body for
burial. Wherever the Gospel is
preached throughout all the world,
there shall be told what this woman
has done.”

All who read the Gospel, read
there what Mary did. It is written
to teach us to be like her in love,
and faith, and humility. This was