Love is not Cheap

Reflection Date: March 30, 2026 | Monday of Holy Week 
Daily Readings: Isaiah 42:1-7; John 12:1-11

Children of God:
In the gospel story of John, Mary used a very expensive perfume to anoint Jesus.

The text mentioned that it was a pound of pure nard.

In ancient times, this perfume was rare and imported from distant regions like India.

The gospel estimated its value at three hundred denarii.

A denarius represented about a day’s wage for a laborer.

In modern accounting, that amount could equal almost a year of ordinary wages.

In many countries today, that could mean thousands of dollars or hundreds of thousands of pesos.

If we compare it with modern fragrances, it would be far more expensive than popular luxury perfumes.

Korean brands like Tamburins or NonFiction, Chinese brands like To Summer, or even the Filipino fragrance brand Tadhana offer beautiful scents, but their prices are only a fraction of what Mary poured out.

Her action looked extravagant.

It looked like too much for a simple moment.

In the gospel story of John, Jesus visited the house of Lazarus, Martha, and Mary in Bethany.

They shared a meal together, celebrating life after Lazarus rose from the dead. 

During the meal, Mary took the expensive perfume and poured it on the feet of Jesus.

She wiped his feet with her hair, and the house filled with the fragrance of the oil.

Judas Iscariot questioned the act and said the perfume should have been sold and the money given to the poor.

But Jesus defended Mary and said, “Leave her alone. Let her keep this for the day of my burial.” 

His words revealed that her action carried a deeper meaning connected to his coming sacrifice.

What are our inspirations for today?

First, True love gives without calculating the cost.

Mary did not measure the perfume drop by drop.

She poured it generously on the feet of Jesus.

Her action revealed deep gratitude and devotion.

Others looked at the price and considered it wasteful.

But Mary looked at the person of Jesus rather than the value of the perfume.

In our lives, love sometimes asks for generous gestures.

Time, sacrifice, and attention often seem costly in a busy world.

Yet love becomes real when we give ourselves freely without always calculating the price.

Second, People often misunderstand sincere devotion.

Judas criticized Mary’s action and questioned her motives.

He presented the argument that the money could help the poor.

But the gospel explained that his concern did not come from genuine charity.

Jesus saw the deeper intention behind Mary’s act.

He understood that her gesture prepared for the moment of his burial and expressed sincere love.

Even today, acts of faith sometimes appear strange or excessive to others.

People may question prayer, sacrifice, or generosity.

But God sees the sincerity of the heart behind every act of devotion.

As we reflect today, we ask ourselves: When I express love for God or for others, do I hesitate because I fear what others might say? Do I sometimes measure generosity only in terms of cost? In what ways can I offer a sincere and generous act of love today?

Children of God:
The fragrance of Mary’s perfume filled the whole house that day.

It became a symbol of love that no criticism could erase.

Judas saw only the cost, but Jesus saw the heart behind the action.

The story invites us to examine how we measure generosity.

Sometimes love appears excessive in the eyes of the world.

Yet true devotion always leaves a lasting fragrance.

Mary’s gesture remained remembered because it came from a sincere heart.

This Holy Week, we reflect on the love that Jesus showed through his sacrifice.

His gift of himself on the cross was the greatest act of generosity.

Our response is to love him with the same sincerity.