On the last Friday of Lent, we hear Jesus say,
“I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but you were not willing” (Matthew 23:37).
Despite humanity’s repeated rejection, Jesus continues toward the Cross, the place where He will ultimately gather all unto Himself (John 12:32).
A week before His crucifixion, Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead—a sign that leads many to believe in Him (John 11:45). Yet this miracle also sets in motion the chain of events leading to His trial and death. On the eve of Palm Sunday, the Gospel tells us of Mary of Bethany:
“She took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil” (John 12:3).
Mary’s act is a model for our response to Christ during Holy Week: the pouring out of ourselves—the spikenard response.
Pouring Out in Practice
In the early Church, being “poured out” often referred to martyrdom. St. Paul wrote,
“For I am being poured out like a drink offering; for the time of my departure is coming” (2 Timothy 4:6).
Saints like Ignatius of Antioch and Polycarp of Smyrna echoed this as they approached their martyrdoms. While most of us in North America or Europe will not face martyrdom, there remain meaningful ways to pour ourselves this Holy Week.
Pour Out Your Pride
Acts of humility and service, no matter how small, mirror Christ’s own self-emptying love. Consider:
- Helping with household chores before Easter, even in minor ways.
- Serving others so they can attend additional Holy Week services.
The God of heaven and earth is about to wash off dust and mud from the feet of His disciples on Holy Thursday and so cleaning a toilet is not beneath you, especially if it means that your father, mother, husband, or wife gets to attend an extra Holy Week service.
Pour Out Your Time
The forefathers of our faith dedicated the entire week to prayer and Scripture. While modern life may not allow such devotion, we can still make meaningful choices:
- Distinguish between “praying when you wake up” and “waking up to pray.” Make prayer the first act of your day. Wake up five minutes earlier and pray.
- Follow the example of St. Pishoy Kamel who taught that at the day’s end, we are to place our feet at the edge of the bed and say to Christ, “Lord, the filth of the day has caught onto my feet; wash me, my Lord.” Then sit before an icon of the crucified Christ and offer your prayers at the foot of the Cross.
It is there in humility beside feet with our pride and time poured out that we find salvation and find an opportunity to prepare our hearts for the triumphant entry of Christ into the Jerusalem of our hearts.