Holy Wednesday

Holy Wednesday commemorates both the plot to betray Jesus and His anointing with perfume for burial.

There is a dichotomy of intentions on display, ironically pointing to the same outcome. On one hand, Judas is focused on money—worldly security, self-preservation, and the illusion of control. His decision is shaped by the desire to gain, to hold, and to advance his own interests. In choosing silver, he reduces the Savior to a transaction, trading eternal purpose for temporary satisfaction (Matthew 16:26).

On the other hand stands Mary, whose intentions move in the opposite direction. She breaks open costly perfume not to gain but to give, not to secure her future but to surrender it (Ephesians 5:2). Her act, viewed as wasteful by the world, becomes an offering of devotion that prepares Jesus for His burial. While Judas grasps, Mary releases. While Judas hides in shadows, Mary steps into the light of love.

And yet, both actions converge toward the same moment—the cross. One advances it through betrayal, the other honors it through worship. Together they reveal the tension every soul faces: the pull of worldly desire that promises gain but leads to loss, and the call of what is holy that demands sacrifice but leads to life.

Holy Wednesday invites us to examine which voice we follow. Will we cling to what cannot last, or pour ourselves out for what cannot be taken away?