My Son quickly dealt with their words, saying, “Why are you trying to cause trouble for this woman? What she did to me is lavish and beautiful, flowing from a heart of love. There will always be poor and needy people among you, and even if you have all the money in the world and give it all away, you will still come up short. Mary loved me right in the present moment, and trusting what I said about my impending death, she was getting a head start preparing me for burial. Wherever the good news is shared, people will hear about her because she is such a good example of other-centered love.”
Many believers are suspicious of extravagance and beauty because it seems to be an unwise use of resources. Child, you saw evidence of these conflicted attitudes after the magnificent Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris burned. Some generous donors came forward, offering hundreds of millions of dollars to help the rebuilding efforts. Still, people were quick to criticize, saying, “They could use that money to feed the poor.” Beloved, I care about each image-bearer and every church, but do not begrudge the generosity of others. There is far too little charity in the world, and there is far too little beauty. Together, beauty and charity give you a glimpse of my generosity.
Matthew 26:11-13, Letters to the Beloved
Jason Kanz 