Great Wednesday
Matins – John 12:17-50; Sixth Hour – Ezekiel 2:3-3:3; Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts – Exodus 2:11-22; Job 2:1-10; Matthew 26:6-16
Abstention from meat and foods that contain meat. According to liturgical prescriptions, the Divine Liturgy is not celebrated today.
Read Job 2:1-10
During Great and Holy Week Christians aught to lay all earthly cares aside and focus on following the Lord to his life giving Passion and Resurrection. Each day of Holy Week has a particular movement that Jesus makes as He comes closer to his betrayal and suffering. Today, the Lord has gone back to Bethany after his triumphal entry into Jerusalem and the days spent being tested by the Jewish elders and leaders—just as the spotless lamb was examined to see if it was worthy of being the one sacrificed for the feast of Passover.
On Flowery Sunday, in the Gospel of John, Mary the sister of Lazarus anoints Jesus’ feet. Today we hear in Matthew’s Gospel that an unnamed woman approaches Jesus, this time at Simon the leper’s home, to anoint Jesus’ head. St. John Chrysostom recognizes that these are not the same accounts and that most likely they are different women at different times: “It may seem that this woman is the same in all the Gospel narratives. But I doubt it. In John she is another person, one much to be admired, the sister of Lazarus.” (PG 58:723-24). Both women have something beautiful to teach us. The woman in Matthews account approaches Jesus with spiritual motivation. The Gospel does not mention any physical malady she may be suffering from. She comes to the Lord Jesus because she is conscious of her spiritual uncleanliness. She comes to offer the Lord a gift of love asking from him only spiritual healing. Simon the leper was healed by the Lord—this goes unsaid just as Matthew who gave up his tax collecting position is oftentimes remembered as the tax collector. This witness of Simon gave her confidence that Jesus is able to restore physical health and that he has the power of God to restore even spiritual health. Her faith and confidence are what makes her so remarkable. Her willingness to seek out the Lord and to offer her most precious gift to him. Let us heed her example and do likewise this Great and Holy Week.