“The Blessed Mary“
[By Caroline Piner]

Mary is a popular name that we see in the gospels. Jesus came into contact and had personal relationships with many of them. Mary of Bethany was one of those who followed Jesus. In the few short passages that mention her, the reader sees a lot about who she was. She possessed many of the qualities mentioned in the list of Beatitudes in Matthew 5:3-12.

Matthew 5:4 says that those who mourn are blessed and they will be comforted. John 11:1-44 gives us the story of the death of Lazarus. Obviously, Mary and Martha were distraught at their brother’s death, but they were comforted by Jesus, who had a close friendship with them (Matthew 5:4 is probably not referring to those who are mourning a death, but the focus here is on the idea of comfort). Jesus wept along with them and ultimately comforted them by raising Lazarus from the dead.

Meekness is shown by a servant’s attitude, humility, and making God the first priority in life. Both Mary and Martha, when Lazarus died, told Jesus they knew he could have saved their brother if he had come sooner (John 11: 21, 32). They had seen Jesus’ healings and had faith in his ability, which he then further proved by raising Lazarus from the dead. Mary proved her devotion to Jesus in John 12 when she anointed his feet with the costly ointment, and in Luke 10:38-42 when she sat at his feet, listening to his teachings. In both instances, she showed that she would serve Jesus and value him above everything else. Matthew 26:13 tells us that Jesus told Mary that in anointing him, her faith would be told of “in memory of her” (ESV); similarly, Matthew 5:5 says that the meek will “inherit the earth” (ESV).

Matthew 5:6 tells us that we are to “hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied” (ESV). Luke 10:38-42 shows that Mary put Jesus ahead of everything else, sitting at his feet and hanging on his every word. In verse 42, Jesus praised Mary for her dedication and said that she chose “the good portion” (ESV). Not only did Mary “hunger and thirst for righteousness”, but she was also “pure in heart” (Matthew 5:8, ESV).

God’s people have always been persecuted for being his people and for obeying him. Mary was no different. Of course, she was not persecuted in ways that people might normally think of, but she was reviled for the sake of Jesus (Matthew 5:10-11). In Luke 10:40, Martha got onto her for not helping her and instead listening to Jesus. When Mary anointed Jesus’ feet with the costly ointment, Judas and maybe some of the other disciples scolded her for the “waste” of something that could have been sold for a lot of money (John 12:5; Mark 14:5; Matthew 26:8). The use of this ointment for Jesus showed how much she loved and valued him— more than anything else. Her sacrifice and knowledge of doing the best thing she could do was met with indignance and ridicule. But the greatest thing is that in both situations, she did not even have to respond because Jesus came to her defense. Through his life, death, and after his resurrection, he defends his disciples. The life of a Christian will involve numerous attacks on our faith, but the greatest defense is not ourselves, it is Jesus.