Mary of Bethany

Mary lived with her sister Martha and brother Lazarus in Bethany, near Jerusalem. Unlike her busy sister, Mary was drawn to reflection and worship. When Jesus visited, Mary chose to sit at His feet and listen to His teaching—a posture usually reserved for male disciples.

When Martha complained about doing all the work, Jesus defended Mary's choice: "Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her." Jesus affirmed that spiritual learning takes priority over even good activities like hospitality.

After Lazarus died, Mary stayed home while Martha went to meet Jesus. When she finally came, she fell at Jesus' feet with the same words as Martha: "Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died." Her grief moved Jesus deeply—"he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled." Then came the shortest verse in Scripture: "Jesus wept."

Six days before Passover, Mary performed an act of extravagant worship. She poured a pound of pure nard—worth a year's wages—on Jesus' feet and wiped them with her hair. When Judas criticized the waste, Jesus defended her: "Let her alone... she hath wrought a good work on me." She had anointed Him for burial. Jesus promised that wherever the gospel was preached, what she did would be told in her memory.