When Mary Poured a Rich Perfume

When Ma­ry poured a rich per­fume

On Je­sus’ wea­ry feet

Her car­ing filled that hum­ble room;

The frag­rance there was sweet.

But full of an­ger

Ju­das said

We could have used this more!

Why was her gift not sold in­stead

And giv­en to the poor?

The Lord replied

Leave her alone!

She bought it for this day.

This car­ing love that she has shown

Is faith­ful to God’s way.

The poor will al­ways be with you

But you will not have me;

He blessed her and he thanked her

too

For giv­ing lav­ish­ly.

O Christ

what can your peo­ple bring

To show you thanks and love?

You need no frag­rant of­fer­ing;

For now you reign above.

Since there will nev­er cease to be

The poor through­out the land

May we

your church

serve faith­ful­ly

By of­fer­ing them our hand.