Martha, Mary, and Lazarus were some of Jesus’s closest friends. Unlike the other disciples, the Gospels suggest that they were not part of the itinerant group of followers, but instead welcomed Jesus into their home in Bethany. For Jesus, Bethany became a place of rest, friendship, and encounter. Martha and Mary expressed their friendship with Jesus in different ways. I imagine Martha as a typical housewife, showing her affection through her care in the kitchen, constantly moving around to ensure everyone is satisfied and happy. For Martha, service was her way of showing love. On the other hand, Mary was less traditional. She sat at Jesus’s feet, listening intently to His stories and teachings. Days before the Passover, she broke open a bottle of expensive perfume to wash and anoint Jesus’s feet (John 12:3).

Mary’s actions were misunderstood both by her sister Martha, who asked her for help with household tasks and judged her harshly (Luke 10:40), and by Judas, who saw it as a waste to pour out such costly perfume (John 12:4-5). Yet, Jesus watched and learned from them. He observed Martha setting the table, and He watched Mary anoint His feet. He received their gestures, learned from them, and later imitated them. It might sound strange, but indeed, Jesus learned from the women around Him – His mother, His friends, and even from a pagan woman. Though Jesus was a teacher, He was also an apprentice.

It is no coincidence that at the Last Supper, when Jesus celebrates the Passover with His disciples, He repeats the actions He witnessed in Bethany: washing the disciples’ feet (like Mary) and serving the table, breaking the bread, and sharing the wine (like Martha). As Mariola Lopez RSCJ says in her book Ungidas: 

“Martha and Mary express their friendship and do with Jesus what He would later do with His disciples at the moment of His farewell: they serve Him at the table and wash His feet. Jesus allowed Himself to be served so that He could serve others, and He wanted to take these women’s gestures as a memorial of His life” (73).

After Mary had washed and anointed Jesus’s feet, and after Judas had complained, Jesus said: “Wherever the Gospel is proclaimed throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, and it will be her glory” (Mark 14:9). However, when we think about Catholic liturgy and rituals, the images and readings used during Easter, the films, and the popular and classical knowledge surrounding the events of Jesus’s Passover, we might conclude that the memory of this woman – who anointed Jesus’s feet – has been forgotten.

The scene is part of the Easter Monday readings, but we do not have ritual gestures on that day that honor this woman’s act. We remember “the Twelve” and Judas, but we forget the women! As theologian Elizabeth Schüssler Fiorenza points out in her book In Memory of Her, we recall the name of the one who betrayed Jesus but fail to remember the name of the faithful disciple who anointed Him (1). All the Gospel accounts mention the anointing in Bethany, but only the Gospel of John identifies the woman by name as Mary of Bethany (John 12:3). We know the names of the Twelve, who abandoned Jesus in His darkest hour, but not the names of those anonymous disciples who, though from a distance, followed Him to the cross (Matthew 27:55-56). Who buried Him, and who visited the tomb on the third day (Mark 15:47)?

1. Find a Quiet, Comfortable Space

Seek a place where you can be alone and free from distractions. Let this be a space of stillness where you can focus fully on God.

2. Settle Your Body and Mind

Sit or lie down in a comfortable position. Close your eyes and take a few deep breaths. Allow yourself to let go of any tension, bringing your attention fully to the present moment. Breathe deeply until you feel a sense of calm.

3. Invite God’s Presence

Once you feel settled, gently invite God into this sacred moment of prayer. Ask Him to be present with you and to grant you the grace to unite with Him in His Passover.

4. Reflect on the Scriptures

Read slowly and prayerfully through these passages: Mark 14:3-9 and John 13:1-17. Engage with these stories using your imagination. Place yourself as a disciple at The Last Supper in both Bethany and Jerusalem. What gestures or actions of Jesus and His disciples stand out to you? Are there particular characters you resonate with? What memories or feelings arise when you imagine sharing a meal with Jesus?

5. Reflect on These Questions (Optional)

You don’t need to reflect on all of these questions – only choose the ones that speak to you personally and help deepen your encounter with God.

• Jesus learned from the women to serve at the table and to wash feet. How does this idea make you feel? Have you ever thought of Jesus, not only as a teacher, but also as someone who observes and learns from others?
• How do you think the women felt when their actions were honored and celebrated by Jesus? How does that make you feel?
• Breaking bread, sharing wine, washing feet – these are acts often reserved for the priest in our liturgies, yet many of us perform them daily. When have you experienced breaking bread, offering wine, or serving others in a humble way? Can you recognize something sacred in these ordinary gestures? Take a moment to celebrate and give thanks for them.
• Imagine yourself as one of the disciples at the Last Supper. Picture Jesus washing your feet, preparing a meal for you, loving you with deep humility. Allow yourself to receive the love and care of God who serves you.

6. Conclude with a Heartfelt Conversation

As you close your time of prayer, offer an honest conversation with God, who is both Father and Mother. Share how you are feeling after this prayerful reflection. Thank God for what you have experienced, and ask Him to help you grow in your ability to appreciate and serve through the everyday acts of love that others offer you. Seek His guidance in learning to serve others and in allowing yourself to be served by Jesus.

Las Patronas is a humanitarian group in Amatlán de los Reyes, Veracruz, Mexico, providing food, water, and support to migrants traveling through Mexico on the freight trains known as La Bestia. These migrants, mostly from Central America, flee violence, poverty, and instability, risking their lives in hopes of reaching the US for a better life. The group began in 1995, when Norma Romero and other local women started offering food to migrants passing through their village. What started as a small, informal gesture grew into an organized effort, with the women preparing rice, beans, and tortillas for distribution. Over the years, their work expanded, drawing attention to the plight of migrants. Las Patronas is a symbol of solidarity, reminding us of our shared humanity and responsibility to care for others, especially in a context where the dignity of immigrants is often ignored.