"Knelt down and anointed Jesus' feet."
The Magdalene knelt back, sheltering herself as it were behind her Lord.
Judas blurted out impetuously his dissatisfaction. "To pour out so much costly ointment, what wasteful extravagance!"
"Friend Judas," said Jesus, "look at me. Is what is done for me, thy master, waste?"
Judas said, "I know that thou lovest not useless expense; the ointment might have been sold and the poor helped with the money!" Hearing Judas' answer he half turned away and looked wearily upward, folding his hands.
"Judas," said Jesus somewhat sternly, "hand upon thy heart now. Is it only pity for the poor which moves thee so much?"
Judas replied, "At least three hundred pence could have been got for it. What a loss both for the poor and for us."
Then Jesus answered and said, "The poor you have always with you, but me ye have not always." Then he said, "Let her alone, she has wrought a good work on me, for in that she has poured out the ointment upon me, she has anointed me for my burial. Verily I say unto you, wheresoever the gospel will be preached through the whole world, there shall also this which she hath done be told for a memorial of her."