The Belief of Jesus | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 40

"La La Land" is all about love - of music, movies, both industries' history, Los Angeles culture, and romance. The two main characters are beyond passionate about their crafts... but can't seem to make it very far without each other. While I won't ruin the ending, it doesn't end in a blissful 'happily ever after' but with melancholy and reminiscence.
In the Bible passage, there is a woman who people doubted and judged, considering her worthless to kiss even Jesus feet. Yet Jesus condemned these doubts, believing in her; loving her. In this biblical story, there a melancholy that Jesus loves those overlooked by the world, even until the end of his life.

Mark 14: 1-9

Preparation for burial

14 It was two days before Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread. The chief priests and legal experts through cunning tricks were searching for a way to arrest Jesus and kill him. 2 But they agreed that it shouldn’t happen during the festival; otherwise, there would be an uproar among the people.

3 Jesus was at Bethany visiting the house of Simon, who had a skin disease. During dinner, a woman came in with a vase made of alabaster and containing very expensive perfume of pure nard. She broke open the vase and poured the perfume on his head. 4 Some grew angry. They said to each other, “Why waste the perfume? 5 This perfume could have been sold for almost a year’s pay[a] and the money given to the poor.” And they scolded her.

6 Jesus said, “Leave her alone. Why do you make trouble for her? She has done a good thing for me. 7 You always have the poor with you; and whenever you want, you can do something good for them. But you won’t always have me. 8 She has done what she could. She has anointed my body ahead of time for burial. 9 I tell you the truth that, wherever in the whole world the good news is announced, what she’s done will also be told in memory of her.”