Marcos 14
Jerome · Comentário Patrístico (catena)
Marcos 14:3
This woman is outside the temple and carries with her a jar of ointment containing nard, genuine nard, from which she has prepared the ointment. This is why the faithful are called "genuine" or pure nard. The church, gathered from the nations, is offering the Savior the abounding faith of believers. The alabaster jar which had been sealed is broken that all may receive its perfume. Homilies of Saint , Homily
Marcos 14:3
This woman has a very special message for you who are about to be baptized. She broke her alabaster jar that Christ may make you "christs," his anointed. Hear what it says in the Canticle of Canticles: "Your name spoken is a spreading perfume, therefore the maidens love you. We will follow you eagerly in the fragrance of your perfume!" — HOMILIES OF ST. JEROME, HOMILY 84
Marcos 14:3
Just as the grain of wheat, unless it falls into the ground and dies, does not bring forth any fruit, so, also, unless the alabaster jar be broken, we cannot spread its fragrance. — HOMILIES OF ST. JEROME, HOMILY 84
Marcos 14:4
To him [Judas], it seemed to be wasting the ointment because the jar is broken, but, for us, it was a great good because the perfume spread throughout the world. Why are you indignant, Judas, because the alabaster jar is broken? God, who made you and all the nations, is blessing us with that precious perfume. You wanted to keep the perfume sealed up so that it would not reach others. — HOMILIES OF SAINT JEROME, HOMILY 84
Marcos 14:6
When the apostles pleaded that the ointment was being wasted, they were rebuked by the voice of the Lord. Christ did not need the ointment, nor do martyrs need the light of candles. Yet that woman freely poured out the ointment in honor of Christ, and her heart's devotion was accepted.… Hence throughout the whole Eastern Church, even when there are no relics of the martyrs, whenever the gospel is to be read the candles are lighted although the dawn may be reddening the sky, not of course to scatter the darkness, but by way of evidencing our joy. — AGAINST VIGILANTIUS 7
Marcos 14:15
[Daniel 6:10] "Now when Daniel learned of it, that is, of the law which had been enacted, he entered his house, and with the windows in his upper room opened up in the direction of Jerusalem, he continued to bow his knees three times a day and worshipped, and made confession before his God just as he was previously accustomed to do." We must quickly draw from our memory and bring together from all of Holy Scripture all the passages where we have read of domata, which mean in Latin either "walled enclosures" (menia) or "beds" or "sun-terraces," and also the references to anogaia, that is, "upper rooms." For after all, our Lord celebrated the passover in an upper room (Mark 14:15, Luke 22:12), and in the Acts of the Apostles the Holy Spirit came upon the one hundred and twenty souls of believers while they were in an upper room (Acts 1:13). And so Daniel in this case, despising the king's commands and reposing his confidence in God, does not offer his prayers in some obscure spot, but in a lofty place, and opens up his windows towards Jerusalem, from whence he looked for the peace . He prays, moreover, according to God's behest, and also according to what Solomon had said when he admonished the people that they should pray in the direction of the Temple. Furthermore, there are three times in the day when we should bow our knees unto God, and the tradition of the Church understands them to be the third hour, the sixth hour, and the ninth hour. Lastly, it was at the third hour that the Holy Spirit descended upon the Apostles (Acts 2:15) . It was at the sixth hour that Peter, purposing to eat, ascended to the upper room for prayer (Acts 10:9). It was at the ninth hour that Peter and John were on their way to the Temple (Acts 3:1). — St. Jerome, Commentary on Daniel, CHAPTER SIX
Marcos 14:31
One of twelve deserted; eleven remained loyal. The cross came; they fled; one remained—Peter, one with One. This one himself fled, and would that he had! He denied Christ. We may say, then, that the entire human race was lost. Because it had perished, the complaint of the Lord crucified is: "The wine press I have trodden alone, and of my people there was no one with me." Then was the Psalm fulfilled: "Help, O Lord! For no one now is dutiful." "There is none who does good, no not even one." He who has promised: "Even if I should have to die with thee, or be imprisoned, I will not deny thee," denied him. — ON THE PSALMS, HOMILY 54
Marcos 14:70
"You have taken my friends away from me." In the passion of the cross, even my apostles fled from me; so completely did they shun me that Peter himself said: "I do not know this man." — HOMILIES OF SAINT JEROME, HOMILY 65