{Ye have always} (pantote echete). Jesus does not
discredit gifts to the poor at all. But there is relativity in
one's duties. {But me ye have not always} (eme de ou pantote
echete). This is what Mary perceived with her delicate woman's
intuition and what the apostles failed to understand though
repeatedly and plainly told by Jesus. John does not mention the
precious promise of praise for Mary preserved in  Mr 14:9  Mt
26:13 , but he does show her keen sympathetic insight and
Christ's genuine appreciation of her noble deed. It is curiously
mal-a-propos surely to put alongside this incident the other
incident told long before by Luke ( Lu 7:35ff. ) of the sinful
woman. Let Mary alone in her glorious act of love.