Seize the Day

"For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always."

(Mk. 14:7)

Carpe diem is a phrase from a Latin poem by Horace that has become an aphorism. It is popularly translated as "seize the day". Carpe literally means "to pick, pluck, pluck off, cull, crop, gather." The story of the Alabaster Box and the anointing of Jesus' feet, apart from its clear doctrinal teaching, if it taught no other practical truth, teaches us to take advantage of those brief passing opportunities in life.

Our Lord’s words to His disciples seem to attest to this fact. Those everyday reoccurring things, says He, we can always give consideration to, whenever we choose. But there are limited opportune times that require our immediate attention and decision. Rarity always has priority over the regular! We see this in the case at hand, Christ was leaving them soon, but the poor would always be with them (Deut.15:11). He was to be preferred before the poor.

The woman with the alabaster box, I’m sure, had no regrets seizing the opportunity in anointing her Lord. Especially upon hearing of His resurrection; she had come, “aforetime.” I often wonder about the women who came early to His tomb that historic day to anoint His body, afterward? I guess they would have agreed with the adage, “Opportunity only knocks once.”